Donate to Remove ads

Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators

Thanks to johnstevens77,Bhoddhisatva,scotia,Anonymous,Cornytiv34, for Donating to support the site

Best map app?

Seek assistance with all types of tech. - computer, phone, TV, heating controls etc.
kempiejon
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3488
Joined: November 5th, 2016, 10:30 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1145 times

Re: Best map app?

#430794

Postby kempiejon » July 27th, 2021, 8:15 pm

JohnB wrote:It would be easy to miss-report a grid reference or lat/long digit that puts you 1km away. If you miss-quote a W3W word then the algorithm is likely to put you someone completely different on the planet, and the error is much more obvious. In the same way mountain rescue probably urge you to use a compass and paper map, but don't understand that a digital map on a phone with GPS is probably easier to use, or that people might baulk at buying paper maps for all their walks, so set off without anything. The best can be the enemy of the good here.


If the last message with the W3W text is with the final burst of network or battery, being 1km away is much better than somewhere completely different on the planet.

Arborbridge
The full Lemon
Posts: 10369
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:33 am
Has thanked: 3601 times
Been thanked: 5227 times

Re: Best map app?

#433243

Postby Arborbridge » August 8th, 2021, 11:58 am

I don't feel the need for anything other than Rita the Router, aka the voice on Google Maps.

The only downside (and this is probably common to all systems) is that she doesn't alway understand that you might prefer a particular way because it is "nicer". She does sometimes disagree with my wife, but usually the latter bows to Rita's greater knowledge.

Traffic info is invaluable and I always check even well known routes before setting off for road closers etc.

Arb.

Arborbridge
The full Lemon
Posts: 10369
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:33 am
Has thanked: 3601 times
Been thanked: 5227 times

Re: Best map app?

#433245

Postby Arborbridge » August 8th, 2021, 12:03 pm

UncleEbenezer wrote:
Lanark wrote:]
What3Words software has some huge flaws in that a lot of the words sound the same, they are also incredibly litigious .
Moderator Message:
Edited by Admin. Clariman


It's also based on a fallacy from the ground up.

People don't have a problem remembering the odd number or two: for example, our PIN numbers and phone numbers. Three words for your home may be easy, but it won't scale any better than numbers when you try to memorise multiple locations.


Why would I want to remember three words? In practice doesn't one just use whatsapp to tell a person where you are, or want to meet and they then open it in google maps? So what is there to remember?

Arb.

Midsmartin
Lemon Slice
Posts: 778
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 7:18 am
Has thanked: 211 times
Been thanked: 491 times

Re: Best map app?

#433287

Postby Midsmartin » August 8th, 2021, 4:46 pm

What3words can work in a little location with no obvious landmarks. If you need rescuing from a Scottish mountainside for example, or an accident on a rural road whose name you don't know. Or maybe just finding an address in a large rural postcode area.

AF62
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3499
Joined: November 27th, 2016, 8:45 am
Has thanked: 131 times
Been thanked: 1277 times

Re: Best map app?

#433309

Postby AF62 » August 8th, 2021, 6:07 pm

Midsmartin wrote:What3words can work in a little location with no obvious landmarks. If you need rescuing from a Scottish mountainside for example, or an accident on a rural road whose name you don't know. Or maybe just finding an address in a large rural postcode area.


But you need the what3words app on a phone to look up the code of where you are whilst you are stuck halfway up a mountain - and installing it whilst halfway up to mountain isn't likely to be easy.

So why not use Google Plus codes which do exactly the same thing, especially since most people already have Google Maps installed on their phone (certainly if it is an Android phone), and someone will be able to pinpoint you whether you are giving them the Google Plus code of 38CJ+49 Aviemore or GV5C+4R London rather than the what3words codes of unhappily.spoken.lessor or woven.track.drank.

And amusingly you can put a Goggle Plus Code into what3words and it will give to a location, but if you put a what3words codes into Google Maps it shrugs its shoulders.

csearle
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 4764
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 2:24 pm
Has thanked: 4814 times
Been thanked: 2083 times

Re: Best map app?

#441097

Postby csearle » September 9th, 2021, 9:02 pm

My workmate and I used to use what three words if one of us had found the job (often in the countryside and not easily addressable). We have moved over to sharing location in WhatsApp (an idea which they appear to have copied from Telegram). This is really quite good because the recipient gets a little zoomable map with a lollipop marker with your face on it. You can share your location for various periods of time and of course turn it off. If you both share location then you both pop up on each other's maps.

Paperclip->Location->Share live location->15 minutes


Chris

Lootman
The full Lemon
Posts: 18681
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 628 times
Been thanked: 6563 times

Re: Best map app?

#441102

Postby Lootman » September 9th, 2021, 9:06 pm

csearle wrote:We have moved over to sharing location in WhatsApp (an idea which they appear to have copied from Telegram). This is really quite good because the recipient gets a little zoomable map with a lollipop marker with your face on it. You can share your location for various periods of time and of course turn it off. If you both share location then you both pop up on each other's maps.

I was meeting my eldest son in a bar in Southwark recently. He asked me to attach my location via Whatsapp which I did. Not only was he able to easily find the bar but it even showed him exactly where at the bar I was sitting (on the extreme left of an L-shaped bar). I'd say that is pretty impressive.

Of course he also used WA to tell me what drink to buy him when he was 5 minutes away.

csearle
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 4764
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 2:24 pm
Has thanked: 4814 times
Been thanked: 2083 times

Re: Best map app?

#441104

Postby csearle » September 9th, 2021, 9:13 pm

Lootman wrote:Of course he also used WA to tell me what drink to buy him when he was 5 minutes away.
Kids eh? Mine are just like that. :) C.

GrahamPlatt
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2059
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:40 am
Has thanked: 1032 times
Been thanked: 823 times

Re: Best map app?

#441323

Postby GrahamPlatt » September 10th, 2021, 5:55 pm

Midsmartin wrote:What3words can work in a little location with no obvious landmarks. If you need rescuing from a Scottish mountainside for example, or an accident on a rural road whose name you don't know. Or maybe just finding an address in a large rural postcode area.


It also works at sea, where there are no “landmarks” at all!

XFool
The full Lemon
Posts: 12636
Joined: November 8th, 2016, 7:21 pm
Been thanked: 2608 times

Re: Best map app?

#441330

Postby XFool » September 10th, 2021, 6:33 pm

GrahamPlatt wrote:To be fair, W3W is “free” for individual use, and I think it’s a good concept. Some people are not “numerate”, and recalling three words is easier than a long string of numbers, plus transposing numbers is an easy slip.

Mapcode doesn't use a "long string of numbers" if it is used in a national context (e.g. GBR) rather than the full global form. It has a similar format to a UK postcode, generally two short parts (letters and numerals) separated by a '.' rather than a space. That is why it is easy for humans, like a postcode.

e.g. The Tower of London is centred at (GBR) WF.1K

eepee
Lemon Slice
Posts: 279
Joined: April 11th, 2017, 5:27 pm
Has thanked: 49 times
Been thanked: 83 times

Re: Best map app?

#462290

Postby eepee » December 1st, 2021, 11:08 am

As someone on PAYE and with prices having shot up from 3-2-1p, what free map app does not require a live data link?

I guess this request also answers "..... use a navigation app without traffic information?" since presumably they all require a live link.

Regards,
ep

pje16
Lemon Half
Posts: 6050
Joined: May 30th, 2021, 6:01 pm
Has thanked: 1843 times
Been thanked: 2066 times

Re: Best map app?

#462300

Postby pje16 » December 1st, 2021, 11:40 am

Navmii GPS World (Navfree)

https://www.navmii.com/mobile-navigation

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... L&hl=en_GB
Their link to the Apple one does not work

Redmires
Lemon Slice
Posts: 786
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 6:49 pm
Has thanked: 831 times
Been thanked: 436 times

Re: Best map app?

#462389

Postby Redmires » December 1st, 2021, 5:09 pm

eepee wrote:As someone on PAYE and with prices having shot up from 3-2-1p, what free map app does not require a live data link?

Regards,
ep


Is this the new mobile service from HMRC :)

I too had a PAYG with 3 but swapped over to 1p mobile when 3 put up their prices recently. I migrated my number and the switchover was without issue. For a cheap satnav, I use an old microsoft phone (microsoft maps) with no sim installed. Works fine but no live traffic updates of course.

Infrasonic
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 4479
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 2:25 pm
Has thanked: 644 times
Been thanked: 1260 times

Re: Best map app?

#462390

Postby Infrasonic » December 1st, 2021, 5:19 pm

Redmires wrote:For a cheap satnav, I use an old microsoft phone (microsoft maps) with no sim installed. Works fine but no live traffic updates of course.


Similarly it's worth hanging on to working old Android smartphones, rooting them and using for various purposes/projects. Essentially they're Linux so are quite flexible customisation wise.

