Navigation Failure!
Are you using a mobile navigation app? If so, which one? More importantly, does it work?
I have been using Navigon for my AT&T 3G iPhone for the past year, though a more correct statement is that I’ve been trying to use Navigon for the past year. It’s been hit or miss, with very few hits. Lately, all I get is the black screen of death saying “There is no GPS signal available” with reception never kicking in.
I really needed Navigon to work this weekend as I ventured into downtown Houston. With one-way streets and roads closed due to construction, I was going ’round and ’round trying to first find the Convention Center and then a nearby parking garage. This process repeated itself as I left the parking garage and had to find my way back to I-10. I made it, but with no help from Navigon.
Sure there can be issues with AT&T and my iPhone isn’t the latest model, but really – no GPS signal for 100 miles driven over 3 days?
Since I intend to upgrade my iPhone to the new model as soon as it’s out, what navigation app do you recommend (if any)?
Or are you going to tell me to turn into a guy so I don’t need to ask for directions!
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I know this is not an app but I tried in one
week the Tom Tom, Magellan and Garmin.
The Tom Tom was dreadful, the Magellan was more
price reasonable (1/2 of Garmin including EU map) but
I really wanted the one I used in the EU when I
rented a car. I found the Garmin 1450. Love it.
Easy to use and easy to see. I bought the EU map
for $100 and after trying all 3 I would say the
Garmin was best for me. Simple, large 5″ screen
and just like I had in the EU rental car.
Mapquest
Try a Samsung Focus Windows Phone from Amazon – all of $0.01 – and it really works!
That app must really be hit or miss. I bought it on sale last year and have had no problems with it. I get that black screen you are talking about maybe once a month but it goes away in about 10 seconds. Good luck finding another app and be sure to keep us in the loop as to what you choose.
MapQuest4 iPhone actually works quite well and you have to option of voice directions, helpful when you are driving solo.
Thanks! Two votes for MapQuest4 tells me I need to try it out. And Free! Much better than the $99 I originally paid for Navigon when it first came out.
I’ll try Mapquest4 on the way to the airport tomorrow.
I hope I can hear the voice through my bluetooth headset. With Navigon, I can’t. It only works through a corded headset.
Hi Matt — Maybe my issue is the age of my iPhone. I’ll certainly give my Navigon another try with the iPhone5. I’ve never had just 10 seconds of the screen of death. I start plugging in my navigation 5 to 10 minutes before I need to start driving and *maybe* it’ll have kicked in by then, if it kicks in at all.
I have the iphone4 with navigon and seldom have issues unless I”m in a parking garage. I also only paid $25 for my copy (I guess it was on sale).
My biggest annoyance with it is the audio level. It has one hidden in its options menu so you have to turn that up to max and then use the iphone audio controls to adjust it. Unfortunately it seems like everytime I start the app the internal volume setting goes to minimum and I have to repeat the process.
Good Luck. (Also the only time I get close to maxing out my data usage is when I use this app frequently while traveling).
My Android phone has built in Google Maps with navigaion. It is far better than the nav system built into my Infiniti and I prefer to use it. It is more comprehensibe, more current and shows real time traffic. Couldn’t be better! It might be enough reason to get an Android.