Droid Navigation

[aosman]

So finally had the opportunity to take my DROID on a trip to San Diego last week. I used the Google Navigation feature quite a bit but was disappointed couple of times.

On a few occasions, I had no 3G or no network signal and was unable to use the Google Navigation. Even with an address, I was unable to have the phone navigate me back home. I was looking for a feature or option to download the maps in advance so navigation with GPS will work regardless of the Verizon signal but found no such feature.

Anyone aware of a way to do this? I don't want to be stuck in another situation in the future where I am depending on the Google Navigation on my Droid and be unable to use it because no signal.

 

[FireDroid]

hmm I havent had that problem. I was under the assumption that navigation used GPS and not 3g.

 

[ntrddragn]

really in san diego? i havent have problem in san diego (i live here). took it downtown and east to la mesa etc...the only time i had issue was last weekend when i was in Cedar City Utah. I had two time where i couldnt find a signal.

 

[sin vicious]

You have enbale GPS.. Droid uses both cell tower and GPS..I have no problems in Florida.

 

[aosman]

I lost 3G signal in two places: one was in the Tory Pines area and the other place I was on the way to Palomar mountain. I was unable to navigate even though my GPS was turned ON.

Does the Google Nav app has all the USA maps downloaded on the phone's memory or does it download as needed over network? I am assuming it downloads as needed and that could be why I was having the problem.

 

[Xerozix]

unfortunately they need to be downloaded as you go.

I'm waiting until it stores maps on the SD. That will be the day -.-

 

[thestappa]

unfortunately they need to be downloaded as you go.

I'm waiting until it stores maps on the SD. That will be the day -.-

Yes, that would be great. Even if it's just he basic map with no sat overlay. My cheap little garmen has the maps saved internally.

 

[bennyj]

Since were on the subject of Navigations(don't mean to hi jack the thread)does any one else notice that when using google nav it always wants to put you in the carpool lane if it can? This will screw you up if your driving by yourself and it tells you to slide left to enter a freeway, just to notice it's a carpool lane,, and then you have to try and slide all the way back right, to catch the proper exit!

Am I missing something here? I see no option to disable this.

 

[FireDroid]

Yes, that would be great. Even if it's just he basic map with no sat overlay. My cheap little garmen has the maps saved internally

Yes but what else does you cheap little Garmin do?? If you remember this is a FREE BETA of the navi program, there are always improvements going on.

You spent $200 and got a phone, computer, 5mp camera w/ flash, Mp3 player, movie player, game player and a pretty damn good navigation system that also has traffic alert which is only standard on higher end Garmins!!!

I would say we got a heck of a deal! You Gamin only does navi and maybe stores photos, oh and does your Garmin give you sat overlay? I have 2 Garmins, while nice, they dont come anywhere near the funtionality of the droid!

 

[Cowpoke]

If you start your navigation somewhere where you have 3g then the maps DO preload... however if you exit the navigation and then try to fire it up again while in a dead spot you are in trouble. You are also screwed...I think.. if you deviate from it's directions while in a dead zone. It cant reaccess the maps again to figure you out an alternate rout.

I just drove frm tulsa to Dallas and went through atleast 100 miles of dead zone. On the way there i exited navigation to look at something and didnt get my navigation back untill 60 miles or so later when i approached civilization again. Troublesome because I wasn't sure about a turnoff in that stretch.

On the way home though i didnt touch it and it did fine through the same area even though pandora completely shut down for over an hour because of reentering the data dead zone (not even 1x). My girlfriend sitting beside me with her droid couldnt access a thing for that 100 mile stretch but my navigation kept on going on.

 

[aosman]

If you start your navigation somewhere where you have 3g then the maps DO preload... however if you exit the navigation and then try to fire it up again while in a dead spot you are in trouble. You are also screwed...I think.. if you deviate from it's directions while in a dead zone. It cant reaccess the maps again to figure you out an alternate rout.

I just drove frm tulsa to Dallas and went through atleast 100 miles of dead zone. On the way there i exited navigation to look at something and didnt get my navigation back untill 60 miles or so later when i approached civilization again. Troublesome because I wasn't sure about a turnoff in that stretch.

On the way home though i didnt touch it and it did fine through the same area even though pandora completely shut down for over an hour because of reentering the data dead zone (not even 1x). My girlfriend sitting beside me with her droid couldnt access a thing for that 100 mile stretch but my navigation kept on going on.

Interesting... and good feedback Cowpoke. This is a Android flaw that needs to be fixed. Until then, I wish there is a workaround where you can tell the software to keep the cached maps in the phone and not wipe them. When I navigated to Palomar mountain, I turned of navigation and GPS for about an two hours while we were there to save battery and when I was ready to head back, I turned on GPS and attempted to start navigation with no success because of the no signal issue. If the maps were cached then I would've avoided the problem.

 

[takeshi]

Anyone aware of a way to do this? I don't want to be stuck in another situation in the future where I am depending on the Google Navigation on my Droid and be unable to use it because no signal.

You'd just need a GPS app with map data stored on the SD card. I wouldn't really expect Google to do this since they tend to favor the cloud approach. It's really just a matter of time before we see more Android GPS apps.

hmm I havent had that problem. I was under the assumption that navigation used GPS and not 3g.

It does use the GPS receiver (if enabled) for fixing your location but maps and all that data have to be downloaded.

If you start your navigation somewhere where you have 3g then the maps DO preload...

That's pretty typical for GPS apps that stream data. Telenav behaves in the same manner.

 

[trainryche]

Navigation is a bit glitchy

I can relate, my wife and I each have moto droids and 3 times in the month or so we have had them we have been on the road using navigation and one of the phones will lose or be unable to acquire gps... which is weird since it always seems to be showing where we are pretty accurately. When one phone can't acquire gps the second one always can. We are in the Temecula area of so cal, its happened in carlsbad and san diego too. Our signal is always strong out here so this one puzzles me.