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[Merged] XRoad G-Map -- Turn-by-Turn Navigation Available Via the App Store

S

streetkid

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 20, 2008
10
6
Has anyone got any experience of this app. There are no reviews in the app store and can't find much online. Is this turn by turn directions for the iPhone, is this the one?? The full map according to their own website is over 5GB, flip that would be alot of an 8GB iPhone!:eek:

This is the one app I am dying to see, turn by turn. Come on Apple make it possible - even if you have to drop Google for it (legal?) turn gps could change the game!?
 
jaseone

jaseone

macrumors 65816
Nov 7, 2004
1,246
59
Houston, USA
There is nothing in the app's description that indicates that it includes turn by turn directions so I very much doubt that it does as that would be a MAJOR selling point especially as it would indicate some sort of special deal with Apple to get around the common SDK restrictions.

I'd say it is just that large as it stores all it's maps and other data locally.
 
fabian9

fabian9

macrumors 65816
Nov 28, 2007
1,148
169
Bristol, UK
i don't get the whole fuzz about needing turn-by-turn navigation. the iphone shows you the map and the road you're supposed to be on, it's not that hard to make sure you get the right exits etc to follow the blue line which shows you the way...

the only thing that would be good to have are locally stored maps to allow for traveling outside the home country (ie not needing to stream maps through a damn expensive roaming connection!). So this app looks very promising in terms of that.

really don't know why people need turn-by-turn though when it's just as easy follow the way the device is showing (as it is now...).
 
B

bluelondon

macrumors regular
Jul 17, 2008
204
0
umm i'd rather buy a cheap tomtom than give up 5GB of my iphone space for an app i would use only sometimes.
 
fabian9

fabian9

macrumors 65816
Nov 28, 2007
1,148
169
Bristol, UK
it's 5GB for the whole of the US. When they release the european version I hope they'll split it up into different countries as I really only need the UK and Germany versions.

You can get the US one in three versions, all of US, west coast and east cost. the west and east coast ones come in at about 1.5GB each...
 
D

Ding.Dong

macrumors regular
Jun 18, 2008
199
0
Los Angeles
fabian9 said:
i don't get the whole fuzz about needing turn-by-turn navigation. the iphone shows you the map and the road you're supposed to be on, it's not that hard to make sure you get the right exits etc to follow the blue line which shows you the way...
Click to expand...

I agree. Everyone's complaining that there's no turn-by-turn, some even go so far as to say the GPS is worthless without it. I think the GPS is great the way it is. I certainly don't want some voice telling me "turn here", "turn there". I'm perfecly capable of seeing the map on the screen and seeing where to turn without some annoying voice telling me.
 
dukebound85

dukebound85

macrumors Core
Jul 17, 2005
19,170
4,168
5045 feet above sea level
fabian9 said:
i don't get the whole fuzz about needing turn-by-turn navigation. the iphone shows you the map and the road you're supposed to be on, it's not that hard to make sure you get the right exits etc to follow the blue line which shows you the way...

the only thing that would be good to have are locally stored maps to allow for traveling outside the home country (ie not needing to stream maps through a damn expensive roaming connection!). So this app looks very promising in terms of that.

really don't know why people need turn-by-turn though when it's just as easy follow the way the device is showing (as it is now...).
Click to expand...

you obviously have not used a garmin device.....

if anything, the turn prompts while you are driving keep you from looking at the device which is loads safer than looking at the iphone while driving
 
fabian9

fabian9

macrumors 65816
Nov 28, 2007
1,148
169
Bristol, UK
dukebound85 said:
you obviously have not used a garmin device.....

if anything, the turn prompts while you are driving keep you from looking at the device which is loads safer than looking at the iphone while driving
Click to expand...

I have used a garmin device. yes it's helpful, but people depend way too much on it and forget to use their common sense! This is especially dangerous when the damn things tells them to turn left on an intersection which now has a round about where everybody is supposed to go around counter clockwise! :D

i usually place my iphone on my dashboard so it covers the rev-meter and is right next to my speed indicator. this way every time i check my speed i can check if i'm still following the blue line. don't think this is a lot more dangerous than just checking my speed every now and then which surely you should be doing anyways...
 
S

streetkid

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 20, 2008
10
6
fabian9 said:
i don't get the whole fuzz about needing turn-by-turn navigation. the iphone shows you the map and the road you're supposed to be on, it's not that hard to make sure you get the right exits etc to follow the blue line which shows you the way...

the only thing that would be good to have are locally stored maps to allow for traveling outside the home country (ie not needing to stream maps through a damn expensive roaming connection!). So this app looks very promising in terms of that.

really don't know why people need turn-by-turn though when it's just as easy follow the way the device is showing (as it is now...).
Click to expand...

This is a matter of opinion. Which is fine. But I do want turn by turn, I don't find it easy to follow a blue dot on a small google map whilst driving. It would result in me crashing!

At the end of day if you are happy with it as it, you won't buy it. Those who would like it will!
 
N

needthephone

macrumors 6502a
Apr 4, 2006
813
0
sydney
YES YES YEEESSSS this is finally it.
The website description looks great-this I would pay $50 plus for.


