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Routebuddy Atlas with offline UK OS maps

S

surferfromuk

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 1, 2007
1,153
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Just thought I'd post this up because as keen walkers we have been waiting about 2 years for an app that includes offline UK Ordnance survey OS maps.

Routebuddy's Atlas does exactly this as I discovered on Sunday - but seems to be virtually no news about it.

They aren't cheap at about £20 for each 'regional map' (area equivalent to a standard paper map (about £8) but it really does work nicely and at full 1:25K range.

The purchase system isn't very clear though - you basically download the free Atlas app, go to the routebuddy web store and dig around for a while, buy the map download it and upload it to the iphone via http. Still was simple enough just not very clear - a built in store on the app would be nicer.

Anyway, ran alright on a stock 3G, and having the Geo-dot track you on the OS maps is also very nice (down all the little green dotted lanes - cool!). They are a nice hi-res zoomable map too.

I can seriously recommend it to anyone who likes the UK OS walking maps.

http://www.routebuddy.com/
 
Ordnance Survey Maps for iPhone

Hi,

just thought we should reply on this for some background information.

surferfromuk said:
Just thought I'd post this up because as keen walkers we have been waiting about 2 years for an app that includes offline UK Ordnance survey OS maps.

Routebuddy's Atlas does exactly this as I discovered on Sunday - but seems to be virtually no news about it.

They aren't cheap at about £20 for each 'regional map' (area equivalent to a standard paper map (about £8) but it really does work nicely and at full 1:25K range.
Click to expand...
Comparing to a paper map is not perhaps valid, they are two really
different products; Besides paper maps tearing, getting wet and not
being able to show you where you are you will, as a keen walker,
end up binning paper maps after some use. RouteBuddy's OS maps
however do not wear out and of course can show you your location.
(Additionally you can view them on a Mac in the RouteBuddy
Mac OS X application and print a waterproof map from there.)

There are many other advantages to our digital version but suffice to
say they are very different in use and our work has 'added-value' to
the product.

When working out the cost of our digital maps we have to take into
account the Ordnance Survey licensing fees as well as eCommerce
fees.

Cost wise they shouldn't be compared to paper maps, for the reasons
above, but compared to what's been available to PC-only users for a
long time now. There are many providers (we've researched them all
from Anquet to Quo) but if you want a clear comparison on a
like-for-like product them look at Tracklogs.com. They sell an Explorer
sheet title for £29.00 delivered and we sell the same for £19.99
(neither do they offer a mobile version of their software for free as we
do), £10 cheaper is not really so bad...


The purchase system isn't very clear though - you basically download the free Atlas app, go to the routebuddy web store and dig around for a while, buy the map download it and upload it to the iphone via http. Still was simple enough just not very clear - a built in store on the app would be nicer.
Click to expand...
For the Ordnance Survey maps follow the links from here: http://store.routebuddy.com/maps/europe
Purchase your map and download to Mac or PC, then follow the
installation instructions.

We could have an in-app store in RouteBuddy Atlas however Apple's
conditions state that we'd then have to charge for our software.


Anyway, ran alright on a stock 3G, and having the Geo-dot track you on the OS maps is also very nice (down all the little green dotted lanes - cool!). They are a nice hi-res zoomable map too.

I can seriously recommend it to anyone who likes the UK OS walking maps.

http://www.routebuddy.com/
Click to expand...

Thank you, and please note we'll be building more features into
RouteBuddy Atlas, as well as releasing more Ordnance Survey maps,
like LandRanger titles, National Parks and National Trails.


Neil
------------------
www.RouteBuddy.com
 
Hi Neil,

Great to read some of that feedback. I hope I didn’t come across too critically - I do think for any walkers with an iphone this is an absolute must have app and I do understand the benefits of the digital map and the license costs that OS put on you. I’d go so far as to say that I’d buy an iphone for this app. I have a relative with some huge black and white OS map thing which is like a brick and cost a fortune - it’s not a patch on this so it is great value.

I do love what your doing and I think you’ve done a really nice job by leaving the main interface ‘all about the maps’. I love the ‘default’ zoom level after a ‘GPS locate me’ touch - exactly the right size and detail - and unlike all the other so called offline maps it does actually find the exact spot and track along perfectly.

I would ask for one very important key feature - can you please put the standard OS Key reference table onto the screen you get when you press the i button (the key on all OS maps that tells you what the icons and road types are and so on). I really miss that - and think the i button is a perfect place to have it.

It’s a shame about the inbuilt store. I’d gladly pay the £0.59 for a version that has inbuilt purchasing - I’m not saying it’s not simple enough for me but I doubt my wife could do it (that’s not a sexist thing - she’s just not techy at all and couldn’t update the OS let alone get a map onto it!!)... but mainly because I know that sooner or later I’m going to be in some region I don’t know about and I’d love it to get a map for it there and then...I’d probably end up spending a £100 a year if you did that - without any hesitation - seriously!

It’d be great if the store could;

Tell me exactly which geo-map covers the area I’m in based on my GPS locale
Allow me to buy it and install it right there on the side of the mountain which is far away from home and my mac!

Couldn’t both exist on the store?

Anyway, If you want any more feedback points please feel free to PM me.

P.S - a discounted Bundle version of Routebuddy for Map buyers might be a nice idea. I’d have bought that too if it was half-the price!
 
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