Re: iPad anyone?

On May 1, 11:49 pm, Nathan Perry <npe...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article <hriqfa02...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
 H.B. Elkins <hbelk...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Sat, 01 May 2010 11:11:41 -0400, Nathan Perry wrote:

However, if your interest is GPS *performance*, I think you'll find it
critical to avail yourself of one of the various offline GPS apps that
will doubtless appear for the iPad, as they are now on the iPhone. These
have pre-loaded maps like a standalone GPS and do not depend on any kind
of signal just to display the map.

I haven't looked into the GPS apps, but I will. Just about everything that's
available for the iPhone will (supposedly) run on the iPad, but it will
appear
in the small-screen format until it's rewritten to take advantage of the
iPad's
bigger screen.

That will take time, probably. The GPS program I use for iPhone is G-Map
(in three apps covering US west, US east and Canada, but you can get
them bundled together now.) I use that one because it was the first and
pretty much only choice at the time, and I got in when the prices were
low. It's still probably one of your cheaper options, though MapQuest
has a free one (not offline maps, though).



These apps won't be as pretty as Google Maps, granted, but I find Google
Maps can't always keep up in real time navigation as far as reliably
pulling data when you really need it! Maybe the iPad improves on this
actually...I'd be interested to know.

I've tried tracking with my new 3GS on Google Maps and it seems to work
reasonably well. My big beef with the iPhone is that it won't multi-task
(maybe
that will be corrected in the 4.0 software). And my big beef with Google Maps
is
that it doesn't show county lines, which is an inconvenience when you are
trying
to verify that you have entered a new county for mob-rule.com county tracking
purposes, but there is no signage.

I have read that 4.0 will address the multi-tasking, so that's good.
Agreed with the county lines, but then most GPS units don't show those
either. I use an app for USGS topo maps (actually, it's called "Topo
Maps" and you could use that, even though the process is more involved.
Also, the above-mentioned free MapQuest app shows county lines.

My problems with Google Maps connectivity have always seemed to happen
at critical moments, like when you're approaching a complex interchange.
All of a sudden it will become unable to load any map data, and then
once you pass the problem area it snaps right back into action, of
course.

" I have read that 4.0 will address the multi-tasking,"

The problem with Apple is that it's trying to maintain proprietary
control of it's application environment while GOGGLE and allied are
striving for a more open environment.

Apple is going to lose. It may take a while but their approach is as
doomed to fail as Microsoft's approach.

As long as GOGGLE stays the course, eventually there are going to be
apps that work on a wide variety of devices including in 3G map
environments which if you think about it should not require constant
connectivity anyhow in order to navigate as virtually all of the
current GPS units operate predominately not connected (except for
perhaps traffic services but even then.. should not require "always
on" connectivity.

The reason I use GOGGLE in the car via 3G is the FUNCTIONALITY of it's
mapping ...especially the ability to "drag" a route and/or compare the
distance/time between two routes rather than go through the DASH GPS
unit to do this because it is so clunky and hard to do these things.

I like the form-factor for the IPAD... with a proper mounting system,
it could provide a much larger screen for GPS... but what do you think
the chances are that GOGGLE would be able to migrate it's MAP
functionality to that platform?

Will GOGGLE follow up their open phone initiative with an OPEN IPAD of
their own?

I predict that if they do.. the IPAD will become more of a niche
product - that in my mind it should be if it is not going to be an
open platform and instead a guarded proprietary one.

I give APPLE much credit for their innovation but their business model
is doomed to fail...
.

Relevant Pages

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