Here is a shot of the MotionX app loaded up with tracks for the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route, Great Devide Route, and Western Trans America Trail. There were constant dirt road intersections to navigate through and this app did the job. Two friends on the ride with me used Garmin Montanas and could generally navigate faster but always looked at my phone when then wanted to see an overview of our route because it was too many points to display on their units at once.

__________________
bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

never paid a penny for any of the maps on my garmin, osm is free for garmin as it is for a lot of smart phone apps. My Montana also consistently outperforms the smartphones on the trip, both mine and my travelling companions

For high speed navigation, Garmin wins if you want to spend $500. If you only want to spend $200 on a Garmin 60csx like I did, you may find it nearly unusable compared to a smartphone.

Even so, the other guys on my trip with Garmin Montanas spent a lot more time fiddling with their devices than I did trying to figure out how to display this or that.

__________________
bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

Quite the contrary ..
I found smart phone lot faster and more precise.
All I got from Garmin was '' recalculating ,, recalculating ,, recalculating ,, recalculating ,, recalculating ,, ''
On both OSM loaded and Garmin map.

Neither precision or updating seemed to be the problem for me with the phone apps. I just could not see my screen as well as the Garmin Montana dudes could when the sun was high even with my screen on full brightness. If I was on my own or not going so fast it wouldn't have mattered, I would have just taken a second to look closer at intersections.

The most annoying things on my 60csx were the tiny screen having to redraw every time you pan the view even a little bit and the way it renders data is akin to an Atari 2600 game from 1979.

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bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

Has anyone tried the wikoloc apps (they have them for the iphone and android systems) which seem to do something like this (or perhaps they only record tracks rather than plotting routes)?

Wikiloc - GPS trails and waypoints of the World

__________________
Dave

............... I've looked at the motionX website and it seems to be an app for iphone/pad etc only - is that right?

Apart from that, am I right to think that the process you use is to load up tracks "pre-recorded" and provided by others rather than plotting your own routes?

__________________
Dave

wikiloc seems great app for route planning and traekking.
Another impressive APP totally free is navfree and navfreeusa apps.
motionx is for apple only so far.

Well, I've dipped my toes into this water via the use of navfree, all as per this rather similar theme of thread:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...t-vs-gps-69975

I've looked at the wikiloc site only briefly, but it appears to deal with storing tracks rather than having the capability of planning routes; there again, what do I know.

__________________
Dave

Nice threat ! And always important for any rider who is planning his trip

I find usefull, hopefully also the other members, if you could post top 3 recomanded applications for navigation for both Android and Apple users.

For me, for sure it will be usefull because I have both Android and Apple, and now I am preparing my trip to South America and I am wandering if I can go there without a dedicated GPS ( Garmin, Tom Tom etc )

Thank you !

I don't know about the Apple side of life, but have a look at the thread below for what I am trialling at present on an android tablet (as far as I know, every bit of software that works on a tablet also works on a phone = it's all android).

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...software-72464

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Dave

5 Tech Products That Will Be Dead in 5 Years

By Techlicious / Micah Singleton @techliciousJan. 02, 2014109 Comments


Blu-ray/DVD players
DOA

Stand-alone in-car GPS units

In a little over six years, over 1.3 billion iPhone and Android smartphones have been sold around the world, and all of those devices have access to mapping software. Combine that with the propagation of in-car GPS systems, and it spells a swift demise for the stand-alone GPS units for vehicle dashboards, which saw widespread success in the early and mid-2000s. Since smartphones started offering GPS capabilities in 2008, sales of stand-alone GPS units for vehicles have seen a 15-20 percent decline per year.

Costing between $75 and $350, standalone GPS units built for vehicles from companies like Garmin and TomTom are already losing their viability (although these companies are still finding success with GPS units for boating and other outdoor activities), and will likely be completely removed from the market in five years. As battery technology allows for more usage time in smartphones and more people move into newer cars with built-in GPS systems, opting for a standalone GPS unit will cease be an option in the near future.

Dial-up Internet
DOA


Low-end digital cameras
In five years, camera companies like Nikon, Canon and Sony will have done away with their low-end camera lines and shifted their focus to the mid- and high-end market, as the low-end market will have been completely subsumed by smartphones.

Car keys
But as quickly as smart keys have come on the scene, smartphones may soon replace them. With apps like OnStar RemoteLink offered by Chevrolet, which allows you to unlock and start a your car with an app, the future of car keys may lie in an app store. Whether we stick with smart keys or move on to something more innovative in five years, you can be sure that the physical car key we have used for the last 70 or so years will be a thing of the past for new cars.

