mjr wrote:.....(Although I don't understand the attraction of Etrex over OsmAnd~ using Cyclestreets GPX routes and spoken directions on an android device...)
Device use and interaction depends on your intended use and circumstances.
For me, for camping touring exceeding a week, I mainly use a map for general riding navigation, the Etrex for routing through large cities and finding specific locations, and the Tablet for leisure, internet and detailed leisurely route dreaming at night 'cause the paper maps I use are either too large scale or tourist stuff...
But then I meander, or dander along and adapt the route as I go along..
cjs wrote:You may find the android app OsmAnd useful, I certainly do.. The program and many large coverage maps are free and it work well offline with the tablet GPS engaged. Handy for 'on the go' planning, getting an accurate quick location fix or even short term real time navigation although I'm sure battery life will be an issue if over long time periods....
GoogleMaps can be useful offline too....
Funnily enough I've just deleted OSMAnd. Was I overhasty? It only seemed to offer offline maps while I want something that will produce gpx tracks.
So far the most viable option seems to be gypsies.com (in Opera Mobile - it doesn't seem to work in Google Chrome) and then load the track into Orux maps. Orux maps has (allegedly - I haven't tried this yet) the advantage of being able to read Garmin .img files.
I have to say though that planning a route on the screen of an iPod was a major pain (and never mind getting it onto the gps) but still easier than the Androird alternatives that I've seen.
For an Etrex GPX tracks or routes are your best option using map source or base camp and a PC / Mac.
For cycling maps OSM data is good in the cycling flavours such as Velomap etc - but you need a PC / Mac offline.
Android app Oruxmaps can read some of these maps in IMG format but it is not great.
As far as I am aware there is no android offline route planning app for gpx tracks..
You CAN use online planners such as 'bikeroutetoaster' - download as GPX and easily use in OsmAnd - instructions are on the web.. Bit of a pain though unless you have a good WiFi connection.
It would appear that GPX for garmin may not be in a readable format for other apps and visa versa.... Note: bike route toaster give 2 options for GPS one for Garmin and one other... May or may not be an issue..
For me, on tour, I select waypoints the day before and, when I need to, just use the 'GOTO' function and the compass pointer to get there as I poodle along... Keeps it easy for me
I carry a netbook and do my route planning in Basecamp. However I'm interested in seeing whether there's an alternative. I've. also done the waypoint thing, but with a tiny screen and the little joystick it's a time-consuming PITA.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong but I definitely could NOT get bikeroutetoaster to work - the only online route planning site I've had any success with is gpsies.com - and even then not with Google Chrome.
I know that Basecamp accepts the output from gpsies and so does Orux maps - so that combination looks like the best of a bad bunch so far.
@Sweep - Cyclestreets has definitely got the most small screen-friendly interface I’ve seen, but sadly it snubbed my efforts to get it to plan a route in Italy.
Osmand can produce gpx files, but the interface for drawing them by hand is utterly awful and impractical.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
andymiller wrote: @Sweep - Cyclestreets has definitely got the most small screen-friendly interface I’ve seen, but sadly it snubbed my efforts to get it to plan a route in Italy.
I really meant for the UK Andy, though I know you're basically half Italian.
Cyclestreets is promoted I think as primarily for UK routes, though I'm not technical enough to know why the country is an issue since I thought it just used OSM data. For use on a PC (which I know this thread isn't about) I find it excellent.
cjs wrote:For an Etrex GPX tracks or routes are your best option using map source or base camp and a PC / Mac.
For cycling maps OSM data is good in the cycling flavours such as Velomap etc - but you need a PC / Mac offline.
Android app Oruxmaps can read some of these maps in IMG format but it is not great.
As far as I am aware there is no android offline route planning app for gpx tracks..
You CAN use online planners such as 'bikeroutetoaster' - download as GPX and easily use in OsmAnd - instructions are on the web.. Bit of a pain though unless you have a good WiFi connection.
It would appear that GPX for garmin may not be in a readable format for other apps and visa versa.... Note: bike route toaster give 2 options for GPS one for Garmin and one other... May or may not be an issue..
For me, on tour, I select waypoints the day before and, when I need to, just use the 'GOTO' function and the compass pointer to get there as I poodle along... Keeps it easy for me
YMMV
Kind regards Chris
Oruxmaps can create gpx track files (point by point, not by automatic routing) and save them in a format that garmin devices understand. That might be useful if the android device had a bigger/better screen and/or better maps than the garmin. The problem then becomes that of getting the gpx out of the phone/tablet and into the garmin. Easy with a computer in the middle (but then why bother with the android device), less so wthout. Many but not all android devices support USB OTG, i.e. will behave in a similar way to a computer if a USB device is connected, so the file could be transferred either via a card reader or even (so I've read) directly to the gps, with a suitable cable. My smartphone is a Nexus 4 (phone, not hub gear), so I'm out of luck, as it doesn't support USB OTG.
sjs wrote:Oruxmaps can create gpx track files (point by point, not by automatic routing) and save them in a format that garmin devices understand. That might be useful if the android device had a bigger/better screen and/or better maps than the garmin. The problem then becomes that of getting the gpx out of the phone/tablet and into the garmin. Easy with a computer in the middle (but then why bother with the android device), less so wthout. Many but not all android devices support USB OTG, i.e. will behave in a similar way to a computer if a USB device is connected, so the file could be transferred either via a card reader or even (so I've read) directly to the gps, with a suitable cable. My smartphone is a Nexus 4 (phone, not hub gear), so I'm out of luck, as it doesn't support USB OTG.
