Small G-MAPS East Review

[MotionxxUSxx]

Just tried gmap us east for the first time in the car and I am impressed.

1.) Offline maps are great. You no longer need to wait for each map to download like you do when you are using google maps in the car.

2.) It found my location instantly

2.) Extremely easy to calculate a route with many options (avoid tolls, highways, scenic routes, fastest, shortest, etc)

3.) The maps follow you as you drive. The dot always seemed to be in the correct location.

4.) I went a different way than the displayed route and g-maps rerouted me in a few short seconds. (This is the killer feature that I was looking for). The map tells you what road you are currently on.

5.) You have the ability to show many poi's on the map. You can turn these on and off in settings menu found under the apple general settings menu. I'm not sure why developers just don't include the settings menu in the app itself.

6.) It's very easy to zoom in and out.

7.) You can set the colors of the map. It even has auto colors so the map will change to from day colors to night colors based on the time of day.

8.) You can save favorites. For example I have my home and work saved. It's as easy as selecting a favorite and hit go.

All it really needs now is the ability for the maps to rotate so you are always facing up. I thought that they mentioned that this will be incorporated in the future.

This is the best you will get until, Apple allows voice prompting for turn by turn directions.

 

[benfica88]

Program is horrible. Besides the re-routing there's nothing else this does better than Google maps excluding the offline maps portion.
The worst part is that the program actually dims and locks the screen. You have to keep tapping the screen to keep the program up.
At least google maps keeps the screen bright and doesn't lock when moving...

 

[MotionxxUSxx]

Program is horrible. Besides the re-routing there's nothing else this does better than Google maps excluding the offline maps portion.
The worst part is that the program actually dims and locks the screen. You have to keep tapping the screen to keep the program up.
At least google maps keeps the screen bright and doesn't lock when moving...

Are you kidding me, you have to set the screen to not automatically lock. This needs to be done with google maps as well. This is way better than google maps. Isn't rerouting the most important feature.

 

[bmms8]

i agree this is the best map app out there. i am very happy with it thus far. there are obviously a couple things they need to work on, but overall its great, and much better than google maps.

 

[kas23]

I wonder why this is mostly stuck in the North-facing position? Is this a technically difficult to develop or is this an SDK restriction? Well, they do have forward-facing intersections, so it likely is not an absolute SDK restriction.

This App needs to further itself more from Google Maps and then I think it will start to catch on.

 

[benfica88]

Are you kidding me, you have to set the screen to not automatically lock. This needs to be done with google maps as well. This is way better than google maps. Isn't rerouting the most important feature.

When being charged Google maps never auto locks. On top of that as long as you keep moving it never dims the screen. Even if you do stop and move again the screen brightens.

 

[MotionxxUSxx]

When being charged Google maps never auto locks. On top of that as long as you keep moving it never dims the screen. Even if you do stop and move again the screen brightens.

I don't charge my phone while in the car.

 

[eplchamps0304]

I don't charge my phone while in the car.

You are going to have to if you intend to use it as a gps

 

[MotionxxUSxx]

You are going to have to if you intend to use it as a gps

With offline maps, I didn't see much drainage. With g-maps, all I'm using is the GPS, there is no constant data download for the maps.

 

[bbplayer5]

They really need to mark your position with an arrow, not a blinking dot. Not only that, but they need to rotate the screen as you turn!!!

Its "ok" right now... needs a lot of work.

 

[jhanlon]

The biggest advantage over Google Maps will come when the European maps become available and will be able to be used with Data Roaming (prohibitively expensive) turned off. These nit picking objections will be paled along side the capability.

 

[Ashyukun]

With offline maps, I didn't see much drainage. With g-maps, all I'm using is the GPS, there is no constant data download for the maps.

You'll still likely want to be charging it, especially on longer trips- having the screen backlight on at a level it can be read in daylight is one of the bigger battery drains. But you are right, it will use a good bit less power than when constantly having to download data for Google Maps. I've run into situations where I've had it plugged in and in theory charging but still been watching the battery level drain due to how much power the combined backlight, data, and GPS were using...