Turn By Turn is essential as
1) It is very useful
2) Every low end Nokia etc has it-

I have tried to use the current Google maps offering to navigate to a place in Sydney and its a complete non starter, really a map is far better as i discovered. I was even teh passenger stubbonly trying to use the iphone whilst my wife was driving. She was very smug when we ended up overshooting a vital turn as the maps couldn't keep up (THE biggest limitation as I often seem to be driving through houses) . I then ditched it for a Sydway Paper directory. There is nothing wrong with the GPS accuracy as people have said its just that its extremely difficult to download a map fast enough to show your REAL position)

For this reason onboard maps are essential(also it would cost a fortune in download costs if you were going a few hours) Also what do you do when there is no 3G-get lost I suppose?

This is getting me very excited-I LOVE the fact that I will not have to use 3G to download the stupid (OK they aren't stupid but in the context of Turn by Turn they are stupid) google maps. I would gladly give up 5gig


From the website

Stand-alone electronic map that needs no internet connection
Unfettered location search in the mountains, on the ocean, or the middle of nowhere, even when on the move
Large-capacity map data enables easy search of desired location and route
Real 3D View of intricate major intersections and highway junctions
Smart location search powered by a search engine similar to internet search engines, using keyword search
Detailed information on restaurants, hotels, and leisure destinations provided with Premium POI
POI editing and memo capability for personalized POI
Route preview provides optimal route to destination
Search by phone number and latitude/longitude
Phone number dial by POI (for iPhone)

THE KILLER IPHONE APP- FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
L

LiveForever

macrumors 6502
Dec 13, 2007
281
0
Yes it looks like real turn by turn GPS

BUT and its a serious BUT

I can't see anywhere about voice prompts.

This is essential as its not practical to watch a tiny screen.

GPS to be effective MUST have voice prompts.

Hopefully it will open the floodgates though and someone will produce a voice one.
 
N

needthephone

macrumors 6502a
Apr 4, 2006
813
0
sydney
Umm..

Yes your'e right.

It mentions so many brilliant features but not voice guided directions.

Yes a serious limitation I totally agree.

Maybe they haven't listed all the features but not to mention that seems like it isn't even in.

Dam oh well I'll wait for Garmin or TomTom to produce one then.

Why did they leave out the essential feature and put in stuff like phone number directions!!
 
jaseone

jaseone

macrumors 65816
Nov 7, 2004
1,246
59
Houston, USA
Uhm where in that description does it mention anything about turn by turn directions? It sounds like it does the same thing as Google Maps but just offline so it doesn't need to download the maps/data with the addition of a "Real 3D View of intricate major intersections and highway junctions", whatever that means...
 
A

Ashyukun

macrumors 6502
Jul 19, 2008
265
1
jaseone said:
Uhm where in that description does it mention anything about turn by turn directions? It sounds like it does the same thing as Google Maps but just offline so it doesn't need to download the maps/data with the addition of a "Real 3D View of intricate major intersections and highway junctions", whatever that means...
Click to expand...

Watching the demo on the website linked, it looks like it tracks where you are and then provides information based on where you are- which depending on how exactly they implemented it sounds a lot like turn-by-turn. They don't have any videos of it actually in operation that I can see though, just the 'route preview'.

I'll have to keep an eye out for this... if nothing else, the auto-orientation of the maps is something I've always missed in the native maps app, and the fact the maps are local (albeit potentially large enough to require dropping some videos/songs) is a nice plus when in areas with spotty cell network coverage.
 
D

Ding.Dong

macrumors regular
Jun 18, 2008
199
0
Los Angeles
removed from app store?

It looks like the app has been removed from the app store, since the link doesn't work anymore and a search turns up nothing.
 
V

vandy1997

macrumors regular
Aug 15, 2007
160
0
It's pretty clear that it doesn't have voice-guided directions. Otherwise it would be listed. That makes the app pretty useless. It is useful only where you won't have access to Google Maps. Otherwise, you will still be looking at the screen (while swerving down the street/highway) to try to determine where you need to turn!! It looks like a great way to get into an accident!!

needthephone said:
Umm..

Yes your'e right.

It mentions so many brilliant features but not voice guided directions.

Yes a serious limitation I totally agree.

Maybe they haven't listed all the features but not to mention that seems like it isn't even in.

Dam oh well I'll wait for Garmin or TomTom to produce one then.

Why did they leave out the essential feature and put in stuff like phone number directions!!
Click to expand...
 
N

needthephone

macrumors 6502a
Apr 4, 2006
813
0
sydney
XRoad iphone app( REAL GPS naviagtion) Out Next Week apparently

I have been waiting for the Xroad GPS navigation app to come out ever snce it was announced.

The website still says early November.

I emailed them to see when it would be released and this is the reply I had (I think it is a standard reply)-I don't think they will mind me posting this either.

I hope it is released as it looks good. Interesting on no voice prompting though.

Dear Customer,

Thanks for your interesting in our Gmap application.

It'll be available to download from next week.

With current version any voice prompted turn by turn instruction won't be available based on APPLE's rule.

Best regards,


http://www.xroadgps.com/Maps/GMapforiPhone/tabid/2463/Default.aspx
 
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