What Smartphone / GPS for touring UK/France ?

[Graham]

Doesn't the use of a screen protector just move the layer of grease to the new outer surface ??

. . .. I'm starting to feel as though I have willingly jumped onto the mainstream consumerist conveyor belt . . . . .

[mercalia]

Just about coming to terms with the permanently greasy screen . . . . .

Screen protector?

as i did get some capacitive stylus from ebay. cheap enough and if you phone has the normal socket for earbuds has a tether to attach to when ot in use.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... s&_sacat=0


I have ones like these ones
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10x-Mini-Cap ... SwqG5dEF4y

but sooner or later the metal paint wears off - but can be repaired with aluminium sticky tape ( I got from Maplins )

[mercalia]

Doesn't the use of a screen protector just move the layer of grease to the new outer surface ??

. . .. I'm starting to feel as though I have willingly jumped onto the mainstream consumerist conveyor belt . . . . .

which is why I bought a cheap windows phone , well 3 of them. dont need a screen protector, if one gets damaged beyond use move onto the 2nd one etc. Screen protectors dull the screen and you miss the glorious contrast. And they are not easy to put on without creases. Also since they are not hard they degrade quickly on cleaning

[mercalia]

Has anyone tried the OS Premium service - for use of (detailed) maps offline ?

I guess that offine map(s) must be for limited areas otherwise the files would be enormous.

Just about coming to terms with the permanently greasy screen . . . . .

Not OS Premium, but I have Anquet OMN & have quite large swathes of Northern England & Wales in 1:25kHD & 1:50kHD downloaded (as well as a few other bits of GB) & I'm using just under 11GB of storage. I would imagine it would be similar to OS's offering as it is the same mapping. I have 64GB internal storage & a 128GB card so I'm not bothered by how much space is taken up, although I do try to get apps to store stuff on the SD card where possible.

I wouldnt bother with Anquet. As a company they mess customers around with ever changing software that wont use older maps. Also the software has very poor performance wise ( I do know as I have older versions that fly by comparison) If you want to go down a purchase route consider Memory Map whose software dont really change year in year out so dont obsolete older maps.

if you are looking at mapping you might want to take a look at Cartograph. I have it on my Windows phone but is also available on Android. It uses free Andromaps/Mapforge maps that are not unlike Os maps and have the advantage of showing all sorts of paths and tracks. The viewer costs about £5 but the maps are free. The viewer also can show online openstreet maps. The Andro/Mapforge maps are offline stored on the phone. Apparantly these maps are popular with hikers and offroad cyclists.

https://www.openandromaps.org/en

[Graham]

I've been googled !! . . . . . . ..

The experience so far is dragging me into the android mainstream. I now realise just how much Google effectively impose themselves upon the passive smartphone user.
As an long-standing Ubuntu (PC) user this is a bit of a culture shock. The mobile O/S system providers are monopolising the mobile internet world to an extent that is rather alarming.

I suspect that the Motorola G7 will be returned to base for a refund.

For various reason I'm now investigating a Kindle that can store&use O/S mapping offline - better still if it can handle IGN (french) maps.
I don't need tracking : I enjoy navigating myself whether with preparation and/or on-the fly.

[Psamathe]

I find many (cycling related) used for my smartphone in addition to tracking & mapping. e.g. weather forecast and rainfall radar (I use apps WeatherPro & RainToday - which seem to give better forecast than MetOffice (worldwide) and rainfall radar is excellent (European coverage)). It's not uncommon to look at weather and think "may easily rain but check the rainfall radar which shows nothing so do go and have a good dry ride or for MetOffice to forecast rain or dry but check rainfall radar and see they are wrong so you get your ride or don't and stay dry.

Even mapping apps (and websites) can tell you far more and useful stuff abut a new ride you are thinking about (e.g. altitudes/ascent).

Loads of non-cycling things as well (e.g. podcasts, star charts, etc.).

I ditched Android ages ago and I've found Apple don't seek to know everything about you in the same way (I've blocked some Apple provided functionality but not much).

Ian