Intro:
The following are my notes (and some tips) on using Navigon. I’ve used it almost everyday since a day after it’s release, as well as reading and responding to posts here at MacRumors. It’s by no means complete or a representative case of everyone’s experience. But I hope it helps someone with using/appreciating Navigon for what I believe it is. A very capable and usable TBT navigation app, especially for a v1.0 software release. I look forward to it’s updates.
iPhone Software:
iPhone #1: 16gb 3GS - Software Revision 3.0, Purchased Navigon the day after it was released. iPhone is also Jailbroken via purplera1n, jailbroken apps: Winterboard, SBSettings, Backgrounder, iBlacklist, Reminder, OpenSSH. No other Cydia apps. No cracked apps at all. Wouldn’t be jailbroken if those above apps were available via the App Store. I’d gladly pay for them.
iPhone #2: 16gb 3G - Software Revision 3.0.1, not Jailbroken
Car/Case Setup:
iPhone #1: SwitchEasy Capsule NEO case sometimes, sometimes with no case, Kensington Car Mount for iPod, Kensington LiquidAUX Car Kit for iPhone/iPod. Used both in a VW Passat and Ford F250.
iPhone #2: Speck ToughSkin case always, Kensington Car Mount for iPod, XtremeMAC car charger. Used both in a Saturn 300 and a large RV.
Areas used:
iPhone #1: Throughout the Dallas Fort Worth and Houston Texas downtown/metroplex areas, as well as cities in between, and Texas rural areas.
iPhone #2: Throughout southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi urban and rural areas
User's Experience:
iPhone #1 user (me), very experienced user, had 2G, 3G and 3GS iPhones since August of 2007. Have MobileMe account tied to my iPhone.
iPhone #2 user (my dad, 72 years young) very new iPhone user (gave him my old 3G iPhone when I upgraded to the 3GS).
Entering Destinations:
I’ve found that the easiest way to enter a destination is to have it in my Contacts list. Sometimes when you try to find a POI or a street address in Navigon, it may not be in the database. Perfect example of this is a local Apple Store that Navigon couldn’t find, also did not recognize the address. So, I headed over to Maps to search directly for that Apple store and address. Saved it as a contact. Switched over to Navigon, chose that contact from the contact list, and immediately recognized it and started the route. The whole process took less time than it did for me to type this, or about a minute. No big deal. If I don’t want the contact in my Contacts list anymore after using, I just delete it. With my MobileMe account, it’s instantly deleted across my MBP and the MobileMe contacts list (web version).
Navigon is supposedly updating this part of the software in an upcoming release, so no worries from me on POI’s and addresses. I don’t want all the clutter of POIs, and will probably turn that feature off when Navigon enables the option. I rarely travel to areas where I don’t already know the POIs, or I’ve done that investigation ‘elswhere’ (Google or Maps for example). I don’t expect my TBT navigation software to know this information. ‘There’s a app for that’
.
Battery Life:
This is going to vary greatly for everyone. 3GS iPhone #1 is new. From a 100% charge, Navigon works for me almost 1.5 to 2 hours on battery. The 3G iPhone is a year old, and gets 1 to 1.5 hours of Navigon use on battery. That being said, we’re both almost always using Navigon with the car chargers plugged in. Just makes sense.
GPS Signal issues:
One note for both of us, we’ve found that if we mount the iPhone in the window mount BEFORE starting Navigon, it really helps with Navigon having little to no GPS signal issues. Starting Navigon and entering all the destinations/setups is always done while the iPhones are in a window mount.
If you are having signal issues, see the Navigon FAQ page. Like has been mentioned before, those who follow those steps and recommendations, rarely see GPS signal issues anymore. I’ll also point out that both iPhone’s that we are using Navigon on were restored as a new iPhones, then my 3GS iPhone was actually synced again in iTunes using a ‘restore from a previous backup’ of my old 3G iPhone.
In using iPhone #1 without a case, it is definitely faster for acquiring the GPS signal. I can’t ever remember seeing it have the dreaded ‘Simulation Mode’ or red bar across the top, when the iPhone is in the window mount. Don’t recall it ever ‘dropping’ the GPS signal either. Using with the Capsule NEO case on it (almost always now), it takes a 2-6 seconds to lock on the initial signal. I’ve seen it lose the signal twice with the case on it, in the window mount, with clear open sky. Both times it re-locked within 10 seconds. Last week I went to a drive through car wash with Navigon running and in the window mount. We don’t have many tunnels in our area, so this is a similar test. Needless to say it lost the signal as I entered the car wash building. As I exited about 2 minutes later, I was watching to see how long it would take to reacquire. It did it as soon as the window was out from under the building, even before the car wash was finished. Pretty impressive to me.