BullDog
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2445
Joined: November 18th, 2021, 11:57 am
Has thanked: 1966 times
Been thanked: 1197 times

Re: Best map app?

#462394

Postby BullDog » December 1st, 2021, 5:47 pm

eepee wrote:As someone on PAYE and with prices having shot up from 3-2-1p, what free map app does not require a live data link?

I guess this request also answers "..... use a navigation app without traffic information?" since presumably they all require a live link.

Regards,
ep

Google maps offers the option to download the maps before you leave home so you don't actually need a live data connection for the journey. I guess other Android and non Android systems do similar.

A decent alternative also owned by Google is Waze. It uses Google maps data and can download the maps before you leave home. So can do a journey with no live data. Features like live accidents and delays feeds wouldn't work, obviously. I have used Waze successfully on three continents.

elkay
Lemon Slice
Posts: 282
Joined: November 5th, 2016, 1:50 am
Has thanked: 737 times
Been thanked: 129 times

Re: Best map app?

#462417

Postby elkay » December 1st, 2021, 7:04 pm

As mentioned, Google Maps does not need a live connection. And you don't need to download before you leave home, you can download a map and forget about it. The map will expire after 1 year, and you will be prompted to download it again. On Android, select your profile icon, then offline maps, and select your own map - just zoom out to get the map coverage you need. The larger the coverage, the more storage space is required. I have zoomed out for approx 100 sq miles from my location, and the map size is c. 350mb.

If you want an alternative, then Here WeGo is standalone and free on both Android and Apple.
https://wego.here.com/

regards
elkay

swill453
Lemon Half
Posts: 7962
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 6:11 pm
Has thanked: 984 times
Been thanked: 3643 times

Re: Best map app?

#462421

Postby swill453 » December 1st, 2021, 7:20 pm

elkay wrote:As mentioned, Google Maps does not need a live connection. And you don't need to download before you leave home, you can download a map and forget about it. The map will expire after 1 year, and you will be prompted to download it again. On Android, select your profile icon, then offline maps, and select your own map - just zoom out to get the map coverage you need. The larger the coverage, the more storage space is required. I have zoomed out for approx 100 sq miles from my location, and the map size is c. 350mb.

Can it actually work out a new route on a saved map, without an internet connection? It didn't used to be able to.

Scott.

elkay
Lemon Slice
Posts: 282
Joined: November 5th, 2016, 1:50 am
Has thanked: 737 times
Been thanked: 129 times

Re: Best map app?

#462423

Postby elkay » December 1st, 2021, 7:27 pm

swill453 wrote:
elkay wrote:As mentioned, Google Maps does not need a live connection. And you don't need to download before you leave home, you can download a map and forget about it. The map will expire after 1 year, and you will be prompted to download it again. On Android, select your profile icon, then offline maps, and select your own map - just zoom out to get the map coverage you need. The larger the coverage, the more storage space is required. I have zoomed out for approx 100 sq miles from my location, and the map size is c. 350mb.

Can it actually work out a new route on a saved map, without an internet connection? It didn't used to be able to.

Scott.


Yes, and it has done as long as I can remember. I only use downloaded maps when I'm abroad, but just checked and it still works.

regards
elkay

BullDog
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2445
Joined: November 18th, 2021, 11:57 am
Has thanked: 1966 times
Been thanked: 1197 times

Re: Best map app?

#462425

Postby BullDog » December 1st, 2021, 7:48 pm

swill453 wrote:
elkay wrote:As mentioned, Google Maps does not need a live connection. And you don't need to download before you leave home, you can download a map and forget about it. The map will expire after 1 year, and you will be prompted to download it again. On Android, select your profile icon, then offline maps, and select your own map - just zoom out to get the map coverage you need. The larger the coverage, the more storage space is required. I have zoomed out for approx 100 sq miles from my location, and the map size is c. 350mb.

Can it actually work out a new route on a saved map, without an internet connection? It didn't used to be able to.

Scott.

Yes it does. When it downloads maps before leaving home, it downloads them for the area around the route. Obviously in anticipation of re-routing being required.

csearle
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 4764
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 2:24 pm
Has thanked: 4814 times
Been thanked: 2083 times

Re: Best map app?

#473213

Postby csearle » January 15th, 2022, 1:59 am

elkay wrote:On Android,...
Thank you, just done this. :) C.


Return to “Technology - Computers, TV, Phones etc.”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests