<p>I give up. My $%&*)#$& TomTom update process has been a pain in the neck once too often. Too many “no maps found” messages, starting over, unplugging/replugging in the device. I have said for a couple of years then when either my “non-smart” phone, my TomTom, or my iTouch gave out, I would move to the dark side (hello, NSA!) and get an iPhone. That day has arrived. Technically the TomTom still lives, but it has taken so much of my time that it is no longer worth it.</p>
<p>But… I have questions about GPS/navigation on an iPhone, and I am sure someone out here can help.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What app(s) work well for navigation? I like to put in a destination, and have the device talk to me about what to do. I do like that the TomTom shows lanes with a diagram of the road and a red line for me to follow. I think there is a maps/navigation that is part of the iPhone itself and just needs to be activated. But is that the best option, or does anyone have other recommendations?</p></li>
<li><p>Could I have coverage issues that I don’t have with my much-loathed TomTom? The only time I “lose connectivity” with is when there are tall buildings around. It has never lost it’s satellite connection when I am far away from civilization. But I get the impression this does happen with phones. For example… driving to Big Sur next weekend from the south. I hear phone service can be spotty. Which means the GPS goes out, right? Not sure why the TomTom would be better (different satellites?). Just know I don’t have that problem with it today, and wonder if I am picking up a new problem if I switch to phone GPS.</p></li>
<li><p>Silly, but… how do I get it to stay up on the dash or wherever so I can see it? The TomTom has a suction cup thingy on the back to stick to the windshield. Obviously iPhone doesn’t have that. I don’t want to hold and drive at the same time… what do other people do?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Download google maps. It talks, tells you what lane you need to be in, and shows screenshots of destinations (and some freeway exits).
For holding… I just hold my iPhone. </p>
<p>When you will be heading to an area that doesn’t have cell service, you can download directions beforehand.
<a href=“Download areas & navigate offline - Android - Google Maps Help”>Download areas & navigate offline - Android - Google Maps Help;
I don’t generally have a problem in rural areas, where I need Google maps is like last week when I was going to townhall. It is not only in between several freeway on ramps, but there is not clear signage, and it’s hard to tell if a street will take you onto the freeway, back behind the hospital or going away from your destination, cause you are on a one way st.
I ended up on the freeway, before I turned the app on.</p>
<p>I have an android phone (Samsung Galaxy 3) and use the Googlemaps GPS. I use a case on the phone with a cover. My car has a console and I place the phone horizontally with the case like an easel to keep it steady. I find that horizontal placement makes it much easier to see the turning directions and it’s in my field of vision.</p>
<p>I read somewhere a few weeks ago that the googlemaps GPS app is better on androids than on iphones but I’m not sure if that’s true.</p>
<p>Both Apple Maps or Google Maps work fine. With Apple Maps, you can ask Siri to show you a map and/or provide directions. With Google Maps, you either open the app or the Google app and touch the microphone to ask the same thing. In other words, a couple of touches different but otherwise they work the same. Google is further along in locations of specific restaurants, etc. I use either, keep them next to each other on my home screen. They’ll both give turn-by-turn, which I don’t use. </p>
<p>My favorite nav app is Waze. It is crowd sourced so you get a lot of traffic info on it. I bought a device that attached to my dash with a suction cup. It has a powerful magnet. You put another magnet on the back of your phone inside your phone case. It is then super easy to attach and detach the phone from the holder. Works just like a GPS. Except better!!</p>
<p>Agree with thumper1 about battery drainage when using map apps. Also, could use a bit of bandwidth, but I can’t confirm this as we are both off WiFi and using maps when traveling. Our heavy data usage may be mostly due to being off the home WiFi. </p>
<p>We drove down to Big Sur a few months ago and I think we lost coverage from time to time, but it returned quickly. </p>
<p>One other comment: you need to keep location services turned on.</p>
<p>Google maps is very accurate and has reasonable real-time driving instructions display & audio. But the Garmin display is still better and easier to follow. I use both my Garmin & my phone, depending on where in the world I am.</p>
<p>To address the battery drainage usage for your smartphone, simply get a car charger for your phone and a charging cable w a generous length. </p>
<p>Waze is the best app! I stopped using my car’s built in navigation a couple of years ago and started relying solely on my phone. What’s available on the phones is so much better especially because the apps get real time traffic info and can adjust routes accordingly.</p>
<p>I don’t have an IPhone but when DD and I traveled with her iPhone, Siri was wonderful. Not sure if it provided driving maps. I also like Google Maps. </p>
<p>Agree with the reccs of google maps and waze. I don’t like the maps app that comes with the ipones as much as the google maps one. Occasionally it seems to have a delay in communicating with the satellite or something and will tell me to turn after I’ve already turned. The other problem area is in a downtown area with tall buildings, as the signal bounces off the buildings sometimes and gets confused. </p>
<p>Have not had an external freestanding GPS device in years, and DH feels getting one int he car is a collossal waste of $, not to mention having to get it updated. No updates needed with the phone apps.</p>
<p>I LOATHE Waze. It always has me getting off the freeway into some sketchy neighborhood where it requires me to make impossible left-hand turns from tiny side streets with no lights onto busy thoroughfares. Plus I have a CNG car and can use the carpool lane but there’s not a way I can find to have it route with that option.</p>
<p>I have Waze set to route by shortest time, not shortest distance - - and it almost always has me making right hand turns or turns at lights when there is an option. But I can see how setting it with shortest distance might result in exactly what you are saying. </p>
<p>But I definitely don’t know anything about the carpool lane situation. Is there a GPS that is good in that regard? Just curious since around the DC area there are some carpool lanes . . .and I agree that Waze is definitely not the app for taking advantage of those.</p>
<p>I use Google maps, but can’t say I particularly like it. It doesn’t address the carpool situation but, unlike Waze, its purpose is not to avoid work-arounds for traffic jams. I’m jealous of folks with the in-dashboard large display ones that are factory installed. Trying to rely on the iphone display is not ideal for my middle-aged eyes.</p>
<p>Google maps is pretty good, though not perfect. It sometimes gets confused when there are multiple levels of roads, and we’ve lost the signal in tunnels. (In Boston there was an issue with an exit inside the tunnel being labeled in a confusing way and we ended up at Logan Airport where we did not want to be.) Last night we were trying to get to Brooklyn and dh managed to be in a left lane that became an exit he couldn’t get out of - we took a little detour through Manhattan… I keep my phone on the charger in the car when using maps and put it in the cup holder on the console. It’s reasonably visible, but something up on the dashboard would be better.</p>
<p>It does have the capability to check traffic and reroute.</p>