 

[MotionxxUSxx]

You'll still likely want to be charging it, especially on longer trips- having the screen backlight on at a level it can be read in daylight is one of the bigger battery drains. But you are right, it will use a good bit less power than when constantly having to download data for Google Maps. I've run into situations where I've had it plugged in and in theory charging but still been watching the battery level drain due to how much power the combined backlight, data, and GPS were using...

that's true. I plan on buying a charger and hopefully the charger will be able to keep up with the power drain since it will no longer be downloading maps.

 

[markgamber]

They really need to mark your position with an arrow, not a blinking dot. Not only that, but they need to rotate the screen as you turn!!!

Its "ok" right now... needs a lot of work.

Actually, an arrow indicating direction would be really nice if there's a valid reason why the map can't rotate. I could use either option. A blinking dot on a non-rotating map isn't doing anyone any favors.

For the thread starter....would you recommend this to someone who needs a casual GPS app and believes Google Maps is crap? The online maps sound good but if it's still more distracting to have to watch it instead of listen, I'll pass and keep my Tilt for a while longer.

 

[MotionxxUSxx]

Actually, an arrow indicating direction would be really nice if there's a valid reason why the map can't rotate. I could use either option. A blinking dot on a non-rotating map isn't doing anyone any favors.

For the thread starter....would you recommend this to someone who needs a casual GPS app and believes Google Maps is crap? Or is it really only incrementally better than Google Maps and still more of a pain to use than it's worth?

I think it's great for $20. Your getting a map that reroutes automatically on the fly along with many options to control your routes and display a bunch of different POI's. If you don't mind the map always facing up and not rotating, than it is much better to use for driving than google maps. I found it pretty useful this morning. This is not something that you would use everytime you get in the car as most of the time you know where you are going, but it is great when you have no idea where you are going. I also love the ability to store favorites so you can access them and create a route on the fly. I also think the auto map colors are sweet as well.

The rerouting function is worth the $20 alone.

Hope this helps.

 

[markgamber]

I think it's great for $20. Your getting a map that reroutes automatically on the fly along with many options to control your routes and display a bunch of different POI's. If you don't mind the map always facing up and not rotating, than it is much better to use for driving than google maps. I found it pretty useful this morning. This is not something that you would use everytime you get in the car as most of the time you know where you are going, but it is great when you have no idea where you are going. I also love the ability to store favorites so you can access them and create a route on the fly. I also think the auto map colors are sweet as well.

The rerouting function is worth the $20 alone.

Hope this helps.

Yeah, it did help, thanks. I'll snag a copy later. I don't really need a decent GPS often enough to get a stand-alone unit and I would like to retire the Tilt.

 

[markgamber]

Bah...double post.

Well, since you can't delete a double post, may as well use it. Maybe if enough people download this app, Apple will get off it's pompous ass and allow TBT with beeps, bongs and voice directions.

 

[okaive]

When will they have the rest of the states available?

 

[bbplayer5]

This thing is picking insane directions to get somewhere... I was going straight down a street to my destination, and for some reason it wanted me to turn off and go 3 blocks west, and come around a totally out of the way direction.

Not impressed at all...

 

[WPB2]

I don't like the app, I downloaded it for 20 bucks, and for me Google maps does a better job. I wish i had my 20 bucks back.

 

[Ashyukun]

When will they have the rest of the states available?

Likely due to the size requirements/limits on apps they split it up into two versions: East and West. The West version was actually available a bit before this one- http://appshopper.com/navigation/g-map-us-west.

 

[BobF4321]

FYI, I just went to the support site, and their feedback form includes an option for "G-Maps North America".... maybe this version will be out soon. This should also provide Canada maps.

 

[benfica88]

I don't charge my phone while in the car.

But it will still autolock regardless!!! You have to set the phone to never auto lock everytime you use it.

 

[bbplayer5]

This really needs to turn with you, work in landscape, and give better directions... The directions are HORRIBLE right now...

 

[eplchamps0304]

Does not work in landscape? The free xgps even does that and turns with you.