dualsportmaps.com - Android App

[HighTechCoonass]

Update the basic information update please! (my head is spinning from the read!)

If a Advrider has a Android phone...
1. Get the Android phone device...
2. I loads the app.
3. The unit connects to a cell tower and pulls map data, Advrided Route data and builds a display on his (or her) phone. (correct?)
4. If a rider does not have a "data cell phone plan - or limited data plan 200 meg a month" but has a GPS antenna the phone.

Can this app on my HTC phone replace a GPS that has topo map built in?
The GPS has......
a. no data plan required....
b. no cell phone connection required...

Thanks for the info!!!

[craftycoder]

In short though, the app turns your Android handset into a fully functional off-road ready navigation device with access to basemaps of the entire globe and dual sport tracks from dualsportmaps.com

The app would work perfectly fine if it was on a WIFI only device. You will need some way to get on the Internet, but it is not at all necessary on the trail. There is a user who runs this on the Nook Color which has neither a data plan or a GPS. He is using an external bluetooth GPS unit to drive data into the Nook.

Having no information about what your specific HTC device can or cannot do I will not comment on it.

I have no interest in attempting to sell you on the idea of using the app. If whatever you are doing is working for you than stick with it. If you have a particular problem, you can post that up and I can tell you how this might help.

I use the app to replace my Garmin Zumo 550 which just cannot display a track to save it's life and when City Navigator routed me down a dead end I didn't have easy access to different base maps see where the hell I am. Another user replaced his new Garmin Montana which was buggy and had crappy map options for Baja Mexico where he likes to ride. It cost about 25 times more than the app. I wish he had found the app first and saved his money...

[abhibeckert]

Originally Posted by HighTechCoonass

3. The unit connects to a cell tower and pulls map data, Advrided Route data and builds a display on his (or her) phone. (correct?)

Incorrect. If you've got a connection it'll do all those things and more with it, but if you're offline then almost everything will function just fine.

Whether or not your HTC phone is a good choice is mostly determined by:

* what GPS hardware it has
* how good the screen is
* how well built it is
* how good is the battery (unless you've got some way to keep it charged)
* what version of the android OS it's running

As long as you can connect your device *at home* to download maps before going on a ride, you'll be fine. Could grab a cheap secondhand phone of eBay if you wanted, and never even connect it to the network.

Battery life will probably be much improved if the cell connection is turned off too.

[HighTechCoonass]

I have a new HTC Inspire with a 200 meg a month data plan (i use the wi-fi for email updates).... and my daughter just took my Nuvi 200W to college with her.... I need another GPS looking for options. Thinking of a Nuvi 3490 (GPS with 3D topo view)....

My method of travel when out in the Southwest .... I use Bechmark topo books and the Nuvi 200W GPS for "where am I" and some on the spot routing (never pre-route).

My next big trip is the 4 corners region.... Utah , Colorado, Arizona, New mexico. Can I preload maps for 4 state area? and use it as a GPS (no data plan usage)

Android "off-line GPS mapping".... is I think is the internet term.


Thanks for the info!!!!

[craftycoder]

You can download maps and tracks of those states from home over WIFI and then hit the trail.

Dualsportmaps.com has at least 2000 tracks in the four corner states so you should be well covered in that regard.

[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.

[craftycoder]

I got the UTM grid setup on the app this evening. It will be available with the next update.

[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.

[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!!!

[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.

[craftycoder]

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!!!

You have the same crappy GPS I do then. It's really great if you stay on the highway, but it's sucks off road.

[craftycoder]

Two new features will be in the next build. The first will be a UTM Grid layer which I mentioned yesterday. The second will be Automatic Volume Control. The current design adjusts the volume to the settings selected when you pass through 30 MPH. I have not tested it thoroughly, but I will release it anyway. Feedback is accepted and appreciated. Thanantos gave me the idea and I appreciate it. Thank you.

I will actually release a new build when Thanantos lets me know if the issue he discovered with the sliding keyboard is closed or tomorrow morning, whichever comes first.