Hardware: one of the big things that lets an Android smartphone down is mounting it to the bike, and you can understand why. Why? Because the market is small and the cost of tooling up for the huge and rapidly changing range of phones is massive. Look at the range of designs, all different sizes, thicknesses, with buttons and sockets in all different places. This is why decent, ruggedized cases and mounts are rare, and we're left to bodge together something from a soft bag, or roughly sized box, with a flexible, badly reflective over-screen, probably designed for city-centre cyclists rather than desert-riding bikers.

So even if Casio, or Samsung or whoever come up with a suitably rugged phone (which by the way you'll probably pay several hundred pounds/dollars for as the market is so small cellphone companies won't subsidise the cost) you still have to attach it to your bike. And you have to know it will stay there, with power running into it, rain or shine, day in day out.

Don't get me wrong, I'm an Android smartphone fan, I love their versatility, the wealth of constantly evolving software, the fact that I can have one device to do all things, reasonably well, and that I don't have to pay several hundred pounds for a dedicated device the benefits of which I may only rarely see.

But, as a serious tool for the serious adventurer, it think they have a way to go, and I think until someone designs a decent, waterproof, secure, easy to use mounting system, they will always be second best.

Maybe Garmin should make smartphones?

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I used to have a lot of faith in the Casio brand back in the days when electronic calculators cost a weeks' wages and their watches were certainly tough and more or less scratch proof on the face.
But I can't say I have bought their products for a long time, so it caught my eye to see them involved in the smartphone business.

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Dave

I ,, totally agree with you ,, for us adventurers ,,, also when I go sailing , what a hassel to put the phone in and out of the waterproof bag,,,

You know what,, I will call friends at Sam Sung ,, next week ,, and throw the idea around ,,

Garmin make smart phones?
I wish them bon chance ,,

Transfer of technology my friend ,, same way US lost the shoe industry of 1900s ,, shipping industry of UK ,, Nordic countries ,, to S,Korea soon to China ,, then to Africa ,,,,Cost vs hunger ,, vs ambition as a nation,,,
Sony et al ,, now days rarely made in Japan ,, gone to Thailand ,, China,, Malaysia ,,,
Never touch Japanese stuff any more ,, used to worship their product ,,
Even now ,, that Casio phone uses BING no Goolgle Maps ,, oh dear ,,,

Still ,, for scenery and people I go to Japan,,
For food I go to France and Italy ,,
For conversation and civility ,,I go to UK ,, then to my favourite ,, Scotland ,, Edinburgh and St.Adrews,, Like Leeds ,, too, Wuthering Heights,, and that 3 inch steaks,, I used to be a Chelsea whore in 80s,, off the Kings Road.
For fashion and good times I go to New York ,
For boating to Monaco ,,
For massage I go to Thailand ,,
China , been there 10 times ,, enough,,,
Cambodia,,Laos ,, Vietnam, once is enough ,, India ,, been there dozen times ,, will go again ,,
Egypt ,, three times enough ,, Jordan to Saudi Arabia ,, 3 - 4 times ,, had enough ,,
Libiya , in 80s ,, no Berbers there any more ,, bunch of Arab schmucks ,,,
Turkey far far better ,, Morocco ,, nice also
South of Sahara,, Gabon,,Ghana ,, Sierra Leon OK,,once is enough,,, rest ,, no thank you ,, Kenya, in 80s wonderful ,, two years ago ganz schitzel ,,
Times change and so do the people ,,
Casio was OK ,, 40 years ago when we were students,, better looking than Timex ,,,
Let's move on ,, let's look for that , awesome Android ,, Space Odyssey kind of Android phone ,,
Arthur C. Clarke , used to stay at his house in Unawatuna ,, dated his daughter ,, what an honour ,, what a nice man ,
We had tea and banana chips ,,, on the beach ,, so so long ago ,,
Chandra Soma,, Hector ,,,,,,, even played village doctor,, amazing times ,,,
Unawatuna ..... no more.

