i phone or Garmin? (or something else?)

[531colin]

Very steep learning curve for me, not helped by the fact I'm doing this to use as a tool, not because I'm in the least interested in the thing itself.
Got the Sony Xperia (sp?)
didn't get on with Alpine Quest, and couldn't get OS maps with bridleways.
Got View Ranger, bought all the 2 1/2 inch maps of the Dales for a silly price, this is for off-road use.
now need to choose an on-line map for road cycling, but I need to be able to download the map and store it on the device, or I won't be able to use it where there is no signal, and it would cost a fortune in downloading each time (I think!).....why do they all show minor roads in WHITE?....bloody silly. I suppose I could buy the whole country in inch OS maps.....
Bought the Ortleib tablet case, waterproof, expensive....it doesn't mount on an Ortleib bar bag, that would be too easy Making my own system with nylon tape. press studs, etc....
....please jump in if I'm getting this wrong!

[andrewjoseph]

how about co-pilot? for about £30 you get lifetime use of the maps with regular upgrades. the maps stay on the phone and you only need gps working to use it. it was devised as a car/lorry sat nav but has options for cycle and pedestrians too. no good for off road I don't think, but we used it for years as our car satnav.

http://copilotgps.com/uk/satnav/

[Psamathe]

Got View Ranger, bought all the 2 1/2 inch maps of the Dales for a silly price, this is for off-road use.
now need to choose an on-line map for road cycling, but I need to be able to download the map and store it on the device, or I won't be able to use it where there is no signal...

ViewRanger can easily download what it calls "Online Maps". Online refers to the source being an online source (e.g. OpenStreetMap or Opencycle Map).

Go into "Organiser", then "Maps", then "Get More Maps", etc. (I've actually blocked ViewRanger and it's "social features" at that point as I no longer need to download further mapping). Just because they are called "online" does not mean they have to be used online (downloaded at/each time of use). You get into a "tile selection" screen where you select which tiles you want to download (only do it over WiFi) and those tiles are then downloaded and kept on the phone and when you use those maps over those areas the previously dowloaded maps are used rather than collecting them from the internet.

Ian

[Paulatic]

I have GB 250K on my phone. OS road map of Great Britain has helped me a number of times when in an unknown area. Just tap the X hair and it tells me where I am and shows the roads around.
Needs 250mb of space and mobile data not required.

[531colin]

Got View Ranger, bought all the 2 1/2 inch maps of the Dales for a silly price, this is for off-road use.
now need to choose an on-line map for road cycling, but I need to be able to download the map and store it on the device, or I won't be able to use it where there is no signal...

ViewRanger can easily download what it calls "Online Maps". Online refers to the source being an online source (e.g. OpenStreetMap or Opencycle Map).

Go into "Organiser", then "Maps", then "Get More Maps", etc. (I've actually blocked ViewRanger and it's "social features" at that point as I no longer need to download further mapping). Just because they are called "online" does not mean they have to be used online (downloaded at/each time of use). You get into a "tile selection" screen where you select which tiles you want to download (only do it over WiFi) and those tiles are then downloaded and kept on the phone and when you use those maps over those areas the previously dowloaded maps are used rather than collecting them from the internet.

Ian

Thanks Ian, but I had worked all that out, all I am stuck for is a map that I would be happy to use.
Open street map I think is absolutely horrid, the minor roads that I like to ride on are white, and just barely picked out from the white background by faint lines.
Open cycle map is a bit better, minor roads are still white but in places contour (etc) colouring makes them more visible, but in other areas some keen soul has put in all the bridlepaths and footpaths which are much more colourful and frankly distracting, but I distrust the detail and accuracy for actual navigation on the paths.
I might just buy OS inch maps and put up with the various disadvantages just to get mapping I'm used to.

[Bicycler]

I have to say I came to a very similar conclusion for that type of riding. Nothing as yet comes close to OS for navigating countryside paths and finding quiet lanes.

[geocycle]

I have to say I came to a very similar conclusion for that type of riding. Nothing as yet comes close to OS for navigating countryside paths and finding quiet lanes.

Or interpreting the area around you.... The only down side is they can look noisy on a small screen.

[Psamathe]

Open street map I think is absolutely horrid, the minor roads that I like to ride on are white, and just barely picked out from the white background by faint lines.
Open cycle map is a bit better, minor roads are still white but in places contour (etc) colouring makes them more visible, but in other areas some keen soul has put in all the bridlepaths and footpaths which are much more colourful and frankly distracting, but I distrust the detail and accuracy for actual navigation on the paths.
I might just buy OS inch maps and put up with the various disadvantages just to get mapping I'm used to.

I have recently (a few weeks ago) switched from OS 50K Landranger back to OpenStreet Map. But a lot depends on the render. I'm now using MapOut which maintains the white minor roads but they seem to stand out find with their rendering (B roads yellow). I guess a lot depends on the width of the white road lines, background and the zoom scales you are using.

Ian

[Bicycler]

I have to say I came to a very similar conclusion for that type of riding. Nothing as yet comes close to OS for navigating countryside paths and finding quiet lanes.

Or interpreting the area around you.... The only down side is they can look noisy on a small screen.

I detailed all of my reservations about OS mapping earlier in the thread. In truth they are not problems with OS as such, they are general issues with using detailed raster versions of maps rather than simpler vector maps designed for viewing on a screen. My own preference is to carry the relevant paper map and use that for route planning before the trip and where a wider view is needed during the trip.

[theDaveB]

The biggest battery user on iPhones is the screen and searching for 3G. GPS not as much if the app has been developed properly.

So if you don't need the screen on all the time, hit the standby button when you have finished looking at it. You can leave the app running, no need to quit out of it.

If you going out of town defo switch off 3G, if it's on and the phone hasn't aquired it, it will try its best to aquire it and this drains the battery.

Remember some apps can now carry on in the background, so if load a map app too check something quickly but don't need it again for a while, double click the home button and get rid of it from the background by flicking it up.

You can switch of data all together but remember that disables other things like iMessage and when you switch data back on it doesn't automatically switch everything back on.

Dave

[sjs]

Open street map I think is absolutely horrid, the minor roads that I like to ride on are white, and just barely picked out from the white background by faint lines.
Open cycle map is a bit better, minor roads are still white but in places contour (etc) colouring makes them more visible, but in other areas some keen soul has put in all the bridlepaths and footpaths which are much more colourful and frankly distracting, but I distrust the detail and accuracy for actual navigation on the paths.
I might just buy OS inch maps and put up with the various disadvantages just to get mapping I'm used to.

Try Maverick. You can download OS maps for free and store them on the phone for offline use, automatically changing from 50 to 25k as you zoom in. The paid for version (which is a lot better) is a few pounds, but the maps are free.