Navigation

[Markimus]

Having voice options would be great sometimes the default woman tone can get old. But I do love the nav feature and the fact that it is free and has voice search makes it all the better. Android FTW!

 

[trmoney24]

If you press MENU>>>ROUTE INFO, then select the button/icon with two arrows, it will provide you at least two other possible routes that you can use.

but that's my point. the first set of directions google maps returns should be the most efficient one. i shouldn't have to check the alternate routes to see if there is a better one. i went ahead and tried your advice and it gave some local routes instead, which are good if there is traffic, but not the best way on a normal day.

 

[trmoney24]

Agree that having this free app is amazing. Does anyone have any idea on what the Google development schedule is? I know it's in beta, so there are some unfinished aspects to this app. The things I love are:

Automatic rerouting
Satellite, street and traffic views
Layers feature
History of requested directions
Never having to pay for updated maps
Good voice for giving directions
Ability to get directions by voice

FWIW, here are some things I hope Google improves:

Storing favorites - right now I use Nav Launcher, but this function should be part of the Nav app
Should be able to get directions repeated
Should be able to set up default views with layers that apply to all requested directions
Should be able to search for more items than just banks, gas stations and restaurants (for example, police and fire stations, grocery stores, libraries, entertainment venues)
Should be able to designate a different starting point for a trip other than current location
Should be able to designate a route with multiple stops
Would be nice to have a choice of voices

as for favorites, you can STAR an item just like you can in gmail. then you can view your starred items in 1 list.
When you search for something on the map, click on the result where it shows you details. On the top right you will see th star image. click on that and that location is starred.

to view your starred items, from the main maps, hit menu, more, starred items. its basically like favorites.

and an awesome thing about this, you can go to maps.google.com on a computer and if you are logged in, you can see these starred locations. you can even remove and add starred items from there and see the changes on your phone. a lot of times if someone sends me an address at work, i'll check it out on a computer and then star it so its ready to be navigated to on my phone.

 

[davidnc]

have you guys noticed if it takes traffic into account while driving? one time i was heading somewhere within downtown atlanta and traffic was horrible on the interstate, yet it told me to stay on there, even thought it was red/black. Then i hit detour, it showed me a local route option. i took that and was there in no time. just confused why it didn't tell me to do that in the first place. when i typed in my destination, the traffic was already bad at the moment.

also other times when i am on a long distance trip, if get close to a traffic jam caused by an accident, the navigation doesn't re-route me automatically. i have to do it manually like up above. i thought it would take traffic into consideration the whole time and keep me on track by re-routing automatically.

3rd thing i don't like is that google maps directions aren't always the best or most efficient. this goes for even the online directions. check out these directions here. If you are not familiar with the atlanta area, you can still look at it and see that 2 things don't make sense. For the start of the directions, not sure why it tells you to take a local road to get to the main interstate when you go right over another one that is connected to it! Its much quicker to get on 285 to 75.
Then near the destination, if tells you to get off the interstate pretty early, but if you look at the local road it suggests, you literally cross right over the interstate again. Why not tell you to exit off the last point. Living here I know these are longer directions, but if you are a tourist, you would just go by what it says and reach your destination in a longer time period than it should take.

But i agree that the UI, usability, and the fact that is is free, you can't beat it. but a few small things on the directions gives me a hard time.

I fixed it lol , so thats the way you would go .
well I thought I changed it(removed link) but it didnt ,I have not used it much because of battery running down quicker with it on but I liked it, and free . I would use if I really needed it though.

 

[nightmare]

My g/f just picked up a D-inc yesterday, and it doesn't have the Google navigation that my phone has (Evo). Did VZW decide to hide this app?

Any way I could possibly extract the .apk file for navigation and drop it onto her phone to use?

 

[sloan31]

My g/f just picked up a D-inc yesterday, and it doesn't have the Google navigation that my phone has (Evo). Did VZW decide to hide this app?

