nigelnightmare wrote:When using a smartphone as a GPS be careful as mine overheated, :o now it keeps telling me that the sim has been removed and to restart it. Also sometimes loses all volume (incoming & outgoing). :twisted:
I find that when using mapping apps the app does not actually consume much battery but it is the GPS device that does. I've been beta testing and verifying a mapping app recently and been running several mapping apps at the same time over rides and the battery used running multiple apps is the same as the battery used with just one meaning the bulk of power is the GPS not the apps.
So if your smartphone overheated I'd wonder if there was some other fault in the device that caused the problems (e.g. whatever caused the SIM remove/restart requests is a hardware failure that also caused the overheating) i.e. not caused by using the phone as a GPS but just an unrelated fault.
Ian
That is the reason I like the ViewRanger app, it can be set ot minimize the use of the phone's GPS module thus greatly reducing the battery drain. By using it about 6-7hrs during the day, with "email sync" switched off, switched off all the apps that would use mobile data and all the auto-updates and so on, I can easily get 2 days from a Samsung Galaxy Xcover3
My own experience of ViewRanger is that it only seems to use raster mapping - uses loads of storage space with limited zoom capability. It also seems to be more and more focused on "social media" and sharing your position/track/etc. Another thing I was horrified about was when you run the app, despite there being no reason, it still connects to and communicates with their servers (and they don't say what info it is sending in!) - so I had to block that as well. But main issue is the mapping.
Most apps will use the GPS to minimise power consumption (those that don't soon get store reviews about eating batteries).
I've actually found the main power consumer when I'm out recording a track is the poor mobile GSM coverage - nothing to do with the GPS or mapping apps.
Most apps will use the GPS to minimise power consumption (those that don't soon get store reviews about eating batteries).
...
Please let us know which ones!
I too am not thrilled by the zooming on Viewranger maps, but I've never found all this "social media" thing, I simply ignore it
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are...
Most apps will use the GPS to minimise power consumption (those that don't soon get store reviews about eating batteries).
...
Please let us know which ones!
I too am not thrilled by the zooming on Viewranger maps, but I've never found all this "social media" thing, I simply ignore it :D
I don't know the Android offerings well but most apps pages on the stores will say if they use vector mapping (if they don't say they probably don't). Not used it myself but I believe OsmAnd uses vector mapping (though they don't compress it that well - but it's still a lot smaller than raster mapping and it should still give you full zoom capabilities). I'm not recommending it as I've never used it and the mapping app I use is only available for the iPhone (so not relevant).
It's a personal thing but I have a great mistrust of apps that secretly start talking to their developers web site for no good reason and without most people's knowledge and the moment they do I get suspicious and either block the communications or bin the app (hence ViewRanger was blocked for some time but other offerings are so much better it's been binned now).
Ok, what apps would you recommend then? Genuinely interested.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are...
Gattonero wrote:Ok, what apps would you recommend then? Genuinely interested.
You have to say what platform and what functionality. I'd assumed Android (from your previous comment) but Android & iPhone have different apps (even OsmAnd on iPhone is very different from OsmAnd on Android).
I only know the iPhone apps that do mapping (i.e. not turn by turn navigation nor route creation - just mapping, track recording, route display, etc.). The one I consider best (for my use) is MapOut (only available for iPhone/iPad).
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are...
[quoteGarmin Edge Touring ..... 3 cyclists in the family, one Garmin .... shared device = inexpensive device. And it's brill ....][/quote] I don't know what I'm doing wrong - my Garmin Touring is usually great if used solely as a recording device. If used to give turn by turn route directions then every so often will just switch off and refuse to sync the ride. This then has to be deleted and all is lost. Everyone I know who has a Garmin from 800 through Touring to 1,000 has the random turning off problem. One friend is on his 3rd Garmin 1,000 explorer and it still occasionally misbehaves. Sometimes if I cycle under trees I get "route calculation error" followed by switching off. In rare cases it will suddenly announce "turning off in 12 seconds - yes/no". Sometimes I can get to 'no' before it goes blank; other times it turns off instantly. This despite switching off 'auto shut down'. Garmin after sales is no help. They ask pointless questions like "what version of the soft ware are you using?. This is pointless because every time the Garmin syncs it updates to the latest version of the software - doh! When it updates all my customisation is returned to factory settings which is very annoying. Garmin keep bringing out new models with new gimmicks though. I just wish they'd make a simple device which works 100% reliably. Any insights would be gratefully received.
