GPS for overseas usage without data plans.

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rayonline

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#75590 20-Jan-2011 10:08

Right.

So Android and iOS requires some sort of data plan to use GPS.

I am looking for it for regular overseas travel that I do yearly. So international roaming data is expensive. So what are my options other than buying a $500 Garmin unit and $100US for each region map?

Is Nokia my only solution?

How are the free maps for Android or iOS that don't need a data connection? If they are free I guess they may be drawbacks. With my Garmin I know that they are barely adequate other than the free NZ one. I downloaded a few overseas maps, some of them didn't have POIs, some didn't even have the main street, therefore I wasn't even able to look up the main street or the main attraction. I could just look at the map and see where I was and I had to figure out where to go etc ...

Thanks.

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#429119 20-Jan-2011 10:55

Most phones are AGPS rather than pure GPS. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't it mean that AGPS needs a data connection to find the GPS satellites let alone mapping data.

rayonline

1734 posts

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#429125 20-Jan-2011 11:06

AGPS is just quicker but it works without a data plan.

Thing is AGPS works without a data plan, you get your location and the coordindates but you get a empty map, with no streets, no ocean because it uses mobile data to download them on the go. It's like the Yellow Garmin or going hiking or a SOS mission in the ocean.

Nokia is the only one I know that downloads the maps onto the memory card.

iPhone from my reading, from factory can cache them but only in temp memory but after a few days etc .. that mey get overwritten and you need a internet connection ......

I did a bit of research and it appears some are just maps without POIs or routing abilities. There is one called ANDnav but it appears v few places are supported, might be one USA state and EU. Other places might just have POIs but no routing ability.

iPhone has a $1.99US download from their eShop but it allow allows you to cache the memory into the memory card maybe but only when you have viewed them personally. You cannot download the map in one go (like the Nokias). So it is like you sit there all day scrolling around the whole city .

jjnz1

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#429128 20-Jan-2011 11:20

From wikipedia:

Some aGPS devices do not have the option of falling back to standalone or autonomous GPS (and therefore require a a cell tower connection)

Granted it is probably a very few devices that don't include the full GPS chip set, have I have heard of this being done. My old N97 was one of them I think.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#429130 20-Jan-2011 11:24

rayonline: Right.

So Android and iOS requires some sort of data plan to use GPS.

I am looking for it for regular overseas travel that I do yearly. So international roaming data is expensive. So what are my options other than buying a $500 Garmin unit and $100US for each region map?

a $120 Navman and $150NZ for each region map would be another option.

rayonline

1734 posts

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#429242 20-Jan-2011 16:08

Guess I will be sticking to my Nokia then.

Shame thou cos the Android and iPhones are great phones.

Don't people go overseas enough to warranty offline usage or do they just pick up multiple simcards (for data plans) ......

I have the Garmin 60CSx but the maps are $100US. Using geo-marks can be a hassle.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#429245 20-Jan-2011 16:12

rayonline: Guess I will be sticking to my Nokia then.

Shame thou cos the Android and iPhones are great phones.

Don't people go overseas enough to warranty offline usage or do they just pick up multiple simcards (for data plans) ......

I have the Garmin 60CSx but the maps are $100US. Using geo-marks can be a hassle.

I would hazard a guess that the type of people who go overseas and travel around often enough probably don’t pay their phone bill, and so don’t care too much about the roaming data.

BrentR

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#429249 20-Jan-2011 16:21

You could also consider the Nokia 5230. $349-$399 depending on which store you buy it from and it has the ability to do Ovi Maps nav as per usual. :)

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freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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#429250 20-Jan-2011 16:23

You don't need to use mobile data to have GPS working on your handset. You only need it for solutions such as Google Maps. You can always purchase third party GPS applications that store the map data on your handset and you go away...

n4

959 posts

Ultimate Geek

#429257 20-Jan-2011 16:48

rayonline: AGPS is just quicker but it works without a data plan.

Thing is AGPS works without a data plan, you get your location and the coordindates but you get a empty map, with no streets, no ocean because it uses mobile data to download them on the go. It's like the Yellow Garmin or going hiking or a SOS mission in the ocean.

Nokia is the only one I know that downloads the maps onto the memory card.

iPhone from my reading, from factory can cache them but only in temp memory but after a few days etc .. that mey get overwritten and you need a internet connection ......

I did a bit of research and it appears some are just maps without POIs or routing abilities. There is one called ANDnav but it appears v few places are supported, might be one USA state and EU. Other places might just have POIs but no routing ability.

iPhone has a $1.99US download from their eShop but it allow allows you to cache the memory into the memory card maybe but only when you have viewed them personally. You cannot download the map in one go (like the Nokias). So it is like you sit there all day scrolling around the whole city .