This article was written by Micah Singleton and originally appeared on Techlicious.

Cat B100 is waterproof, heatproof and drop proof | Mail Online


Is this finally an invincible phone? New handset is waterproof, heatproof, drop proof and cancels out noise during phone calls
Cat B100 has been designed to ‘withstand the rigours of the real world’
Its maker claims it can be used under water and dropped from 1.8 metres
The feature phone has large buttons so that it can be used by someone wearing gloves and claims be resistant to dust
Pricing and availability for the rugged handset are yet to be announced
By SARAH GRIFFITHS
PUBLISHED: 13:17 GMT, 6 January 2014 | UPDATED: 19:13 GMT, 6 January 2014
726 shares 104View
commentsThe Cat B100 handset, pictured, has been designed to 'withstand the rigours of the real world'
The Cat B100 handset, pictured, has been designed to 'withstand the rigours of the real world'
Caterpillar is known for its rugged machinery - and now it has rolled out an equally rugged new phone said to be waterproof and drop proof.
The Cat B100 handset has been designed to ‘withstand the rigours of the real world'.
Its makers claim it can survive a 1.8metre drop as well as temperatures as low as -25°C.
It can also be submerged in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes, has a talk-time of up to 10 hours and can be on standby for up to 23 days using a single charge.
The handset has gone on show at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
It was built to be used in noisy environments such as building sites because it has a noise cancelling microphone and a high-quality loudspeaker.
Unlike the latest generation of thin touchscreen smartphones, the Cat handset has large buttons so that people can use it while wearing gloves.
‘The Cat B100 is a practical and tough mobile phone, designed for people who demand ultimate reliability, said Dave Floyd, Co-CEO of Bullitt Mobile, which licenses CAT phones.

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'Its rugged features, long battery life and talk time make the B100 an ideal choice for tough conditions.
Scroll down for video
Cat B100 handset is built to withstand extreme conditions
the handset has a loud speaker
The Cat B100 handset is built to survive a 1.8metre drop and temperatures as low as -25°C as well as being submerged in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes. It is also dust-proof and has a loud speaker and noise cancelling technology built in so it can easily be used in noisy environments
B100 SPECIFICATIONS
Operating system: Proprietary
Battery: 10 hours talk time, 23 days on stand-by
Display: 2.2inches
Memory: 128MB / 64MB
Camera: 3MP with 4x zoom
Dimensions: 12.3cm x 5.6cm x 1.8cm
Weight: 136g
Comes with GPS, FM radio and loudspeaker
‘This is a phone that won’t let you down,’ he added.
The Cat B100 can work in temperatures of between -25°C and 55°C as well as keep out dust.
The handset follows Cat’s B15 model, which is also built to stand knocks, scratches, water and dust, but does not have a physical keyboard.
While the B15 smartphone runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has a 5MP camera, the newer B100 is a feature phone running a proprietary operating system and has a 3MP camera.
The new handset comes with a screen protector and belt clip, as well as a charger and will be available in Europe, yet pricing and availability has yet to be announced.



Read more: Cat B100 is waterproof, heatproof and drop proof | Mail Online
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Chinese Smartphone Insurgents Take Aim at Global Share
By TIERNAN RAY | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR
ZTE, Huawei, and Meizu think Apple and Samsung are vulnerable.

The Consumer Electronics Show, which took place in Las Vegas this past week, is host to a plethora of new-product unveilings, though usually not smartphones; they normally make their splashy debuts at the largest cellular trade show, Mobile World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona next month.

China's phone makers, however, are restless. They are not about to wait another month to storm the West.

Three in particular showed up in Vegas with new wares: Hong Kong–listed ZTE (ticker: 0763.Hong Kong) and employee-owned Huawei, both from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, and privately held Meizu, based in coastal Zhuhai, not far from the gambling resort of Macau.

In meetings with the three companies last week, it became clear to me that they believe the goliaths—Samsung Electronics (005930.Korea) and Apple (AAPL), which together control over 40% of the global market—are vulnerable. After real success in China, the troika believe their time on the global stage has come.

Huawei was No. 3 in smartphone sales globally in 2013's third quarter, behind Apple and Samsung, according to research firm Strategy Analytics. Its 5% market share even topped longtime champ LG, and electronics titan Lenovo (0992.Hong Kong). ZTE trailed in ninth place, while Meizu came down the list, in 24th.

