dualsportmaps.com - Android App

[craftycoder]

UPDATE: 07-14-2011 - Motorcycle GPS Navigation App has been RELEASED and is in the Android Market. It is named "Dual Sport Maps"

Dualsportmaps.com is a website I created for us ADVers to upload and shared good quality, verified, dualsport tracks. It has a ton of nifty features and you can read all about them on the website thread. I post all the updates to the website there so it is a good idea to subscribe if you want to know about changes. Nearly 1000 of you guys are already members of the site so you know the score.

What I want to talk about today is a new project I'm working on. I am working on a mobile platform for the site. My desire for it is to take the place of my Zumo on the bars of my WR². It will be able to search the website for all our tracks and show them on the map. It will be able to store maps and tracks for offline use. It will have routing capabilities, but I do NOT have plans presently to use routes generated in Mapsource. Routes will have to be made on the android device, in the near future at least. Waypoints will be available offline, and photos will be available if you have network access.

All the extensive privacy setting built into the website will still work in the App, so if you upload your private map to the site (TAT or TET as examples) you will be the only person (or any other people you specify) able to see them still.

I will be keeping this thread aware of changes to the app and availability going forward. Changes to the site that by extension affect the app will be posted to thread mentioned above.

So without further ado, here is the first demo video.
**UPDATE** Added another video on 01/20/2012


**UPDATE** Added second video on 07-30-2011


**UPDATE** Added second video on 06-18-2011


**UPDATE** Added third video on 06-22-2011 This is of the remote control prototype

**UPDATE** Added third video on 06-04-2011 This is of the remote control prototype's new knob for bearing, zoom, and volume control

[craftycoder]

Note the scream crossing waypoint (in blue).

[Tijuana_Taxi]

Really excited for this!! Subscribed!

[Mr Head]

Very cool.
One issue I've had with my Droid is that it does not charge while the GPS is on. When I have used it in the car, while on business travel it will kill the battery in about an hour or less.
My way of working around that is turning on the map, finding the next few turns, memorizing them, and shutting the GPS down. Take off to the next big turn/point of confusion with the power plugged in.

[Strega]

Awesome :) Guess I need a Droid phone!

[Yossarian™]

Count me in!

[craftycoder]

That is an easy problem to solve. There are a slew little transformers to can get. I am considering an accessory for this that has an externally (and semi-permanently) mounted GPS antenna/charger/remote that will attach to the left bar so you can control the app with you left hand still on the bars and get superior realtime GPS info while you are riding. Plus, you can then make/buy a weather proof case for your phone and still have full access to the app.

The remote control will be built with something like this with something like this stick it in a case with controls something like this.

[sandalscout]

Originally Posted by Mr Head

One issue I've had with my Droid is that it does not charge while the GPS is on.

I have the same/similar issue, except my drain time is about 3 hours. I believe that my phone is charging, but the GPS draw rate is significantly more than the charge rate, so eventually it just kills the phone.

Regardless, I can't wait to see how this goes!

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by sandalscout

I have the same/similar issue, except my drain time is about 3 hours. I believe that my phone is charging, but the GPS draw rate is significantly more than the charge rate, so eventually it just kills the phone.

That is sort of exciting news to me. I didn't think I could convince myself to learn embedded programming and GPS design but if the phone can't stay charged with .5A coming with the GPS antenna running then I may have to. The first thing I'll do though is shut off the microwave triangulation stuff and see what the power draw is like. You can do this as well just by putting the phone in Airplane mode. At least where I ride I don't have any cell coverage anyway. My apps solution (if I can find one) will be more convenient than that.

[Thanantos]

Well Crafty after playing with your app a bit, and downloading a few others to see how the GPS development is coming along for Android I've realized that you nailed it here. There is no other app out there that fits motorcycling (and not just dual sport) so well and does so much.

I'm also impressed with the maturity of the app. Very few bugs (and none were show-stoppers) for such a new app.

That being said, on my Samsung Epic things get wonky when I slide the keyboard out or in. Sliding keyboard out resets settings of screen rotation and monitoring (I had it set for "no rotation" and had turned logging of the GPX tracks off) and sliding in momentarily throws the track WAY off to the south. Far off the screen.

Also, I'm a little confused about getting my tracks from the phone to DSM.com. Is there a mechanism to upload from the app which ones you want to or is it all or nothing?

Also, would it be possible to use google maps tiles instead? The OSM's are good, but they seem to be a little light on street names. I sometimes have to scroll WAY off the screen or way in or out to determine the name of an intersecting street.

