N82 maps and gps without data costs ?

Hi

What maps and software should I use with the Nokia N82?

My preferences - in rank order

Only use data connection when wifi available - don't use GSM network
Load maps for most of Europe inc Romania, Norway and Russia
Find current location on map
Get directions on map - using postcode or address
Find and store points of interest
Get voice direction instructions while travelling.

I realise I will not get all of these without sending data via the
mobile network.

but - which of thse services can I get without using gsm data.
What software / maps should I use.

I do not want to pay a subscription for Nokia maps and do not want to
pay for data costs while roaming.

Any advice or additional tips would be appreciated.

Thanks ColinK

"ColinK" <iam247@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:17f485f0-7d7b-4f0e-b753-0707f0f0f860@o77g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> Hi
>
> What maps and software should I use with the Nokia N82?
>
> My preferences - in rank order
>
> Only use data connection when wifi available - don't use GSM network
> Load maps for most of Europe inc Romania, Norway and Russia
> Find current location on map
> Get directions on map - using postcode or address
> Find and store points of interest
> Get voice direction instructions while travelling.
>
> I realise I will not get all of these without sending data via the
> mobile network.
>
> but - which of thse services can I get without using gsm data.
> What software / maps should I use.
>
> I do not want to pay a subscription for Nokia maps and do not want to
> pay for data costs while roaming.
>
> Any advice or additional tips would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks ColinK


Garmin Mobile XT. All that and no data usage. If you need to download extra
maps, use your computer and transfer them to the phone. I use it in my N82
and it's extremely accurate.

On 2008-02-16, ColinK <iam247@gmail.com> wrote:

> I do not want to pay a subscription for Nokia maps and do not want to
> pay for data costs while roaming.

Well, nokia maps can do all of it apart from voice-guided directions,
you can load your maps onto the device so that it doesn't need to use
the network to load them. I'm not sure on coverage for Europe though
as I've got no need to check.

If you desperately need voice-guided directions then you won't get
anything decent for free unless you nick it, however if you find
something that's nearly there, Nokia Maps actually uses fairly little
storage space so you can always use whatever directional app you need
for getting from A to B while using the free services of Nokia Maps to
make up for any failures. You can plan a route in nokia maps without
paying for it, all that you can't do is actually use the voice-guided
navigation, it's pretty good for finding out where you are and what's
around you, just not much good for use in a car.

I've been playing with Tomtom, Nokia Maps and Garmin Mobile XT in an
attempt to find out which ones are actually worth using, they're all
far from perfect, Tomtom would be the best if it supported the
internal GPS of the N95 but tomtom seem to have deserted the S60
platform, Garmin would be much better if it didn't crash so often and
occasionally lose *all* routes, waypoints and settings, and if it had
better search facilities, and Nokia Maps is a little too simple at the
moment. I have however not checked out Nokia Maps 2.0 Beta much.
I've loaded it onto the phone but not played with it so far. Garmin
does however have the advantage of a PC-based application called
Mapsource which can make up for some of its shortcomings, including
being able to restore your data if the mobile app chomps it all,
although that's not much use if you're away from the computer!

Currently my wallet is waiting for Tomtom 7 with support for the N95
internal GPS to come out, if it's not out by the middle of the year
then it'll have to be either Garmin or Nokia Maps (depending on how it
develops).

However, don't write off Nokia Maps too quickly, it's free for most
functionality and doesn't need to use the network, and you can buy
routing capability for a week or month for a very cheap price so you
can evaluate the product, a feature which you don't get with Garmin or
Tomtom so you can evaluate it without having to resort to dodgy
copies. Nokia also seem determined to push it hard, while tomtom have
left the S60 platform at version 6 without simple changes to enable it
to work with internal GPSes, so you'd be unwise to buy that at the
moment unless they show signs of continuing to support the platform.

The copyright nazis will foam at the mouth at this suggestion, but
your best bet is to get dodgy copies of the main apps for evaluation,
the software market is difficult because you usually have to pay for
an app before you can find out if it's any good. There's no way to
evaluate these complicated apps beforehand without stealing them, then
of course it's up to your conscience about whether you pay for them.
Paying will give you access to the online services, which IMHO appear
to be worth it, they were in tomtom's case, and Garmin's appear to be
pretty good too. Not a problem with Nokia's payment model though, you
can thoroughly test it for a minimal fee, and traffic update support
is in the 2.0 beta although not functioning well yet.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
http://youtube.com/user/tarcus69
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarcus/

ColinK <iam247@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi
>
> What maps and software should I use with the Nokia N82?
>
> My preferences - in rank order
>
> Only use data connection when wifi available - don't use GSM network
> Load maps for most of Europe inc Romania, Norway and Russia
> Find current location on map
> Get directions on map - using postcode or address
> Find and store points of interest
> Get voice direction instructions while travelling.
>
> I realise I will not get all of these without sending data via the
> mobile network.
>
> but - which of thse services can I get without using gsm data.
> What software / maps should I use.
>
> I do not want to pay a subscription for Nokia maps and do not want to
> pay for data costs while roaming.
>
> Any advice or additional tips would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks ColinK

just get an iphone, no charges for maps or gps.

