GPS Navigation recommendations?

[Sticky Fingers]

Does anyone have suggestions for a iPad (not iPhone) GPS navigation app? Any positive reviews on Copilot? It looks interesting but, reviews are mixed and it's a little pricy just to try it out.

An application with offline US maps is required due to frequent travel in areas without cellular coverage. Online features like traffic would be great for urban travel.

 

[Stefx]

I have found none that come anywhere close to an entry-level stand-alone GPS (Garmin, etc)

 

[jwt873]

I tried out the 'GPS Drive HD' app. It costs $2.99. Like Stefx points out.. It's not quite as capable as a full blown dedicated GPS unit. But it's not a bad substitute.

They give you 30 days of free voice guidance, but after that you have to pay extra to keep the 'turn by turn' voice going. You have the option of paying $2.99 a month, or $19.99 per year. The app still works if you let the voice guidance expire.

One big complaint I've seen about this app is that you have to create a unique account (with a valid e-mail address) before the app will work. Some people worry about the GPS app 'phoning home' allowing the app developer to track your every move.

My biggest complaint is that there are no internal maps. Your iPad needs to be connected to the 3G network in order to fetch the maps. If you go out in the boonies where the 3G coverage is non existent or poor, the map screen stops updating and goes blank.

My other major complaint is how the maps are labeled. If you have the display set to 'North Up'. the street names are easy to read. If you set the map to 'Course Up, then the street names appear upside down when you are traveling south or East. A clumsy fix is to turn the iPad upside down so the labels are oriented correctly

Other than that, it's not a bad app.. I have a dedicated Magellan GPS unit but I've taken to using the iPad more frequently. I really like the BIG maps on the iPad's screen.

Another thing I like is how the voice guidance integrates with the iPod app. I like to listen to music when I travel so I connect the iPad to my car radio. The GPS Drive app gives you the option of 'talking over' whatever music is playing, or pausing the song while the directions are announced. You can also set each app's volume independently.

I've been running the app for a little over a month and it hasn't given me any 'stupid' routes to the destinations I've selected.. (Where the path is clumsy, illogical, or just plain wrong).

So... It's not a perfect app. It still needs a bit of polishing up.. But if you don't need voice guidance, then you're only out 3 bucks if you decide you don't like it.

 

[deckyon]

I have 2 that I use.

GPS Drive HD by MotionX for door to door navigation. I don't use it a lot, since I have a nice Magellen Maestro GPS already. Nice enough, however, for when I am not driving and can give directions.

GPS HD by MotionX I use for Geocaching. Has multiple map styles (terrain, satellite) and has a nice large display and is pretty accurate. Of course, that really requires the 3G model.

They both allow you to download maps to use offline, so you don't suck up your Data Plan driving around town.

Both are $2.99 each and I recommend them both highly. If you only need one kind, then just choose the one that best fits your intended use.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the detailed information.
Jwt873 - It's certainly good to know that GPS Drive HD will still work after the turn by turn runs out. I always mute GPS sounds anyway, that's one reason why I want a BIG gps screen.

deckyon - the downloadable maps sound interesting. Is that just a download of an area or the entire US?

I really think that for performance anywhere near a dedicated GPS, off-line maps are a must. Plus, I don't need Motion X keeping tabs on my whereabouts. I recently disabled the Onstar system in my car specifically for this reason.

It would be worth spending more for an offline map system based on Navteq or Garmin. I'll post if I find anything that fits this criteria.

 

[johnbrock]

Does anyone have suggestions for a iPad (not iPhone) GPS navigation app? Any positive reviews on Copilot? It looks interesting but, reviews are mixed and it's a little pricy just to try it out.

An application with offline US maps is required due to frequent travel in areas without cellular coverage. Online features like traffic would be great for urban travel.

Sticky Fingers, please forgive me, as I know you said NOT iPhone apps, but that's probably your best choice for now. I use both of the Motion-X apps, but it's not the same as an app with the maps on board. Indeed, you can catch maps (but not Google) but that requires a bit of prior planning. But you can't beat the Motion-X prices.

I've been using Navigon on my 3GS for a while now and it's worked well (but not as well as a dedicated unit, like a Garmin Nuvi). I recently installed it on my iPad and I like it even better there. Just blow it up with the 2X button. If you happen to be jailbroken, install Fullforce and the Navigon maps look better still.

I sure would like to see Navigon or Tom Tom or Garmin come up with an iPad version that took advantage of the big screen.

 

[jwt873]

I sure would like to see Navigon or Tom Tom or Garmin come up with an iPad version that took advantage of the big screen.

It sure would be nice... I don't know why they haven't tried to penetrate this market.. I'd be a customer for sure. Maybe they just want people buying their hardware

 

[Tinman]

MotionX GPS drive is an amazing value for what it does. I love how you can preview a route and have it save map data on the device. Great feature.

Navigon, though, will load on the iPad. If you are jailbroken and load the app FullForce it will let Navigon run in full iPad resolution.

Benefit to Navigon is the maps are always loaded, all of them time. You don't ever need a data connection to use it, unless you want live traffic or whatnot. But for navigation, it works well and to me has that "dedicated GPS" feel (as does TomTom).



Michael

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks for the advice. it looks like motion-x for now and navigon once they have an iPad version. After visiting the Motion X site I learned that it only downloads the maps once, up to the max map storage of 2GB. This could still leave you in a bind when theres no cell coverage but on the other hand I got by fine for thirty years without a gps. I'll give both a try.

 

[Tinman]

Keep in mind 2 gigs is a lot. I only keep California, Nevada, and Arizona loaded all of the time for Navigon and it is only like 400MB. The entire USA AND Canada is just 1.62 GB. But I delete what I don't normally need unless I am traveling someplace (need to be jailbroken to copy off unneeded maps, then delete from device--can be copied back at will).

Wonder if GPS Drive will cache more than one route? I can't see even a round-the-country route coming in at 2 gigs.

Actually I wish they had more options than just maps download for route. I'd rather specify maps, but I bet that is against their licensing arrangement for map data.

Either way it's a good deal.

For a completely free option, but with no offline maps, is MapQuest 4 Mobile. It does voice guidance and all... and is free app. Worth it just for the heck of it. Make sure it is Mapquest 4 Mobile if you do.



Michael

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Michael,
I think the maps just keep building in MotionX. At least I hope so. I'll know the next time that I that one of the routes that I preloaded. Yesterday I made a ninety mile trip that was not preloaded. It did good even with intermittent cellular across part of the route.

I still think a full offline map system with Internet conveniences like traffic is my preference.

 

[daledevon]

3g ipad for TomTom?

Will my wifi ipad run TomTom, or do I need the 3G version?

 

[deckyon]

For true GPS navigation, you will need to have the 3G version, or that special BT GPS puck mentioned in a different thread.

Personally, i recommend MotionX GPS Drive for navigation. It does allow you to download and store maps to be used offline using wifi so you don't overwork your data plan.

 

[jwt873]

Will my wifi ipad run TomTom, or do I need the 3G version?

As deckyon points out, you do need the GPS that the 3G units come with for true GPS navigation... But to add to that, I don't think there is a Tom Tom app for the iPad. I don't see it in the app store.

 

[Wakawaka]

I'm soon going to be in the same situation. I have the in dash navigation, tho I like my garmin. But soon I'll be using google earth or the maps app on the iPad. I need sat views and able to find areas not labeled on navigation. Found this out last summer camping.

One nice thing with gamin is track logs. You can import em to google earth too.