New Mapping Program

[SWharton]

National Geographic just listed 10 useful travel apps. One of them interested me. maps.me, for Android and Apple. The maps are downloaded to your phone. Since we have all encountered where our phones won't work I am always interested in being self-contained. Previously we only had copilot but now there is another player. I have downloaded the app but don't have enough bandwidth to download the US and Canada(I'll do that this weekend). Here is the blurb from NG.

 

In case there’s ever an issue with cellular data while abroad, this free app lets you download detailed, off-line maps to your device. Aside from offering turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, or biking to an address or select location, each map of a destination features different and useful search tools to see what’s nearby, including points of interest, hotels, and ATMs.

[Bill Joyce]

I installed it on my 8" LG tablet, which is on AT&T wireless, and will see how it works.. (I am downloading the app and maps on wifi).

[SWharton]

Pls. report back. I plan to install US and CN so I need to be at my daughter's house for the download. I put it on my phone and my tablet so I have a double download.

[roy67ss]

Points of interest will take some time to be useful. Very few so far.

[SWharton]

My main interest is the maps. I still travel with paper maps as backup but can see that they may not be around in the future(a big loss) but also don't want to be dependent on the internet for maps. Now we have Copilot, Base Camp(I find hard to use) and maps.me. I wouldn't expect a "hard copy" map program would be vibrant in POIs etc. Too hard to maintain and keep up to date.

[Pat & Pete]

Links , please .

[SWharton]

Links to what? It is an app, see first thread.

[Darryl&Rita]

Android version, iOs version, Amazon store (Kindle version?). Main app home page

[Bill Joyce]

I had no trouble finding it for Android, I just searched for maps.me" in the Play store.

[Barbaraok]

National Geographic just listed 10 useful travel apps. One of them interested me. maps.me, for Android and Apple. The maps are downloaded to your phone. Since we have all encountered where our phones won't work I am always interested in being self-contained. Previously we only had copilot but now there is another player. I have downloaded the app but don't have enough bandwidth to download the US and Canada(I'll do that this weekend). Here is the blurb from NG.

 

In case there’s ever an issue with cellular data while abroad, this free app lets you download detailed, off-line maps to your device. Aside from offering turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, or biking to an address or select location, each map of a destination features different and useful search tools to see what’s nearby, including points of interest, hotels, and ATMs.

 

Worrying about not having cellular is why we keep our TomTom updated. That way we have satellite service and with the traffic radio alerts on it, we don't really worry. Plus, get a new Wal-Mart US Atlas every 2-3 yrs

[SWharton]

We keep our Garmin updated but like to see a bigger picture than what is shown on the little screens of the GPS.

[budeneighe]

In case there’s ever an issue with cellular data while abroad, this free app lets you download detailed, off-line maps to your device. Aside from offering turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, or biking to an address or select location, each map of a destination features different and useful search tools to see what’s nearby, including points of interest, hotels, and ATMs.

So doesGoogle maps. They call them "Offline Maps" and they do contain some POI info, too.

[Chalkie]

Well, I downloaded this to my tablet. I must say at first blush I am totally underwhelmed. I decided to test it out on a route we have driven many times from our house in Colorado Springs to our daughter's home in an Austin, TX suburb.

 

I will play with it more, but it doesn't seem to like searching for a specific address. I can get the destination by zooming in and then tapping the location. That aside, I had it calculate the route and the travel time surprised me. I realized that I had not changed the distance to miles in the settings so I fixed that and then had it recalculate the route. Nope, same time. The time it says is 28h 45min. I can tell you that number is almost exactly double the amount of time it takes us to drive it.

 

I will continue to play with it but at this point it is two thumbs down.

[SWharton]

Google Maps:
Sounds good in theory but we have tried Google Maps off line and have given up. We would put together a route, send it off line and on the phone/tablet Google maps would change the routing to the fastest and would not add any way points. Not very useful. The other problem with Google maps is you need to pre-download the maps you might be interested in.

 

I am looking for something that will always be on my phone/tablet in case I need it.

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

We use the ALK CoPilot android RV version. Cost $50. Downloads to the device, only use network for download.. Lots of POIs and trip options.

[Jim Gell]

Well, I downloaded this to my tablet. I must say at first blush I am totally underwhelmed. I decided to test it out on a route we have driven many times from our house in Colorado Springs to our daughter's home in an Austin, TX suburb.

 

I will play with it more, but it doesn't seem to like searching for a specific address. I can get the destination by zooming in and then tapping the location. That aside, I had it calculate the route and the travel time surprised me. I realized that I had not changed the distance to miles in the settings so I fixed that and then had it recalculate the route. Nope, same time. The time it says is 28h 45min. I can tell you that number is almost exactly double the amount of time it takes us to drive it.

 

I will continue to play with it but at this point it is two thumbs down.

 

Chalkie, I have not used this app, but perhaps it works like MS Streets and Trips and defaults to add an overnight stop at a set time of day. I think the default time for MS Streets and Trips might be as early as 5 PM. Or maybe I set that time. So if I sit down to plan a route at say 3 pm and don't adjust the start time, it will assume I am leaving at 3 pm and create a stop point after about 2 hours driving and then continue the next morning at say 8 am. A 200 mile, 4 hr drive, might show as taking 19 hours.

 

Jim

[Chalkie]

 

Chalkie, I have not used this app, but perhaps it works like MS Streets and Trips and defaults to add an overnight stop at a set time of day.

 

This is certainly a possibility. I will have to dig further into the settings.

[Chalkie]

Well, I could not find any setting that allows for stops. I did try a route closer to home. I tried Colorado Springs to Raton, NM. On average that takes us 2.5 hours. This program says 5h 17min. Again, basically double the time it takes.

 

I am taking this off my tablet and leaving a 1 star review.

[SWharton]

I am very disappointed in NatGeo for not even vetting this app to see if it worked. Agree, time to delete the app. 1 start review.

[RV_]

For Android do a search for Here then in the results select Here We Go Offline Maps and GPS. Read the reviews, try it, let us know what you think. IT does not read the names of the streets but they say its timing to tell you to turn here is superior.

 

I use Google maps in Android and never a problem as long as I do not pick up the phone while navigating. I use a Jabra Cruiser II Bluetooth in each vehicle for hands free and they also rebroadcast my 90GB of music from the 128GB micros SD card to an empty FM channel very well stopping music for spoken directions and calls then auto resuming. My phones are all mounted in holders in the two cars and the my Cummins Ram 2500, So I did not get those errors mentioned in the reviews until I did try to navigate as a passenger holding the phone and setting it down and picking it up; then I had to start the destination and start the GPS again. On a stand or holder Google maps is perfect never had an issue in moinths.