On 2008-02-18, Oxford <at@bbv.org> wrote:

> just get an iphone, no charges for maps or gps.

So you get turn by turn voice navigation for free without needing to
have a data connection on the iphone? No you don't. Try paying
attention.

And there's no charge for GPS on the N82 or N95.

Go back to polishing your closed, restricted toy.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
http://youtube.com/user/tarcus69
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarcus/

Ian Rawlings <news06@tarcus.org.uk> wrote in news:slrnfrih7s.oja.news06
@desktop.tarcus.org.uk:

> So you get turn by turn voice navigation for free without needing to
> have a data connection on the iphone? No you don't. Try paying
> attention.
>
>

http://www.nseries.com/N810

Internal GPS.
Wayfinder software included now that Nokia bought the company.
Maps stored on internal memory cards. No Sellphone carrier funny
business.
Maemo Mapper, free from the Linux hackers, requires sellphone data
connection if you want map/sat photo updates in realtime, but you can
load them onto the memory cards on wifi at home, if you like.

Sellphone service not required.

On 2008-02-18, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:

> Maemo Mapper, free from the Linux hackers, requires sellphone data
> connection if you want map/sat photo updates in realtime, but you can
> load them onto the memory cards on wifi at home, if you like.

Last version I tried on my Nokia N770 also needs a connection to plan
a route, and can't auto recalculate.

The closest competent app to "free" appears to be Nokia Maps, it can
plot a route and is much better than Maemo Mapper, and if you suddenly
need voice-guided navigation you can whip out the credit card and
provided you have a GPRS/3G connection at the time, buy a
short-timescale cheap license right there and then. I did that out in
the middle of nowhere. Once it's bought, you don't need the net
connection.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
http://youtube.com/user/tarcus69
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarcus/

Ian Rawlings <news06@tarcus.org.uk> wrote:

>On 2008-02-18, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
>
>> Maemo Mapper, free from the Linux hackers, requires sellphone data
>> connection if you want map/sat photo updates in realtime, but you can
>> load them onto the memory cards on wifi at home, if you like.
>
>Last version I tried on my Nokia N770 also needs a connection to plan
>a route, and can't auto recalculate.
>
>The closest competent app to "free" appears to be Nokia Maps, it can
>plot a route and is much better than Maemo Mapper, and if you suddenly
>need voice-guided navigation you can whip out the credit card and
>provided you have a GPRS/3G connection at the time, buy a
>short-timescale cheap license right there and then. I did that out in
>the middle of nowhere. Once it's bought, you don't need the net
>connection.

Thanks for that information. I was wondering if it needed the
Internet connection to actually do the voice routing. I may have to
give it a try.
--
Jim Rusling
More or Less Retired
Mustang, OK
http://www.rusling.org

Ian Rawlings <news06@tarcus.org.uk> wrote in news:slrnfrj9ok.oja.news06
@desktop.tarcus.org.uk:

> On 2008-02-18, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
>
>> Maemo Mapper, free from the Linux hackers, requires sellphone data
>> connection if you want map/sat photo updates in realtime, but you can
>> load them onto the memory cards on wifi at home, if you like.
>
> Last version I tried on my Nokia N770 also needs a connection to plan
> a route, and can't auto recalculate.
>
> The closest competent app to "free" appears to be Nokia Maps, it can
> plot a route and is much better than Maemo Mapper, and if you suddenly
> need voice-guided navigation you can whip out the credit card and
> provided you have a GPRS/3G connection at the time, buy a
> short-timescale cheap license right there and then. I did that out in
> the middle of nowhere. Once it's bought, you don't need the net
> connection.
>

That's true. Mapper uses an external service over the net for route
planning. Wayfinder, the N810 resident map program does not. It's
self-contained.

I don't see how these little phones are going to have enough storage for
the complex mapping programs, complete with data and maps. I just
plugged my 8GB SDHC Class 6 into the Windows box and the Navicore (same
as Wayfinder) root directory is:
1.46 GB (1,578,270,720 bytes)
in 30 directories of 324 files, which includes all the POI, map data,
etc., for all of North America, a free upgrade N800 Navicore buyers can
now download since Nokia bought the company. Before, you only got half
the USA, your choice which half, then had to buy more.

