Navigation app? Any better than the standard installed app?

[spydergirl]

I like the features on the standard navigation app on my Droid, but I miss my BBerry navigation. I could hear the voice directions alot clearer and some other features I liked alot better on my BBerry VZNavigator. Are there any apps out there that some of you like better than the standard installed app? I know I can pay the $9.99/mo to have the VZNavigator again, but it doesn't make sense when I have the free one already. Just checking to see if there are any other free ones out there that have made improvements on the standard app.

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

SG, I've played around with almost all of the Nav Apps. In fact I've bought three of them and currently use the most expensive of the three - Navigon. Navigon has the best map set of anything that currently available.

But you asked about free apps.

Free - I never found one that was even as good as, much less better than, the native Google App. For free, it's about as good as you are going to get. It's not perfect, but the price is very, very good at $0.00!!! YMMV!!

 

[spydergirl]

Thank you for the info.

 

[takeshi]

I could hear the voice directions alot clearer

Google Voice Nav uses whatever is your default TTS engine. If you're using the stock TTS engine you should check out the alternatives such as SVOX and Loquendo. Both have much more natural sounding voices IMO.

and some other features I liked alot better on my BBerry VZNavigator.

It would help us to understand exactly what you mean by "best" if you could list these features. Not all apps have the same feature set.

I know I can pay the $9.99/mo to have the VZNavigator again, but it doesn't make sense when I have the free one already.

It doesn't make sense to me to use something just because it's free. If an app has features that I need/want I'll pay for it if there isn't a good free alternative.

 

[spydergirl]

I could hear the voice directions alot clearer

Google Voice Nav uses whatever is your default TTS engine. If you're using the stock TTS engine you should check out the alternatives such as SVOX and Loquendo. Both have much more natural sounding voices IMO.

Ai-yi-yi !!! Speak English!

 

[lmdodds]

SG, I've played around with almost all of the Nav Apps. In fact I've bought three of them and currently use the most expensive of the three - Navigon. Navigon has the best map set of anything that currently available.

But you asked about free apps.

Free - I never found one that was even as good as, much less better than, the native Google App. For free, it's about as good as you are going to get. It's not perfect, but the price is very, very good at $0.00!!! YMMV!!

I wanted to give Navigon a try but for $60 thats too much. if there was maybe a demo that lasted for a week or something would be nice. I use navigation probably 5 or 6 times everyday so it would be worth the $60 for me if i knew it was better than google maps.

I have a garmin but i hate having 2 seperate mounts on the window.

Any particular reasons why you like Navigon over google maps??

thanks

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

I have a garmin but i hate having 2 seperate mounts on the window.

Any particular reasons why you like Navigon over google maps??

thanks

As a longtime Garmin user I never warmed up to the Google Nav App. But when I found Navigon, it was like I was home. The interface just suited me. It was more "Garmin-Like" than the Google App.

And then there's the database of maps. It is the same database that Garmin uses and it's loaded on my phone. I can use Navigon even if I don't have 3G service.

 

[harrellj]

I could hear the voice directions alot clearer

Google Voice Nav uses whatever is your default TTS engine. If you're using the stock TTS engine you should check out the alternatives such as SVOX and Loquendo. Both have much more natural sounding voices IMO.

Ai-yi-yi !!! Speak English!

TTS = text to speech. Takeshi was suggesting that you install an app to change the voice used for TTS. One is Loquendo TTS Susan - Android app on AppBrain or Android apps by SVOX Mobile Voices

 

[takeshi]

Ai-yi-yi !!! Speak English!

Search the Market for SVOX and Loquendo.

I wanted to give Navigon a try but for $60 thats too much. if there was maybe a demo that lasted for a week or something would be nice. I use navigation probably 5 or 6 times everyday so it would be worth the $60 for me if i knew it was better than google maps.

You can't determine if the app is worthwhile within a 24 hour period (so you can refund it, if desired) even though you use it 5-6 times/day?

 

[lmdodds]

I wanted to give Navigon a try but for $60 thats too much. if there was maybe a demo that lasted for a week or something would be nice. I use navigation probably 5 or 6 times everyday so it would be worth the $60 for me if i knew it was better than google maps.

You can't determine if the app is worthwhile within a 24 hour period (so you can refund it, if desired) even though you use it 5-6 times/day?[/QUOTE]

possibly, i may do that. ive read some other reviews for Navigon and they are all very good. I just cant decide whether it would make more sense to just go back to using my garmin

 

[spydergirl]

Google Voice Nav uses whatever is your default TTS engine. If you're using the stock TTS engine you should check out the alternatives such as SVOX and Loquendo. Both have much more natural sounding voices IMO.

Ai-yi-yi !!! Speak English!

TTS = text to speech. Takeshi was suggesting that you install an app to change the voice used for TTS. One is Loquendo TTS Susan - Android app on AppBrain or Android apps by SVOX Mobile Voices

Thank you for explaining that for me.