Hi Mike, I agree with Geoff's comments and recommendations but there is one importatn correction: MotionX GPS Drive is only available in the US There is another app that they make, called MotionX GPS, that is available internationally and that is often confused with the first product, but that does not have the features that give turn-by-turn directions that Geoff is speaking of. So if you want a GPS app that can be used in both the US and in Europe, you'll have to choose Navigon. Also, you have to purchase separate apps for Navigon US (or North America, or a region of the US) and for Navigon Europe (or a specific country). The usage format is similar, but the map data is different. The Navigon apps typically take about 1.5 GB each to download. You need twice the space to unpack and update the app.
I also agree that you'll want to get the free AroundMe app and/or Where To? -- Discover your next destination ($2.99 from FutureTap). These have a much better interface for searching for points of interest, which can then be sent to the default Maps app, or Navigon, MotionX GPS Drive, TomTom, etc. They'll list matches to your search terms in order of distance from your current location or, you can set this to be a location from your contacts or that you type in, if you're planning travel. These are great apps to have, even if you don't have an iPhone or use GPS apps, and I used both on the iPod Touch before I ever got an iPhone. The really useful function that was added to the Where To app last July is the ability to use the built-in compass on an iPhone or iPad with 3G, and update information on direction and distance as you travel. So, for example, if you search for a restaurant, and then check the detailed screen for your POI, near the top right corner of the screen, you'll hear something like, "Direction and distance, right, 240 yards", and this will update as you travel in both terms -- so you could hear "slight right" or "straight ahead", and the distance decrease as you approach your POI. This can be set to use metric distances in the settings. I should probably mention that I've heard that some iPhone users in Scandinavian countries find the POI database in AroundMe out of date, compared to the one in Navigon. That's the only set of locations I know of where users don't really like these POI helper apps. Both AroundMe and Where To work internationally, and also support other language localizations. HTH. Cheers, Esther On Jan 30, 2012, Michael Busboom wrote: Wonderfully instructive and helpful, Geoff, thanks! I think I will have to get a 4S with 64GB if I start downloading maps onto my phone. I will contact you either by phone or off-list with some more questions. Thanks again, Mike On 30,Jan,2012, Geoff Waaler wrote:
Greetings Mike, Motionx GPS Drive uses GoogleMaps, and has a setting where they can be cached on the IOS device. This would minimize data usage, and since you can always go to the cloud to retrieve current maps, they should in theory be always more current. IMHO, from a VoiceOver perspective MotionX is a bit quirkier than Navigon initially, in that many items are not labeled. For that reason you probably would not use Motionx to search for businesses, but other apps such as WhereTo and AroundMe accomplish this and integrate with Navigon and Motionx, which, considering the price difference renders the Motionx POI search inaccessibility a non factor. I have Navigon and am very satisfied, but if I was making the choice today would go with Motionx.
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