With iPhone #2 (the 3G), GPS signal experiences are very similar. I’m not in front of that iPhone while Navigon is being used, so I can’t watch how fast it reacts. That being said, my dad rarely mentions issues with the GPS signal, once he got the Kensington window mount. Questions seem to relate to the interface and use, but those have mostly disappeared also since he’s been using it awhile now.
Routing/Traffic:
Routing for us has been pretty spot on. I’ve got the settings to use car profile, the fastest route, and with all other options to ‘avoid’. Most of the routes I’ve used for 20+ years in the north Texas area are 99% identical to the routes that Navigon chooses. The difference is I sometimes know about construction zones or other little traffic hot spots. In the DFW area, nothing can beat one of our local AM radio stations for updating traffic. They do traffic/weather every 10 minutes, from 5am to 8pm every weekday, even more frequently if it is a ‘breaking news’ item. I don’t think, at least for where I’m at, any TBT navigation software is ever going to be able to keep up with that, and I really don’t expect it to.
Routing is highly subjective to the maps data AND to how you choose to setup the route 'choices'. So, this part of any TBT navigation routing's software can vary, and will. Change from 'car' mode to 'bicycle' mode, and of course, the routes are going to change.
ReCalculating Routes:
I’ve purposely done some things while using Navigon to cause recalculation of routes. Missing a turn, not following the exact route given, etc. Recalculation is always pretty quick, Navigon usually recognizes that I’ve missed a turn or whatever in 50-200 feet of it happening, and it very quickly recalculates. Of course speed of travel plays a role, as the faster I’m traveling, the more it may affect the distance. Recalculation has never made me miss an exit or turn.
When a phone call (or other app) interrupts:
If I’ve backgrounded Navigon (using Backgrounder, the jailbroken app), Navigon hardly ever misses route recalculation or announcing directions. But, if Navigon is running normally (like on an unjailbroken iPhone), it may take 3-10 seconds to ‘catch up’ to the distance travelled since the app (Navigon) was last active. There’s no way around this as Apple makes Navigon ‘shut down’ when a phone call comes in, or if you actually use another app on the phone. But, as soon as you hang up, Navigon goes back to work as quickly as it can. It sometimes may give erroneous directions as it tries to remember where it was versus where it is now. Again, I don’t see how any navigation software is going to get around this until Apple allows true background operation. This is about the only way that Navigon (or any TBT app that currently exists under Apple’s rules) is going to behave. If you need to be constantly on the phone AND have immediate TBT assistance, then tranferring TBT functionality to your phone may not be the experience you want.
Navigon also seems to have a ‘remember state’. For example, if I’m using Navigon, then change to using Safari for a couple of minutes, then back to Navigon, it remembers the operation state it was in, and what it was doing. I don’t have to reset it up for Navigation. Nice.
Navigon software 'quirks and/or bugs':
Volume control in the settings of Navigon doesn’t track what volume settings are done via the up/down buttons on the side of the iPhone (the up/down buttons are actually changing the RINGER). You have to manually slide in the settings to change app volume (if you want to change it there). Also, changing the volume of Navigon’s spoken commands via the side up/down buttons are limited to only being able to change the app’s volume when announcements are being made, or ‘very close to’ before or after an announcement is being made. In other words, if Navigon is ‘quiet’ for awhile, and you press the up/down volume for example, you are actually changing the iPhone’s RINGER volume, not Navigon’s APP volume. Lastly, if you use the iPhone's mute/vibrate switch, this will cause Navigon to NOT make any announcements. These quirks are mentioned because it has caused confusion for some.
Day/Night mode is not automatic. You have to choose which mode you want. Navigon defaults to day mode. Would be nice if the app could auto detect. But not a big deal to me.
Text (street names) is difficult to read while in daytime mode. Much easier to read the street names in night mode, during night time. Night mode doesn’t really look right to me for daytime use. I’m hopeful they’ll fix this in an update.
Conclusion:
Both iPhones are working with no ‘major’ issues. There's a few quirks of course, but nothing that causes any 'pain' to using the app. Everything can be worked around or fixed in software. What I mean by this is there is not even a hint of regret for purchasing Navigon, or usability issue that really makes us want to purchase another TBT app. That doesn't mean we won't follow the other manufacturer's products release and updates. If something comes out (or gets updated to being) better, reasonably priced, then all bets off for switching to the latest greatest TBT app.
I’m sure I’ve left things out. This was meant as more of a 'how I use Navigon' rather than a 'Review' comparing it to other available apps. I’ll update as I continue using Navigon or am requested to on specific points. So please feel free to ask specific questions or add comments. Hope this helps someone.