If the bag were well designed, and the attachment secure it wouldn't be a problem. Sadly it's not.

While you're there can you get then to throw me a Galaxy Note, to replace my battered Galaxy S, for evaluation purposes of course

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Wait till S3 comes out Alex ,,,,
It makes more sense ,, same and more function than the Note, but smaller. It will fit in your shirt pocket. The case can be replaced very easily,, if it's the exterior.

Apple going Galaxy ,,
Rumor: New iPhone to Have Larger 4.6-Inch Retina Display | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Americana ,,,
A Thousand Dildos For The Military Wives | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

SeoulJoe, if your friends at Samsung can design a phone with a 4 inch display, thats vibration, dust and rain proof and can put decent GPS software in it, then I am sure people will begin to consider it.

Somehow you also want a software interface that can read Garmin map files ... because thats the format all the maps are in. You might be able to get away with google maps, but you will want to be able to download all the maps at all the resolutions for the areas you want to travel across and save them onto your SD card ... because data charges outside of home country. when using google maps, is very high.

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Time for me to admit; I have no idea what alternatives exist for the software!

Reading somewhere else, is there something on the market to do with microsoft that works inside these smart gadgets - smartphones in particular but tablets also.
And Linux: I am aware of its' existence. Is that software anything to do with this thread?

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Dave

Why would you want Garmin map capability for RTW? Their content is very limited and I doubt if they'll ever catch up. I wouldn't be surprised if they throw in the towel by ditching their own platform like Archos and go with Android in future. They've already tested the waters with their phone, but noting to serious.

I would prefer Oziexplorer capability, which already has a beta android app out. Androzic allows for existing commercially available maps like Hema maps in Oziexplorer format to be viewed which is brilliant for Aussie outback trips. Those maps tend to be the most detailed.

The ability to us any topo map is much more appealing to me. Gives the out of work cartographers something to do as well. There are already plenty of apps with OSM and Mapquest maps which allow zooming to increase detail.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Cause 3rd party providers like OSM that are free and have the BEST coverage of the non developed world are garmin compatible.

Its like microsoft and PCs ... its not about being the best, its about having the universal format.

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So, back with the hardware, Garmin do have a phone and it is using Android:-
Garminfone - Specifications ~ Garmin-Asus
Is this the one that is "nothing serious"?

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Dave

Continuing my own research I find that there have been a load of operating systems, but I guess they have been beaten into a pulp by Apple and Android based on this article from "not all that long ago" - but it is probably an age in terms of smartphones.
HowStuffWorks "Smartphone Operating Systems"

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Dave

You got me looking for more about this aspect:- Garmin Smartphone Link Helps Android Users Provide Live Services to Their Garmin Nuvi Devices

Two aspects struck me about this:
1. Garmin seem to be selling additional services that can be obtained for free via a smartphone in any case.
2. You end up "owning" two screens which sort of ties in with earlier comments in here, if you happen to own a Garmin anyway, and all as per the title of this thread - what goes around, comes around!!

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Dave

The biggest negative for me would be - lose one, lose all.
Not yet seen a robust smartphone/PDA either and most of them don't seem to that good at being... a phone.

John

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Nostradamus Ate My Hamster

Fair enough. Not sure if the Garmin platform is a good base though. I thought it was closed source. Looking around the traps a little bit it seems that the oziexplorer format is very popular for the ability to georeference. This is obviously not for the same target market as zoomable mapping like OSM.

Interesting development, but I can't help but think it's half-hearted as was their phone attempt in partnership with Asus. A colleague had one and it was rubbish.

It's understandable to not want to make a complete shift in software platform when you consider this company as a workplace. Not easy to say to long term staff that designed and developed the base software to either move into Android/linux platforms under the supervision or guidance from newly recruited staff with those skills or face retrenching. But they could end up missing the boat like Nokia.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com