Any way I could possibly extract the .apk file for navigation and drop it onto her phone to use?

Definitely not hidden. It was on my dinc when I purchased it.

 

[PvilleComp]

Look in the program drawer under Navigation with the blue Arrow/Direction Icon.

Hope this helps.

 

[Fahrenheit]

Google Navigation is the shizzy...until you get in an area with no signal (like in the rugged mountains here in Colorado). You can't proactively download maps, so if you've got a low or no signal, good luck with paper maps.

Anyone know a sick navigation app that lets you download US maps? I have friends that use Navigon on the iPhone, but their Android app isn't done yet.

 

[nightmare]

Definitely not hidden. It was on my dinc when I purchased it.

I searched high and low on the phone today and found nothing. The phone was delivered on 8/2, so could it be that later iterations of the Dinc's aren't getting that app loaded onto them?

Look in the program drawer under Navigation with the blue Arrow/Direction Icon.

Hope this helps.

Already looked there, no Navigation icon in sight.

FYI, I've tried all the logical places first before posting.

 

[PvilleComp]

I searched high and low on the phone today and found nothing. The phone was delivered on 8/2, so could it be that later iterations of the Dinc's aren't getting that app loaded onto them?



Already looked there, no Navigation icon in sight.

FYI, I've tried all the logical places first before posting.

That's bizarre. Nav is a standard Android Feature. It?s not device dependent. I?d take it to a Corporate VZW store and see if a tech can re-flash it.

 

[volcom.airsoft]

Is their any other turn by turn nav apps that are available..

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

Yeah, VZ Navigator.

 

[davidnc]

Is their any other turn by turn nav apps that are available..

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

As mentioned another is VZ navigator but it cost about 10 dollars a month .I dont think its any better then the free google navigator , but then again they might let you try vz navigator free for a month .

 

[nightmare]

That's bizarre. Nav is a standard Android Feature. It?s not device dependent. I?d take it to a Corporate VZW store and see if a tech can re-flash it.

I just figured this was VZW's way of making you pay for VZ Navigator instead of using the free provided service. I'll pass the info on to her.

 

[rpfarrah]

I just figured this was VZW's way of making you pay for VZ Navigator instead of using the free provided service. I'll pass the info on to her.

IIRC, Navigator installs with Google Maps. Make sure you have the latest version installed (you may have to re-install if you do already) and then after the install you should see it in the app drawer.

 

[KB3MMX]

I searched high and low on the phone today and found nothing. The phone was delivered on 8/2, so could it be that later iterations of the Dinc's aren't getting that app loaded onto them?



Already looked there, no Navigation icon in sight.

FYI, I've tried all the logical places first before posting.

You have to use Google Maps and select navigation using the menu the first time you run it.

**Once you ran navigation and turn the phone off, the next time you power it up, a app with a blue arrow(Direct Navigation) will appear that you can add to your desktop if you wish.

 

[KB3MMX]

I just figured this was VZW's way of making you pay for VZ Navigator instead of using the free provided service. I'll pass the info on to her.

Negative sir, see post above

 

[nightmare]

You have to use Google Maps and select navigation using the menu the first time you run it.

**Once you ran navigation and turn the phone off, the next time you power it up, a app with a blue arrow(Direct Navigation) will appear that you can add to your desktop if you wish.

Very cool, I will try that and see if it works.

 

[prakash99]

I just switched to Android after using BlackBerry Storm for a few years. Right now I am temporarily using LG Ally until Samsung Fascinate is launched.
I used Telenav with BlackBerry Storm and I liked it UI.
I have used Google Nav just once as a test run and the direction it gave me when I reached my destination was wrong. I was going to a local Barnes & Noble which was to my left while Google Nav directed me to go all the way to the intersection and turn right. I hope it will be more accurate in future.
I like the layers and street view/sat view options. I wish there were more options besides just "avoid highways" and "avoid tolls" - like "shortest" or "fastest".
The best part is it is all FREE.