Using Satnav

[scaredeycat]

HERE maps is great - and free. It's powered by what once was Nokia Maps (NAVTEQ), and allows you to download maps for entire countries for offline use. Basic (address) search and routing/rerouting works offline too. Recently used it for turn-by-turn directions on a trip to Hawaii, and couldn't fault it.

Another vote for HERE maps. Standard issue on Windows phones (I have a Lumia 1020, which is awesome). Download maps for free over wifi - I have all of Australia, most of the UK and large parts of Europe - and it works offline, just like that. Doesn't chew through data allowances. Contains lots of useful information (like local restaurants).
It also works in flight - with the phone in flight mode. I've been able to watch the territory below in much greater detail than the map provided by the inflight entertainment system. Doesn't send data so it must be safe.
Can't imagine ever paying for sat nav again.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I think that may be the case with good smart phones. But the GPS in my budget ones won't work without the internet - for an hour they won't pick up a satellite signal. The second I flick on the data or wireless so that Google can get a location, then the GPS works.

But spending $500, $600 or more on a good smart phone, I can't justify, as I don't really use them much other than when overseas.
Cheers,
Renato

That means the phone does not have a GPS receiver and uses the mobile network to find location. Not good.

You could probably pick up a 2nd hand android Samsung s4/5 or older iPhone for $50-100.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Another vote for HERE maps.

Yes HERE is quite good. The app (on iPhone) is not as good as TomTom or Sygic IMHO but it is free and does the job.

They have just been bought out by a consortium of BMW, Audi and Daimler for 3B Euro I read so the maps will be ok.

 

[amaroo]

Couple of months of usage and I'm really happy with Sygic. Excellent app - worth the money IMO

 

[RooFlyer]

Same here. Although with more use, I am noticing some quirks - sometimes it gives just a silly routing for places I know well - neither shortest nor quickest.

 

[Seriously?]

Thank you to the previous posters I purchased Sygic prior to leaving Australia. It's performed exceedingly well in the USA, I like I've been able to have settings in metric still, "turn in 500m" makes sense to me. It has also been fun to use on a cruise just to see where we are.

Only issue was a trip from Phoenix to Lake Havasu City (also in AZ) - my son drove the trip out in a little under 3.5 hours. He left myself and my 3 year old grandson to make our way back. Phoenix in rush hour, a vehicle a lot larger than I've driven in a long time was, shall we say interesting. At least Sygic made the naviguessing part easy. I became a little concerned when I saw it was giving an estimated trip time of 5.5 hours. Really?? Figured it must have been due to the stupidly slow freeway speed and the ETA would come back to reality once we got moving. It didn't. I called my daughter-in-law going through a town that I knew was about 1.5 hours out. Sygic is still telling me 3 hours?? So.....I ignore every gut instinct, every marked turnoff I could have taken, and faithfully follow the GPS. Then I'm in California! WTF??? And I have the short swearing police in the car. I can not take one more "Granma said a bad word".

i debate turning around and going with instinct. Decide against that and continue following Sygic. For another hour. I see a sign for Lake Havasu - take it. Sygic Grizzlies and moans about me making a u-turn for 20 minutes and then decides it's found a quicker route - the way I'm going. Really?

Apparently Sygic likes to keep me on the interstate roads. Apparently I should have looked at the route closer - but when I put in the details there were no options, just the one route - digging deeper into the settings and "check route" I learnt that I should have marked that I did not want to drive through California. I did not suspect that would be an option when point A and point B were in Arizona.

Learn from my pain....

 

[ausfox]

For general interest, I have used Copilot GPS app on my iPhone and iPad in Aus, extensively in Europe and USA. Very happy as it does not need data connection as it uses the device GPS. You can plan your routes and then store them in advance. POIs are helpful when you get to a town and need to select the food source for the crew.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

For general interest, I have used Copilot GPS app on my iPhone and iPad in Aus, extensively in Europe and USA. Very happy as it does not need data connection as it uses the device GPS. You can plan your routes and then store them in advance. POIs are helpful when you get to a town and need to select the food source for the crew.

I also use Copilot. Have had a few issues.
Most notably - beware if the app updates itself from the App store.
After an update it will not work until you log in to your account.
Which requires you to be online.
It recently left me to drive from Abu Dhabi airport to my friend's apartment in Abu Dhabi city without any guidance.
Luckily I've driven there before and I was able to drive to the general area and then drive around until I spotted the Al Wada Mall.
I could find my way from there.

 

[VPS]

Just as a matter of interest what do people use to put their phones on the dash so they can view the app - I've purchased a couple of things that have been useless at holding the phone up so you can see it like a regular GPS.

I used Sygic in the US and it was fine

 

[moa999]

Phone holder - I use one of these in my main car and rentals...

Very small. Clips onto vents, can be rotated and has a good grip via a spring mechanism

www.dx.com/p/universal-car-air-vent-mount-holder-for-iphone-4s-5-black-344174#.Vkhea599LqA

GPS wise I generally use Google maps