Help The OFFICIAL Google Navigation Thread

[BiGMERF]

While Google Maps Navigation is in Beta and there is no "avoid highways" option, which I must have, is there an app i can download that is a GPS system that has route avoidance? I'd really prefer to do that rather than by a stand-alone. I love the Droid and really want to get one.

Right now I have an iphone and use AT&T Navigation, which is fine. It is unrealiable only in the sense that AT&T coverage is spotty in some areas so you lose your connection to the web and then the navigation system starts to lag way behind you on the route. But while connected, it is much like Verizon's VZ Navigation, which was made by the same mfg but actually a bit better.

Can't get VZ Navigator on Droid. Is there another GPS ap that has route avoidance features like avoid highways?

if you have an iphone, i recommend motionx gps drive.. look for it. you will save money and be extremely happy

 

[meandmydroid]

Sorry if I'm missing something, but I know you can do the (above mentioned) manual steps to get to the street view...but is there a way (or maybe it's coming out in the real version once released) to set it up to have it automatically switch to street view without you having to click on something on the screen when getting close to your destination? I've looked everywhere, but don't see anything to get it to do that?

 

[ScottAllyn]

Google Navigation is soooo frustrating. Almost half of the addresses that I try to navigate to here in Tampa, FL are incorrect. They're close, but not quite right - usually 2 to 4 blocks off which can result in a lot of frustration when the destinations are high traffic areas or consist of a maze of roads.

A few examples are:

6101 johns rd., tampa fl 33634 (bing) - The address is actually in one of the building to the south of the grove of trees that Google Nav would have you drive into.

13020 Telecom Parkway N., temple terrace, fl 33637 (bing) - Another grove of trees. This is the address for the Florida Orthopedic Institute, which you can see a a bit further south on the map. Google Nav actually instructs you to drive fairly close to the correct destination and then make a u-turn and drive another 100+ yards in the wrong direction before finally turning right into a big oak tree.

2816 W. Virginia Ave., tampa, fl 33607 (bing) - See the "Newman Thomas MD" marker to the southwest of the marker for this address? That's the actual location of this address. When you reach the intersection that Google Maps drops the marker on, Nav tells you to head East approximately 100 yards and then shows you a lovely street view image of a tree.

I've reported these incorrect addresses to Google, so it'll be interesting to see how long it takes for them to be fixed, if they get fixed at all. In the mean time, I end up having to use Mobile Navigator on my iPhone to navigate around town while my Nexus sits neglected on my center console.

 

[rjoudrey]

I too live in Tampa and have not found this many errors yet. Being unemployed I don't use as much as I would like to so I can't verity your claims on another unit (Droid).

 

[ScottAllyn]

I added links to Google Maps and Bing Maps for the address examples that I gave in my last post. Bing actually gets two of them correct, but sometimes fails on the Telecom Pkwy address.

 

[inssane]

How about a dimmer on the display so you can use it in the car at night and not be blinded by your own Droid. Turn down your high beams!

D.

Use the dimmer widget.

 

[inssane]

Sorry if I'm missing something, but I know you can do the (above mentioned) manual steps to get to the street view...but is there a way (or maybe it's coming out in the real version once released) to set it up to have it automatically switch to street view without you having to click on something on the screen when getting close to your destination? I've looked everywhere, but don't see anything to get it to do that?

Once you "arrive" it should show a static street view of the building or address.
Does for me.

 

[inssane]

What do you mean "shut down?" It won't be able to reroute you if you turn off the path since the phone can't use data and make a call at the same time. You can continue using it while on the call though since Google Nav caches the maps, voice and path.

Yes and no - I have taken a call, ended the call and gone back to navigation, and it brings me to the beginning with no address entered. Since there is no history, the address must be entered again.
I have also had it get back into my route like it should - no dependence on the length of the call, it's hit or miss.

 

[quadzilla]

Really tired of these stupid posts.

If you are going to say something like "Navigation is Horrible"...preface it with.."MY"...cause the Navigation on this phone is stellar.

I've used it about 30 times since I got it, and it works flawlessly. Just as good as my Garmin.

It is YOUR opinion that the Nav sucks, because you probably don't know what you're doing, or how to fix it. Or..you got a phone that may have an issue with it. Which is rare, not common.