Orux does routing as well but while I've worked out how to save/export tracks I can't see a way to export routes - so I'm assuming there isn't one. I'm wondering though whether I could create a track and then upload it to gpsies.com and turn it into a route and then convert back into a track (but hopefully one that fits the road better). A faff yes, but it might be easier than trying to input direct onto gypsies.com (which is relatively small screen-friendly but is still a little tricky).
I have a Tesco Hudl which has a micro-SD card - so the theory is that if I could find a way to create a useable gpx file I could then copy it into a Garmin>GPX folder on the memory card. That looks like the easy bit.
Sweep wrote:Cyclestreets is promoted I think as primarily for UK routes, though I'm not technical enough to know why the country is an issue...
andymiller wrote:Orux does routing as well but while I've worked out how to save/export tracks I can't see a way to export routes - so I'm assuming there isn't one. I'm wondering though whether I could create a track and then upload it to gpsies.com and turn it into a route and then convert back into a track (but hopefully one that fits the road better). A faff yes, but it might be easier than trying to input direct onto gypsies.com (which is relatively small screen-friendly but is still a little tricky).
Perhaps translating the oruxmaps track to a route, and letting the garmin do the routing, would be good enough? I usually use gpsbabel to do that sort of thing, but I don't think there's an android version. A text editor might be sufficient, as tracks and routes only seem to differ in a fairly trivial way (so why can't etrexes etc just ask whether to treat either of them in either manner?).
I saw an Asus Transformer T100 yesterday & it seems like, possibly, the best of both worlds - a netbook running full Windows 8.1 in desktop mode &, detaching the screen gives you a 10" tablet using the touch screen & tiles interface. Claimed battery life of 11 hours.
Rick
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
I value the CTC forum for its relative seriousness and sticking to the subject, but on a damp Sunday this tale might be enlightening/amusing - someone with definite faith in his Hudl and wifi availability:
RickH wrote:I saw an Asus Transformer T100 yesterday & it seems like, possibly, the best of both worlds - a netbook running full Windows 8.1 in desktop mode &, detaching the screen gives you a 10" tablet using the touch screen & tiles interface. Claimed battery life of 11 hours.
Rick
That's interesting. We have an android transformer, which I've mentioned previously as despising, but... it does have a very good battery life; the tablet itself has a good one, but the keyboard more than doubles it. Shame it's android, so this W8 could be good for me. Big problem with it though, is using it- touchpad horrendous, touchscreen bad and keyboard not good. Also the keyboard is lighter than the tablet, so it tips very easily, but I think that was addressed in later models.
Have been planning to sell it, but would feel guilty passing it on... Maybe we're too fussy though and others wouldn't find said issues so bad. Admittedly I am swayed by my dislike of android.
Thought I had better post here as it's kind of on topic.
The Hudl was bought for me as a Christmas present so only just got my mitts on it.
Big problem.
I read all of the reviews and wasn't bothered at all if it wasn't the most advanced cutting edge blistering performance thing on the planet.
And I wasn't expecting to blast anyone with its media playing.
Mostly for web browsing, email etc.
But also of course now and again watching BBC iplayer downloads in the tent or wherever.
It turns out that the volume can't be got to a level to actually hear BBC stuff.
With Youtube you are OK. Notv exactly loud but usable.
Haven't tried it on Skype (apart from a test call which sounded very low as well) but I can see it also being a problem with that.
Just spoken to Tesco helpline - their line was that my unit isn't faulty, that's just the way the Hudl is.
So I told them that it's unfit for purpose - after all you wouldn't accept a radio that you couldn't actually hear.
The thing was bought more than 28 days ago I think (Tesco's usual no quibble return period) but after a bit of assertion from my end I was told that any "Christmas presents" can be returned for a full no quibble refund until Jan 31. Which might help folks in a similar position - after all any Hudl could have been bought as a Christmas present for anyone since it only came out in the run up to Christmas.
A real pity as I was generally extremely impressed with it. It was heavy but this made it seem solid.
I also had an intermittent issue with left-side virtual keyboard keys not working (a known issue I think) but was told that there was a reset or software method of sorting this but I didn't bother going there.
As I say a pity and I am extremely puzzled as to why none of the reviews (OK - I have since found one that did) reviews mentioned this.
I gather that Andy Miller got one as well and was initially very pleased as I was.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