AGPS is assisted GPS. It uses a data connection to download a small file (almanac) that helps the GPS find lock more quickly by locating satellites in the sky in advance. It has nothing to do with the maps being downloaded. AGPS uses no more than 10's of kB. If a data connection is not available, AGPS will usually fall back to GPS, potentially resulting in longer lock times.

There are Android and iPhone (usually paid) apps which have offline maps loaded on the phone. You would usually pay for them in a similar way you pay to download a map for a handheld GPS. In fact, offline maps are the norm, offhand Google Maps is the only navigation solution that I know of that uses online maps and requires a data connection to work. Eg Navigon (free for SGS), Tomtom (for iPhone), Sygic, Go, NDrive, Aura (some of these may be the same).

Samsung Note20 Ultra, on 2degrees

jonb

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#429260 20-Jan-2011 17:01

The latest version of google maps for Android supports caching I believe?

How limited is the cacheing does anyone know? You could top up the map cache using a wifi connection whilst your overseas whenever you visit a new place..

More here:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=97&topicid=73599

Ragnor

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#429264 20-Jan-2011 17:29

n4:

AGPS is assisted GPS. It uses a data connection to download a small file (almanac) that helps the GPS find lock more quickly by locating satellites in the sky in advance. It has nothing to do with the maps being downloaded. AGPS uses no more than 10's of kB. If a data connection is not available, AGPS will usually fall back to GPS, potentially resulting in longer lock times.

There are Android and iPhone (usually paid) apps which have offline maps loaded on the phone. You would usually pay for them in a similar way you pay to download a map for a handheld GPS. In fact, offline maps are the norm, offhand Google Maps is the only navigation solution that I know of that uses online maps and requires a data connection to work. Eg Navigon (free for SGS), Tomtom (for iPhone), Sygic, Go, NDrive, Aura (some of these may be the same).

+1 this.

On most Android phones you can use an app to turn off Assisted GPS and rely on on just GPS (which takes slightly longer to find your position).

There are paid apps with pretty good offline maps for various countries.

So yes you can do this without data, however the whole point of a smartphone is data... when you travel to a country just get a local sim with a reasonable amount of data and you're off.

Many countries have unlimited data or much cheaper rates than NZ.

rayonline

1734 posts

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#429279 20-Jan-2011 18:00

I've been told that Google Maps have introduced offline but if you initiate a route search you still need mobile data. Thou not a lot. The maps might be stored in memory offline in the phone.

I have found some solutions that are paid for but it gets expensive if one travels regularly, they may need to buy a few $50-100US map. I tend to tav el quite quickly and see more countries.

I could get multiple simcards but given I don't spend much time in each country, I will just be left with unused data. This trip coming up, I have 2 nights in each of Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok.

There are free ones but they're not that great at the moment. Andnav does it but only EU and one USA state provide routing. The rest of the world have POIs only but no routing. And, NZ is not on any of the list yet.

There is a iOS software that you can buy but it cannot download maps, it just caches them permanently after you personally viewed them.

Think I stick with my Nokia E75. If I get a Android iPhone that may get left behind at home.

Topping up Wifi is not really an option. I don't really spend time to hunt out Wifi signals. I'm generally walking around than being inside a internet cafe. Thing is if I land, I'm outside .. I don't have time to cache it up ....

PS. I am needing searching and routing abilities with turn by turn navigation.

n4

959 posts

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#429281 20-Jan-2011 18:10

This gives an interesting overview of pricing for one option (NDrive, which comes free with the 2degrees LG P500) with ANZ maps (actually you get a choice):

http://www.ndriveweb.com/products/product/96/

Of course if you're going to be going all over the world this can add up. In that case Nokia is definitely good value, IIRC you can download maps for different regions for free?

Samsung Note20 Ultra, on 2degrees

rayonline

1734 posts

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#429284 20-Jan-2011 18:15

Yes the Nokia phones provided all country maps for free.

Many phones get navigation for free too, after Google Maps made theirs free with Androids but some phones need to pay like the business phone that I have. So it's $5.99 per month or $29.99 per year (for each region map). Ie., SE Asia has Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Phillipines together.

If "I" I don't pay for that, all I get is a map with a blue line to my goal. It won't tell me when and where to turn etc... both spoken or written.

Niel

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#429317 20-Jan-2011 19:58

You can buy Tom tom Navigator in the UK for certain (specific) phones. Don't think you can buy it in any other country though. But it is tops. Works great with voice navigation the works.

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