AFBronco235
Crew Chief
I'm not asking about a specific app that you use. I'm asking about what you think makes, or would make, the perfect navigation app. What do you like about the app that you use or what do you think should be added to make it perfect?
The reason I'm asking is to generate support for making the perfect "expedition navigation" app. This mostly started with trying to find a navigation app for my Surface 2 tablet, but after weeks of not finding ANYTHING, I've started to go around to the various programmers and manufacturers of navigation software/hardware and asking them to produce something that would work. And since I think its always best to do something right the first time, I also want a list of "must have" features that would form the core of the app.
Here is what I've come up with so far.
1. Must have downloadable off-line maps. While being able to get maps online is good, not everywhere we would want to go has a wi-fi or even a cell signal, so being able to have a map ready to go would be the ideal.
2. Turn-by-turn road navigation. Lets face it, we always have to go through some complicated road network at some point in our travels. It would be nice to be able to know which exit to get off of without having to constantly search a map, taking our eyes off the road for dangerous seconds to find our location.
3. True GPS location. Most navigational apps don't use actual GPS, but instead rely on wi-fi and cell tower triangulation. While this works well in cities, its not so good in the boondocks. Even when they do work, they can be off by as much as a mile sometimes.
4. Trail tracking. Being able to get off the beaten path and make your own trail is always fun for those who go off road. Being able to see the path you've taken would certainly help with knowing how to get back out again.
There could also be secondary applications or functions for when the app can go "online" and do a search, but I'm focusing on the off-line application for now.
What other "bare bones" features would a GPS need to have to make it perfect?
The reason I'm asking is to generate support for making the perfect "expedition navigation" app. This mostly started with trying to find a navigation app for my Surface 2 tablet, but after weeks of not finding ANYTHING, I've started to go around to the various programmers and manufacturers of navigation software/hardware and asking them to produce something that would work. And since I think its always best to do something right the first time, I also want a list of "must have" features that would form the core of the app.
Here is what I've come up with so far.
1. Must have downloadable off-line maps. While being able to get maps online is good, not everywhere we would want to go has a wi-fi or even a cell signal, so being able to have a map ready to go would be the ideal.
2. Turn-by-turn road navigation. Lets face it, we always have to go through some complicated road network at some point in our travels. It would be nice to be able to know which exit to get off of without having to constantly search a map, taking our eyes off the road for dangerous seconds to find our location.
3. True GPS location. Most navigational apps don't use actual GPS, but instead rely on wi-fi and cell tower triangulation. While this works well in cities, its not so good in the boondocks. Even when they do work, they can be off by as much as a mile sometimes.
4. Trail tracking. Being able to get off the beaten path and make your own trail is always fun for those who go off road. Being able to see the path you've taken would certainly help with knowing how to get back out again.
There could also be secondary applications or functions for when the app can go "online" and do a search, but I'm focusing on the off-line application for now.
What other "bare bones" features would a GPS need to have to make it perfect?