The ranking is less important than the fact that the Chinese firms collectively represent a coming of age of the country's tech effort that poses a growing challenge to current champions. "The wave of Chinese brands emerging is huge," says Strategy Analytics director of research Neil Mawston, involving "literally hundreds" of scrappy manufacturers, including names such as Coolpad and Xiaomi that are unknown to Western consumers. "If you fire off enough shots, eventually one of them will hit the target," says Mawston—that is, take serious global market share.

The perception that Chinese firms are merely copying Apple and Samsung doesn't do justice to their assiduous appropriation of tactics and strategy.

Bag of impressive features? In spades, in the case of Huawei, which announced the second version of its Ascend Mate, a smartphone so big, at 6.1 inches in screen diameter, that it straddles the line between phone and tablet.

Not only does the Mate 2 rival Samsung's flagship Galaxy S4 phone for sleekness, but its laundry list of features goes head to head with Samsung's. Using the phone's front camera, it takes panoramic selfies that can include the entire family. Its battery can go for about two days without a recharge and has enough juice to charge another phone hooked up to it. "The Chinese are doing a phenomenal job of improving features and quality," says Jim McGregor, principal analyst with tech consulting firm Tirias Research, who was at the show.

These flashy features have been propelled by a home-grown chip industry that has raised eyebrows with its achievements. Huawei has its own in-house microprocessor-design firm, called HiSilicon, to make the Mate's chips, emulating Samsung's vertical integration.

The Best GPS Apps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ndroid.OSM.ALL
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...com.sygic.aura
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d..._EASY_CAR_LITE
http://mapswith.me/en/home (no navigation yet but better than downloading google maps)

Getting around has always been the bane of everyone’s life at one point or another. Whether you are on your way to the first day at a new job, exploring your college campus, or just new in town, then getting around could be made a lot easier with the help of GPS.
Apr 28 2014, 12:54am CDT | by Triszia Marie Santos

2 Updates
The Best GPS Apps

Full Story
The Best GPS Apps
Many people have GPS apps on their smartphones for added convenience when we need to find a certain specific something. But with so many GPS apps now available, making a bad decision comes way too often. Here we name the best GPS apps of both Android and Apple.

Best Android GPS Apps:
Sygic GPS Navigation Maps – (My Top Choice) this is the most popular Android GPS navigation app because of its likeness and partnership with Tom-Tom. It speaks street names, measures distance, and even has speed camera warnings. The Sygic GPS Navigation Map has garnered over 30 million downloads and can be available for you (if you have an Android) for free.

GPS Status Toolbox – this GPS is multipurpose; for driving it is able to display acceleration speed as well as position. It has a functionality that quickly shares your location to family or friends in case of an emergency which is a really awesome feature. Also, it is equipped with a magnetic compass for people that like hiking or camping. The GPS Status Toolbox will send you regular map updates and is also free.

GPS Tracking Pro – GPS Tracking Pro displays images on a map that helps you find any specific person and lets you see who is closest to your location. This kind of app would be really handy for parents who want to keep track of their kids.

Google Maps – (Need data,, sucks,, more interested in ads ad tracking you)
Downtime and storage sucks.

Avoid at all cost: It will freeze your sd card ,, otherwise good app,, avoid till the issue solved.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ctor.navigator

Scout by Telenav – this app is known for its simplicity in use. It has the standard Satnav functionalities such as keying in an address and routing, it speaks street names and uses bold colors for the map’s simple navigation.

Waze – also a general GPs app for wither driving or walking. Has voice navigation for directions. This app can also report incidents on the road that you might want to avoid.


Best Apple GPS Apps:
Scout by Telenav – this app is known for its simplicity in use. It has the standard Satnav functionalities such as keying in an address and routing, it speaks street names and uses bold colors for the map’s simple navigation.

Waze – also a general GPs app for wither driving or walking. Has voice navigation for directions. This app can also report incidents on the road that you might want to avoid.

Looks Android has more venue,,the reason I use Android is this very reason,,,, I can do Active X banking,, web surfing ,, Skype,, Kakao ,,Line,, call and text for free from Timbuktoo,,,, larger screens 5 inches or more.. use as a pc ,,more water proof and dust proof offerings. Finally ,, load up with music and listen via bluetooth or speakers ,, both the directions and tunes as you ride long hours.

Cool mountings galore...
https://www.google.co.kr/search?q=sm...cyles&tbm=isch

Water and impact proof mounts from Ram Mounts.
https://www.google.co.kr/search?q=sm...ounts&tbm=isch

Should consider,,,making this thread a sticky and catch up to the changing world.