Late to this thread, but I'll have to disagree.

I have used both a Garmin Street Pilot III and a Garmin Nuvi 680 for the last 5+ years on a daily basis. I'm in sales and I drive roughly 50k miles per year within Michigan, often returning to familiar places every couple of weeks. I don't need to 'find' the places after going a few times, but I use the Garmins to keep me on my ETA for appointments and to also guide me if my plans get disrupted to new places.

Google Nav/Maps (I won't blame it on the Droid) is woefully inept when it comes to routing and (predictably) the associated calculated arrival times for me. I actually prefer the user interface on the Droid with the exception of missing 'dashboard' numbers that I'm used to seeing. The satellite maps, ground-level images and animation are superior to even my expensive Garmin - but they are not enough without proper calculations.

If I had to guess, Maps/Nav seems to rank travel speeds based on if a road is a US Highway verus a State Highway versus a rural/local road. It often seems to think that a 2-lane US Highway route is just as fast as a limited access freeway, but then discounts the speed you can make on a nearly identical State road as being slower yet. I don't know how Garmin did it, but it would calculate within a couple minutes on a 150 mile trip even though I was often doing 10 mph over the limit the entire way. It seems to use some kind of real-life speed algorithm that makes that possible.

I had big plans to replace my Phone/Ipod/GPS with the Droid, but with the Google Nav app its just not up to the task (yet). It has potential and I'm sure that Google will figure some of this out as they get a much broader user base.

 

[johnlgalt]

You might want to keep testing the Google Nav feature for the next several months.

The reason I say this is that in my neighborhood, it had loads of settings incorrect - misnamed roads, house number placement incorrectly placed throughout the entire neighborhood, etc. I reported all of the problems I found in my neighborhood, and it took them damn near 2 months, but all of a sudden, the other day coming home I got the exact, correct directions to my house, down to the time it would take me to get there, and I, too, routinely travel 9 miles over the speed limit ('99 Altima, not 100% trusting of my speedometer).

Once they get a lot of the data wrinkles out, I am positive they are going back and sprucing up the Navigation feature - and it should only get better and better in hte next several months.

 

[gthrift]

It looks like the newest Nexus One update ads night mode to Google Maps. So hopefully we'll be getting night mode on the Droid with the 2.1 update or a Map update in the market soon.

 

[global2]

Just completed a 10-hour trip using Google's new Navigation that I downloaded to my Droid Wednesday night before I left (ver 4210). A big step for me as I have traveled with a Magellan Roadmate for over three years. Maggie and I logged thousands of miles for business and high school sports. She detoured me around traffic, got me to obscure hockey rinks and -- bonus -- proved my husband wrong a time or two. But he and I were going opposite directions at the same time, so I volunteered to let him have the Magellan and I would test my Droid's GPS and Google.
I traveled through three states, urban, suburban, rural and marine (ferry from Connecticut to Long Island), and never lost a signal. Worked without a glitch both ways (5 hours each way).
Here's my comparisons (not in a car dock - see pix and explanation below):
voice quality - about the same
screen quality - Droid crisper; better contrast.
Features - I missed the estimated arrival time that is a feature of Magellan. I like the turn info on Navigation. Two turns on screen let's you plan ahead. Big battery hog - I started with a 100 percent battery, had it plugged in to my accessory socket, and it still drained some battery.
Phone rings through and takes precedence over Navigation. Not sure if that is good or bad.
Just like Magellan, you get a 2 mile and 1/2 mile warning of an upcoming turn. Magellan warns you to stay the course as you pass major interchanges - Navigation does not.
My Droid wears an sapphire blue Seido Innocase. Can't afford the Seido car dock yet. So-o-o-o, I took the useless car dock they sold me at Verizon, and turned the holder to a vertical position, then strapped my Droid to that with rubber bands (see photo). Top of the line Droid held up with rubber bands!! Classy, huh? (and no, I don't keep my Christmas lights up all year). Obviously, the magnet doesn't engage as it doesn't line up, so I just clicked the car home widget before I started. Worked for the entire roundtrip! Didn't slip, and I moved the rubber bands around so as not to interfere with the important onscreen sections of the Navigation.
So - bottom line - I feel more than comfortable running with the Droid and letting Maggie stay with my husband.