Navicore came with the N800 Navigation Kit (external Nokia GPS puck,
N800's great mobile suction cup mount to stick it to the windscreen and
the Navicore commercial software. It was about $180 at buy.com at that
time.

I quoted the N810 because he wanted an all in one unit with software
installed. Actually, having played with both, and using portable GPS
units on sailboats, I think that would be a mistake. The external GPS
works much better than internal because you can place the GPS with the
best view of the sky for best accuracy, while putting the tablet where
you can see it the best, which in a car ends up UNDER the metal roof
with poor sky visibility and lots of reflected signals which is bad for
an accurate fix. The N800/external GPS just works the best I've ever
owned. It will put you in a particular parking space on Virtual Earth's
satellite photo under Maemo Mapper...and will drive you down the exact
lane you are driving in on the composite map/satphoto as you go along,
downloading the appropriate mosaics of both over the BT DUN from the
Sellphone modem. I use Maemo Mapper lots more than I do
Navicore/Wayfinder's talking routing. Too bad Nokia doesn't combine the
two into a Wayfinder using Virtual Earth's sat photos.

As to the Sellphone, itself, having 1.5GB of data and not requiring data
connections, question: Would you sell the customers a stand alone
system that didn't require them to pay you by the month for data to feed
it? Of course you wouldn't! That'd be crazy!

That's why I call it a SELLphone....(c;

On 2008-02-18, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:

> I don't see how these little phones are going to have enough storage for
> the complex mapping programs, complete with data and maps.

Well, I've got Nokia Maps with all of the UK loaded, which takes up
164 megs for all the UK roads down to tiny ones like mine, I also have
Garmin Mapsource and tried loading a full UK map onto my ETrex but it
wanted a similar amount of space and I only had 64 megs on the etrex.
Garmin Mobile XT has the whole of the UK in 172 megs. Rememeber this
is full maps with lots of waypoints such as fuel stations, underground
stations, railway stations, cashpoints etc. Tomtom Mobile's Western
Europe maps, full road maps and waypoints for the UK, France, Germany
etc etc, takes up about 900 megs. On my Tomtom 910 the Western Europe
map took up about 400 megs more, I don't know why it's bigger as I
don't recall the detail being any better and Tomtom Mobile also has
the speed limits like the 910 (which are a great help in calculating
journey times accurately).

A modern mobile phone can have a GPS built in and 8 gig of storage so
the above is no problem. Even mid-range phones can have storage cards
that can easily cope with the above.

> Actually, having played with both, and using portable GPS
> units on sailboats, I think that would be a mistake. The external GPS
> works much better than internal because you can place the GPS with the
> best view of the sky for best accuracy, while putting the tablet where
> you can see it the best, which in a car ends up UNDER the metal roof
> with poor sky visibility and lots of reflected signals which is bad for
> an accurate fix.

In theory that's correct, however in practice the deterioration of the
signal is nowhere near bad enough for it to be a problem, when first
playing with my phone I put it in the metal cup holder of the cubby
box in my land rover, so it was level with my hip, in a metal box with
an open top, and still it kept a lock on and talked to me from there,
and this was driving through narrow streets in Bath with lots of tall
buildings either side! I was very impressed. In the past few weeks
I've never had the slightest problem with the signal reception of the
GPS built into the phone, and I've been keeping careful track of it as
I'm evaluating it for more permanent use.

I have a total of 7 GPSes, two Garmin hand-held units, four bluetooth
units, three of which are Sirfstar III chipsets, and one GPS-equipped
mobile phone. Out of those, the mobile phone is the one to get lock
the fastest and is the only one that can get a 3D fix when I'm sat
downstairs in my house, the others can't get a fix at all and lose fix
if I allow them to get a fix outside and then walk inside. The Nokia
N95 GPS however can pick up a fix from cold in my lounge, while I'm
holding it, no need to place it on a table without anything around
it. Very impressive. Also I'm not talking about a marginal fix, I
mean 6-10 satellites, low strength yes, but none of the others can
touch that, especially if I've got my hand wrapped around the antenna
(the N95 GPS antenna is in the keypad, where you hold it).

> As to the Sellphone, itself, having 1.5GB of data and not requiring data
> connections, question: Would you sell the customers a stand alone
> system that didn't require them to pay you by the month for data to feed
> it? Of course you wouldn't! That'd be crazy!

You would if you were trying to make it a selling point, however while
Nokia Maps is free for use just plotting where you are, plotting
routes or searching for points nearby, it's not free for voice-guided
navigation, that costs about £45 per year or so.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
http://youtube.com/user/tarcus69
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarcus/