FREE SATNAV WORLDWIDE with OFFLINE NAVIGATION on Windows 8 phones
Oct 5th, 2014, 10:41 PM
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FREE SATNAV WORLDWIDE with OFFLINE NAVIGATION on Windows 8 phones
NO NEED TO PAY FOR SATNAV ANYMORE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
While researching for my France Road trip,I was thinking of a Garmin Unit and Europe Map lifetime update SD card. All this would have costed me about 200 $ or 150 Eros.
I consulted a few tech Gurus and after that did some online research. Then tried the trick at my home location. It works well. If I buy a dual sim NOKIA LUMIA 1020 or above, it costs me around 200$ but I get World map with lifetime update. It works on offline mode without any phone sim or data card. I wasted a lot of time and money previously on renting or buy GPS. I thought I must share this result of my study with fellow Fodorites. It may help a few people.
Only high-end Lumia devices such as the Lumia 1020 will get the Drive+ global navigation suite for free out of box.
HERE Drive+ offers free, life-time voice-guided navigation anywhere in the world. All you have to do is download a voice in your language of choice and you're good to go. Of course, to make use of the key selling point of Drive - offline navigation - you have to download a map for a country of your choice, too
With Drive+ you can easily plan routes (all offline, unlike the early iterations of this app) and you can tweak various settings for each route - fastest/shortest/economical route can be selected and you can choose whether the app will use or avoid motorways, toll roads, ferries, tunnels, unpaved roads and motor trains. There are icons to remind you of the selected settings.
Drive+ uses big, clear instructions on its screen in addition to the voice prompts, which is ideal for in-car use. You can switch between 2D and 3D mode and switch the color scheme (day, night, auto). There are speed alerts and real-time traffic information.
We do miss a few options - like setting a starting location other than your current location and downloading maps for an entire continent. Still, Nokia offer quality maps and offline voice-guided navigation out of the box, which puts them ahead of other Windows Phone makers an even other platforms (both Android and iOS require a data connection to plan the route).
The Maps app also offers walking, driving and public transport navigation but it only shows a list of instructions. It shares data with Drive so you don't have to download the same maps twice. Check the following links in case one decides to opt for it and test it well before you go on a road trip.
http://discussions.nokia.com/t5/HERE...it/td-p/615393
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_...view-952p9.php
I also request FODORS to add a NEW TAG as TECHNOLOGY in TRAVEL TIPS & TRIP IDEAS section.
While researching for my France Road trip,I was thinking of a Garmin Unit and Europe Map lifetime update SD card. All this would have costed me about 200 $ or 150 Eros.
I consulted a few tech Gurus and after that did some online research. Then tried the trick at my home location. It works well. If I buy a dual sim NOKIA LUMIA 1020 or above, it costs me around 200$ but I get World map with lifetime update. It works on offline mode without any phone sim or data card. I wasted a lot of time and money previously on renting or buy GPS. I thought I must share this result of my study with fellow Fodorites. It may help a few people.
Only high-end Lumia devices such as the Lumia 1020 will get the Drive+ global navigation suite for free out of box.
HERE Drive+ offers free, life-time voice-guided navigation anywhere in the world. All you have to do is download a voice in your language of choice and you're good to go. Of course, to make use of the key selling point of Drive - offline navigation - you have to download a map for a country of your choice, too
With Drive+ you can easily plan routes (all offline, unlike the early iterations of this app) and you can tweak various settings for each route - fastest/shortest/economical route can be selected and you can choose whether the app will use or avoid motorways, toll roads, ferries, tunnels, unpaved roads and motor trains. There are icons to remind you of the selected settings.
Drive+ uses big, clear instructions on its screen in addition to the voice prompts, which is ideal for in-car use. You can switch between 2D and 3D mode and switch the color scheme (day, night, auto). There are speed alerts and real-time traffic information.
We do miss a few options - like setting a starting location other than your current location and downloading maps for an entire continent. Still, Nokia offer quality maps and offline voice-guided navigation out of the box, which puts them ahead of other Windows Phone makers an even other platforms (both Android and iOS require a data connection to plan the route).
The Maps app also offers walking, driving and public transport navigation but it only shows a list of instructions. It shares data with Drive so you don't have to download the same maps twice. Check the following links in case one decides to opt for it and test it well before you go on a road trip.
http://discussions.nokia.com/t5/HERE...it/td-p/615393
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_...view-952p9.php
I also request FODORS to add a NEW TAG as TECHNOLOGY in TRAVEL TIPS & TRIP IDEAS section.
Oct 5th, 2014, 11:50 PM
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I have to say at first off when reading the tile this was a bit of Spam. However This is some good information, to which i will add my 2 €cents to later.
I have to agree 100% with the last paragraph We do need a tech section.
I use a Tomtom GPS when driving alone in an area new to me. When the wife is with me she usually reads the maps. However maps are no where near what the quality they used to me so at times they may not show all of the points that one would have thought should have been illustrated.
The above report does discussing some possible pitfuls.
The Nokia phone is a windows based phone and it may not suit everyone. There is a limited amount of apps available.
I do not know which dollars are begin used in this post but here in Spain this phone costs a whopping 469,00 € http://www.nokia.com/es-es/productos/moviles/lumia1020/ (if it is not tied to a contract). That is a lot of money.
More information on the HERE map-app can be found on this page.
http://here.com/
If you want a dual SIM phone there are certainly cheaper ones on the market.
I have to agree 100% with the last paragraph We do need a tech section.
I use a Tomtom GPS when driving alone in an area new to me. When the wife is with me she usually reads the maps. However maps are no where near what the quality they used to me so at times they may not show all of the points that one would have thought should have been illustrated.
The above report does discussing some possible pitfuls.
The Nokia phone is a windows based phone and it may not suit everyone. There is a limited amount of apps available.
I do not know which dollars are begin used in this post but here in Spain this phone costs a whopping 469,00 € http://www.nokia.com/es-es/productos/moviles/lumia1020/ (if it is not tied to a contract). That is a lot of money.
More information on the HERE map-app can be found on this page.
http://here.com/
If you want a dual SIM phone there are certainly cheaper ones on the market.
Oct 6th, 2014, 12:31 AM
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ribeirasacra, I have further checked on the models and pricing.
here are my views.
1. I don't suggest that we use the Nokia phone as a primary phone. It is an additional device one can carry instead of a GPS Garmin or Tomtom. advantages
a. It can work as an additional phone for a local sim card while travelling to a new country.
b. It has many more features like camera, wifi, messaging, viewing videos and photos, music and whole lot of other features depending on the model we choose, which is an advantage over a simple GPS machine.
c. It has the whole world map. No need to purchase any SD cards with maps which range from 40 to 80 USD. No need to pay for upgrades as you can upgrade them free online. You can download and save maps of regions that you need.
2. About the model of phone, I have mentioned a high end phone which costs 400 USD plus. But it also has a 41 megapixel camera. There are other phone models anything above 530. i.e. 630, 925 etc. they have windows 8 and world maps offline. earlier models have only local maps. These models range from 150 $ to 250$. They come with host of features depending on the requirement.
I want to clarify that i am not promoting any product or company for it to be declared as a spam. I have come across this information from a Tech guru and further checked on the internet.
Buying a 150 USD Garmin is no big deal, but it becomes obsolete, has only 1 region maps, lifetime upgrade is an issue, it serves only 1 function, doesnt have a responsive screen, It can make calls.
Buying a 200 $ phone is a better deal in a long term. Gives me a stand by gadget as a back up for many things.. like photos, videos, music, offline maps and info, 128 GB sd card can store all of them.
In changing times, it makes better sense to buy a multi-purpose gadget rather than just a GPS.
Would like more views on it.
here are my views.
1. I don't suggest that we use the Nokia phone as a primary phone. It is an additional device one can carry instead of a GPS Garmin or Tomtom. advantages
a. It can work as an additional phone for a local sim card while travelling to a new country.
b. It has many more features like camera, wifi, messaging, viewing videos and photos, music and whole lot of other features depending on the model we choose, which is an advantage over a simple GPS machine.
c. It has the whole world map. No need to purchase any SD cards with maps which range from 40 to 80 USD. No need to pay for upgrades as you can upgrade them free online. You can download and save maps of regions that you need.
2. About the model of phone, I have mentioned a high end phone which costs 400 USD plus. But it also has a 41 megapixel camera. There are other phone models anything above 530. i.e. 630, 925 etc. they have windows 8 and world maps offline. earlier models have only local maps. These models range from 150 $ to 250$. They come with host of features depending on the requirement.
I want to clarify that i am not promoting any product or company for it to be declared as a spam. I have come across this information from a Tech guru and further checked on the internet.
Buying a 150 USD Garmin is no big deal, but it becomes obsolete, has only 1 region maps, lifetime upgrade is an issue, it serves only 1 function, doesnt have a responsive screen, It can make calls.
Buying a 200 $ phone is a better deal in a long term. Gives me a stand by gadget as a back up for many things.. like photos, videos, music, offline maps and info, 128 GB sd card can store all of them.
In changing times, it makes better sense to buy a multi-purpose gadget rather than just a GPS.
Would like more views on it.
Oct 6th, 2014, 12:35 AM
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I am an architect and fodorite since last 7 years and like to be tech savvy. Not at all interested in creating SPAMS or promoting any product.
I suggest people should come with other options too.
Everyone is advised to check it at their home location first before trying it abroad.
I suggest people should come with other options too.
Everyone is advised to check it at their home location first before trying it abroad.
Oct 6th, 2014, 01:05 AM
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An interesting alternative for Android devices is OsmAnd ( http://osmand.net/ ). It uses Openstreetmap for the maps and can store all the maps offline.
If you have not checked out Openstreetmap, you need to do it right now. I find it way more useful than Google Maps: http://www.openstreetmap.org/
There are other open source navigation projects out there. A quick Google search will give you an idea of what is available.
If you have not checked out Openstreetmap, you need to do it right now. I find it way more useful than Google Maps: http://www.openstreetmap.org/
There are other open source navigation projects out there. A quick Google search will give you an idea of what is available.
Oct 6th, 2014, 02:15 AM
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sparkchaser, I did check "openstreemap" It is a good website and we all can contribute. Have signed up and have mapped my neighbourhood.
But all the information is not verified and cannot be considered as authentic. For planning my trip, I still use Google maps and Michelin on my laptop.
When it comes to travelling with GPS, Google Maps work well in my city, provided I have the data connection. It did mislead me twice.
Tried Syngic, Waze etc. But do not know of any other app or phone that works as a GPS navigator without a sim-card or a data connection.
But all the information is not verified and cannot be considered as authentic. For planning my trip, I still use Google maps and Michelin on my laptop.
When it comes to travelling with GPS, Google Maps work well in my city, provided I have the data connection. It did mislead me twice.
Tried Syngic, Waze etc. But do not know of any other app or phone that works as a GPS navigator without a sim-card or a data connection.
Oct 6th, 2014, 04:23 AM
#10
Help me out here, please. Is this all about having some phone that you can use in a rental car in Europe for navigation and not pay the cost for data?
Why would I do this when I already have a GPS and a phone?
Why would I do this when I already have a GPS and a phone?
Oct 6th, 2014, 04:39 AM
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<i>Why would I do this when I already have a GPS and a phone?</i>
You would not want to do this. I have a GPS and a phone and do not need this but there are people that would find this information helpful.
<i>Sparkchaser, what sort of "information" that Google does not have, exactly?</i>
For example, Openstreetmaps shows the layout of the commercial/industrial campus I work in including the building numbers and cafes (Google just colors it all gray). It also shows businesses that Google does not.
You would not want to do this. I have a GPS and a phone and do not need this but there are people that would find this information helpful.
<i>Sparkchaser, what sort of "information" that Google does not have, exactly?</i>
For example, Openstreetmaps shows the layout of the commercial/industrial campus I work in including the building numbers and cafes (Google just colors it all gray). It also shows businesses that Google does not.
Oct 6th, 2014, 05:11 AM
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ParagkashIf you purchase a TomTom you get it with free map updates for the life of the unit. That is what persuaded me to purchase a TT rather than any other unit. One can also down load maps onto your PC and then upload them to the GPS when needed. I gave the link to the model you have written about. What model phone did you eventually choose?
Can you make a call whilst navigating or can the Nokia only do one thing at once? If the later it is best to use two separate devises or you may loose directions at an import part of your tip.
Sparkchaser, Around here TT shows the roads within a parking area for a shopping mail. I was impressed by that!
I still say a windows phone is generally considered good as useless
Can you make a call whilst navigating or can the Nokia only do one thing at once? If the later it is best to use two separate devises or you may loose directions at an import part of your tip.
Sparkchaser, Around here TT shows the roads within a parking area for a shopping mail. I was impressed by that!
I still say a windows phone is generally considered good as useless
Oct 6th, 2014, 05:17 AM
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TomTom likes to send me the wrong way around one way streets whislt in Spain so it's important to also use common sense when using any navigation aid.
<i>I still say a windows phone is generally considered good as useless</i>
I tend to agree.
<i>I still say a windows phone is generally considered good as useless</i>
I tend to agree.
Oct 6th, 2014, 05:43 AM
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<i>ParagkashIf you purchase a TomTom you get it with free map updates for the life of the unit.</i>
Not to veer too far off-topic but this TomTom comes with free lifetime maps <b>and</b> traffic (and also has bluetooth and voice recognition). And the price is right at $130 with free prime shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...6QDNZWGUECFPOT
A little more but perhaps the better buy since it comes with maps for U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe maps which is a better deal if you use your TomTom in the US and Europe.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...HAOLLNARCZEA35
Not to veer too far off-topic but this TomTom comes with free lifetime maps <b>and</b> traffic (and also has bluetooth and voice recognition). And the price is right at $130 with free prime shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...6QDNZWGUECFPOT
A little more but perhaps the better buy since it comes with maps for U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe maps which is a better deal if you use your TomTom in the US and Europe.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...HAOLLNARCZEA35
Oct 6th, 2014, 08:57 AM
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***TomTom likes to send me the wrong way around one way streets whislt in Spain so it's important to also use common sense when using any navigation aid.***
I wish that was a sticky plate on any on any GPS unit.
The amount of times guests have phoned us and asked for direction and them not knowing where they are because they were following their GPS.
I have actually leant a few short cuts due to using the GPS. I have also discovered some nice roads because it chose the wrong one. And do not use it to calculate the shortest route. One small village near me it sends you through the village and not around it. This link: https://goo.gl/maps/g1XzS Never use the road through the village always use the N540.
I wish that was a sticky plate on any on any GPS unit.
The amount of times guests have phoned us and asked for direction and them not knowing where they are because they were following their GPS.
I have actually leant a few short cuts due to using the GPS. I have also discovered some nice roads because it chose the wrong one. And do not use it to calculate the shortest route. One small village near me it sends you through the village and not around it. This link: https://goo.gl/maps/g1XzS Never use the road through the village always use the N540.
Oct 6th, 2014, 09:24 AM
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sparkchase- I have never looked at Tomtom and have been only seeing Garmin. That looks very interesting and inexpensive @ 153$. It does have Europe, USA, Canada and mexico with lifetime update.
1. Dukey1, I do not have a GPS machine. I have a Samsung Note 3 android phone which is quite advanced and fast, but it doesn't work offline effectively. I have been trying to contemplate which machine to buy and I came across this info. which I thought could also be useful to others.
2.ribeirasacra, A phone screen will not show navigation while making a phone call. But the idea is not to have just 1 instrument that does both. I already have 4 smart android phones in my family. I need one more Gadget. Thinking which one to buy that helps me all over the world.
I was also of the same opinion that windows phones are no good. As you all must be aware that Nokia has been taken over by microsoft and has improved to a great extent after that. the latest phones after Model 630, they have really become more user friendly and HERE maps are as good as google maps or even better in some aspects.
I live in India and don't own a GPS machine as I need to mostly travel within Mumbai and I have strong 3 G signal when i need to use google maps on my smartphone.
I travel every year around the world. The last few times I paid additional rent for a GPS when I rented a car in the USA, Canada, UK and Turkey.
This time I am planning a 30 days road trip through France.
I tried the offline GPS on my brother's phone in Mumbai.
A mid range phone Nokia Lumia 920 costs 176 $ on Amazon. There are cheaper models available too.
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Lumia-90...ds=nokia+lumia
It gives maps of entire world which also includes Newzealand, Australia, Africa, Asia, South America and Russia besides Europe and North America, with lifetime updates. also comes with a carl Zeiss lens and an 8 MP camera.
I feel that gives me an additional edge and an extra phone which can carry a local sim and data card while I carry my other phone with my home card.
In addition to this, i am also carrying Michelin Maps spiral bound book for France. i always like the hard copy of maps too.
1. Dukey1, I do not have a GPS machine. I have a Samsung Note 3 android phone which is quite advanced and fast, but it doesn't work offline effectively. I have been trying to contemplate which machine to buy and I came across this info. which I thought could also be useful to others.
2.ribeirasacra, A phone screen will not show navigation while making a phone call. But the idea is not to have just 1 instrument that does both. I already have 4 smart android phones in my family. I need one more Gadget. Thinking which one to buy that helps me all over the world.
I was also of the same opinion that windows phones are no good. As you all must be aware that Nokia has been taken over by microsoft and has improved to a great extent after that. the latest phones after Model 630, they have really become more user friendly and HERE maps are as good as google maps or even better in some aspects.
I live in India and don't own a GPS machine as I need to mostly travel within Mumbai and I have strong 3 G signal when i need to use google maps on my smartphone.
I travel every year around the world. The last few times I paid additional rent for a GPS when I rented a car in the USA, Canada, UK and Turkey.
This time I am planning a 30 days road trip through France.
I tried the offline GPS on my brother's phone in Mumbai.
A mid range phone Nokia Lumia 920 costs 176 $ on Amazon. There are cheaper models available too.
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Lumia-90...ds=nokia+lumia
It gives maps of entire world which also includes Newzealand, Australia, Africa, Asia, South America and Russia besides Europe and North America, with lifetime updates. also comes with a carl Zeiss lens and an 8 MP camera.
I feel that gives me an additional edge and an extra phone which can carry a local sim and data card while I carry my other phone with my home card.
In addition to this, i am also carrying Michelin Maps spiral bound book for France. i always like the hard copy of maps too.
Oct 6th, 2014, 10:04 AM
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Dukey1, here are two screenshots of the same area.
Google maps: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...gogolemaps.png
Openstreetmaps: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...streetmaps.png
Google maps: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...gogolemaps.png
Openstreetmaps: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...streetmaps.png
Oct 6th, 2014, 11:00 AM
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Yes, it does have buildings in map mode. but the biggest advantage google has is Google earth. One can see all the buildings, trees etc. and it gives you 360 degree street view on an extensive coverage of roads and areas. I do travel virtually in a few parts before my trip.