The following are my notes (and some tips) on using Navigon. I’ve used it almost everyday since a day after it’s release, as well as reading and responding to posts here at MacRumors. It’s by no means complete or a representative case of everyone’s experience. But I hope it helps someone with using/appreciating Navigon for what I believe it is. A very capable and usable TBT navigation app, especially for a v1.0 software release. I look forward to it’s updates.
iPhone Software:
iPhone #1: 16gb 3GS - Software Revision 3.0, Purchased Navigon the day after it was released. iPhone is also Jailbroken via purplera1n, jailbroken apps: Winterboard, SBSettings, Backgrounder, iBlacklist, Reminder, OpenSSH. No other Cydia apps. No cracked apps at all. Wouldn’t be jailbroken if those above apps were available via the App Store. I’d gladly pay for them.
iPhone #2: 16gb 3G - Software Revision 3.0.1, not Jailbroken
Car/Case Setup:
iPhone #1: SwitchEasy Capsule NEO case sometimes, sometimes with no case, Kensington Car Mount for iPod, Kensington LiquidAUX Car Kit for iPhone/iPod. Used both in a VW Passat and Ford F250.
iPhone #2: Speck ToughSkin case always, Kensington Car Mount for iPod, XtremeMAC car charger. Used both in a Saturn 300 and a large RV.
Areas used:
iPhone #1: Throughout the Dallas Fort Worth and Houston Texas downtown/metroplex areas, as well as cities in between, and Texas rural areas.
iPhone #2: Throughout southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi urban and rural areas
User's Experience:
iPhone #1 user (me), very experienced user, had 2G, 3G and 3GS iPhones since August of 2007. Have MobileMe account tied to my iPhone.
iPhone #2 user (my dad, 72 years young) very new iPhone user (gave him my old 3G iPhone when I upgraded to the 3GS).
Entering Destinations:
I’ve found that the easiest way to enter a destination is to have it in my Contacts list. Sometimes when you try to find a POI or a street address in Navigon, it may not be in the database. Perfect example of this is a local Apple Store that Navigon couldn’t find, also did not recognize the address. So, I headed over to Maps to search directly for that Apple store and address. Saved it as a contact. Switched over to Navigon, chose that contact from the contact list, and immediately recognized it and started the route. The whole process took less time than it did for me to type this, or about a minute. No big deal. If I don’t want the contact in my Contacts list anymore after using, I just delete it. With my MobileMe account, it’s instantly deleted across my MBP and the MobileMe contacts list (web version).
Navigon is supposedly updating this part of the software in an upcoming release, so no worries from me on POI’s and addresses. I don’t want all the clutter of POIs, and will probably turn that feature off when Navigon enables the option. I rarely travel to areas where I don’t already know the POIs, or I’ve done that investigation ‘elswhere’ (Google or Maps for example). I don’t expect my TBT navigation software to know this information. ‘There’s a app for that’
.Battery Life:
This is going to vary greatly for everyone. 3GS iPhone #1 is new. From a 100% charge, Navigon works for me almost 1.5 to 2 hours on battery. The 3G iPhone is a year old, and gets 1 to 1.5 hours of Navigon use on battery. That being said, we’re both almost always using Navigon with the car chargers plugged in. Just makes sense.
GPS Signal issues:
One note for both of us, we’ve found that if we mount the iPhone in the window mount BEFORE starting Navigon, it really helps with Navigon having little to no GPS signal issues. Starting Navigon and entering all the destinations/setups is always done while the iPhones are in a window mount.
If you are having signal issues, see the Navigon FAQ page. Like has been mentioned before, those who follow those steps and recommendations, rarely see GPS signal issues anymore. I’ll also point out that both iPhone’s that we are using Navigon on were restored as a new iPhones, then my 3GS iPhone was actually synced again in iTunes using a ‘restore from a previous backup’ of my old 3G iPhone.
In using iPhone #1 without a case, it is definitely faster for acquiring the GPS signal. I can’t ever remember seeing it have the dreaded ‘Simulation Mode’ or red bar across the top, when the iPhone is in the window mount. Don’t recall it ever ‘dropping’ the GPS signal either. Using with the Capsule NEO case on it (almost always now), it takes a 2-6 seconds to lock on the initial signal. I’ve seen it lose the signal twice with the case on it, in the window mount, with clear open sky. Both times it re-locked within 10 seconds. Last week I went to a drive through car wash with Navigon running and in the window mount. We don’t have many tunnels in our area, so this is a similar test. Needless to say it lost the signal as I entered the car wash building. As I exited about 2 minutes later, I was watching to see how long it would take to reacquire. It did it as soon as the window was out from under the building, even before the car wash was finished. Pretty impressive to me.