As far as pure features goes we discussed the volume thing, but after reflecting that might be impossible with all the different phones out there, IDK. I do know that there should be a headphone jack plugin in your remote. Nothing wose than putting on all your stuff only to realize you left your keys in the lock to your topbox and your headphone cord is too short to reach.

I also would prefer an on screen button to begin and end recording of tracks, but that's just me.

All of this is minor. It's a great app and website. Thanks for building it.

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by Thanantos

That being said, on my Samsung Epic things get wonky when I slide the keyboard out or in. Sliding keyboard out resets settings of screen rotation and monitoring (I had it set for "no rotation" and had turned logging of the GPX tracks off) and sliding in momentarily throws the track WAY off to the south. Far off the screen.

This is because I don't have a slide out keyboard device and as such I failed to account for this. I sent you a custom version to test for me. Once we get it fixed I'll post a update for all users.

Originally Posted by Thanantos

Also, I'm a little confused about getting my tracks from the phone to DSM.com. Is there a mechanism to upload from the app which ones you want to or is it all or nothing?

There is no direct mechanism to upload tracks to the site currently. It is not trivial to do but is on the list of features to include. I'll get there for sure.

You can display a saved track log by clicking the Menu button, then "More", then "GPX Files" It will display a list to choose. The chosen file will then be saved like any other map you downloaded from the site and available for display and search.

Originally Posted by Thanantos

Also, would it be possible to use google maps tiles instead? The OSM's are good, but they seem to be a little light on street names. I sometimes have to scroll WAY off the screen or way in or out to determine the name of an intersecting street.

From the map screen, click the Menu button, then click "Layers", "Map source...". You have a wide variety of base maps to choose from.

Originally Posted by Thanantos

As far as pure features goes we discussed the volume thing, but after reflecting that might be impossible with all the different phones out there, IDK. I do know that there should be a headphone jack plugin in your remote. Nothing wose than putting on all your stuff only to realize you left your keys in the lock to your topbox and your headphone cord is too short to reach.

I also would prefer an on screen button to begin and end recording of tracks, but that's just me.

All of this is minor. It's a great app and website. Thanks for building it.

The automatic volume increase with speed feature we discussed will have some user settings associated with it. The user will be able to set the volume at speed and the volume at a stop. Having an audio jack on the remote sees a little like over kill to me. I absolutely agree that something need be done, but how about a little male to female audio extension cord that hangs out the back of the box? Seems like the simplest and cheapest solution and one anyone can do without sending me a bunch of dough for some fancy gadget they may not otherwise want. I could certainly add lots of extra stuff to the remote but anything more will require custom cables which will be expensive to manufacture.

[Thanantos]

Originally Posted by craftycoder

This is because I don't have a slide out keyboard device and as such I failed to account for this. I sent you a custom version to test for me. Once we get it fixed I'll post a update for all users.

Got your email. I will try it and report back.

Originally Posted by craftycoder

From the map screen, click the Menu button, then click "Layers", "Map source...". You have a wide variety of base maps to choose from.

These are NOT available offline however though...correct?

Originally Posted by craftycoder

The automatic volume increase with speed feature we discussed will have some user settings associated with it. The user will be able to set the volume at speed and the volume at a stop. Having an audio jack on the remote sees a little like over kill to me. I absolutely agree that something need be done, but how about a little male to female audio extension cord that hangs out the back of the box? Seems like the simplest and cheapest solution and one anyone can do without sending me a bunch of dough for some fancy gadget they may not otherwise want. I could certainly add lots of extra stuff to the remote but anything more will require custom cables which will be expensive to manufacture.

Good point that I had not considered. From this consumers perspective, that box coming in at a low price is going to be key, and if you start adding niceties you can open a pandora's box of shit not everyone else needs.

Again, good work so far. It really is nicely done.

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by Thanantos

These are NOT available offline however though...correct?

There are tools for caching the tiles underneath your tracks. So you can have access to map tiles offline to supplement the Vector maps from OpenStreetMap.org
Watch the videos.

[Thanantos]

Originally Posted by craftycoder

I sent you a custom version to test for me. Once we get it fixed I'll post a update for all users.

This fixed it for me with a little bit of testing I did, but I will put it through it's paces tomorrow to be sure.

[SteveO]

Originally Posted by heetseeker

It's going to take some convincing but I may have to sell my Garmin zumo 550 and upgrade my Droid...I can't believe you went to all of the effort to do this. Thank You!!!

Diddo. I have a Garmin Oregon, that I'm considering selling. I just got an Otterbox case for my Droidx2, which should provide plenty of protection as it functions as a GPS device on my dirt-bike.