With iPhone #2 (the 3G), GPS signal experiences are very similar. I’m not in front of that iPhone while Navigon is being used, so I can’t watch how fast it reacts. That being said, my dad rarely mentions issues with the GPS signal, once he got the Kensington window mount. Questions seem to relate to the interface and use, but those have mostly disappeared also since he’s been using it awhile now.
Routing/Traffic:
Routing for us has been pretty spot on. I’ve got the settings to use car profile, the fastest route, and with all other options to ‘avoid’. Most of the routes I’ve used for 20+ years in the north Texas area are 99% identical to the routes that Navigon chooses. The difference is I sometimes know about construction zones or other little traffic hot spots. In the DFW area, nothing can beat one of our local AM radio stations for updating traffic. They do traffic/weather every 10 minutes, from 5am to 8pm every weekday, even more frequently if it is a ‘breaking news’ item. I don’t think, at least for where I’m at, any TBT navigation software is ever going to be able to keep up with that, and I really don’t expect it to.
Routing is highly subjective to the maps data AND to how you choose to setup the route 'choices'. So, this part of any TBT navigation routing's software can vary, and will. Change from 'car' mode to 'bicycle' mode, and of course, the routes are going to change.
ReCalculating Routes:
I’ve purposely done some things while using Navigon to cause recalculation of routes. Missing a turn, not following the exact route given, etc. Recalculation is always pretty quick, Navigon usually recognizes that I’ve missed a turn or whatever in 50-200 feet of it happening, and it very quickly recalculates. Of course speed of travel plays a role, as the faster I’m traveling, the more it may affect the distance. Recalculation has never made me miss an exit or turn.
When a phone call (or other app) interrupts:
If I’ve backgrounded Navigon (using Backgrounder, the jailbroken app), Navigon hardly ever misses route recalculation or announcing directions. But, if Navigon is running normally (like on an unjailbroken iPhone), it may take 3-10 seconds to ‘catch up’ to the distance travelled since the app (Navigon) was last active. There’s no way around this as Apple makes Navigon ‘shut down’ when a phone call comes in, or if you actually use another app on the phone. But, as soon as you hang up, Navigon goes back to work as quickly as it can. It sometimes may give erroneous directions as it tries to remember where it was versus where it is now. Again, I don’t see how any navigation software is going to get around this until Apple allows true background operation. This is about the only way that Navigon (or any TBT app that currently exists under Apple’s rules) is going to behave. If you need to be constantly on the phone AND have immediate TBT assistance, then tranferring TBT functionality to your phone may not be the experience you want.
Navigon also seems to have a ‘remember state’. For example, if I’m using Navigon, then change to using Safari for a couple of minutes, then back to Navigon, it remembers the operation state it was in, and what it was doing. I don’t have to reset it up for Navigation. Nice.
Navigon software 'quirks and/or bugs':
Volume control in the settings of Navigon doesn’t track what volume settings are done via the up/down buttons on the side of the iPhone (the up/down buttons are actually changing the RINGER). You have to manually slide in the settings to change app volume (if you want to change it there). Also, changing the volume of Navigon’s spoken commands via the side up/down buttons are limited to only being able to change the app’s volume when announcements are being made, or ‘very close to’ before or after an announcement is being made. In other words, if Navigon is ‘quiet’ for awhile, and you press the up/down volume for example, you are actually changing the iPhone’s RINGER volume, not Navigon’s APP volume. Lastly, if you use the iPhone's mute/vibrate switch, this will cause Navigon to NOT make any announcements. These quirks are mentioned because it has caused confusion for some.
Day/Night mode is not automatic. You have to choose which mode you want. Navigon defaults to day mode. Would be nice if the app could auto detect. But not a big deal to me.
Text (street names) is difficult to read while in daytime mode. Much easier to read the street names in night mode, during night time. Night mode doesn’t really look right to me for daytime use. I’m hopeful they’ll fix this in an update.
Conclusion:
Both iPhones are working with no ‘major’ issues. There's a few quirks of course, but nothing that causes any 'pain' to using the app. Everything can be worked around or fixed in software. What I mean by this is there is not even a hint of regret for purchasing Navigon, or usability issue that really makes us want to purchase another TBT app. That doesn't mean we won't follow the other manufacturer's products release and updates. If something comes out (or gets updated to being) better, reasonably priced, then all bets off for switching to the latest greatest TBT app.
I’m sure I’ve left things out. This was meant as more of a 'how I use Navigon' rather than a 'Review' comparing it to other available apps. I’ll update as I continue using Navigon or am requested to on specific points. So please feel free to ask specific questions or add comments. Hope this helps someone.
