Andorid GPS Vs Dedicated GPS

[alandav123]

Hi all, I can run sail droid on my HTC Desire phone and no doubt there are other software progs I could run on my phone BUT I wonder is a dedicated handheld GPS more accurate.

The reason is my phone gives a reading of lat and long, but yesterday I was walking around in an open space watching the numbers but was suprised that it took so long to update and see any change in the numbers.

The point being if I was afloat and lets say looking for a lobster pot, or some other point of interest, going by my field test yeserday... I would not stand a snowballs chance in hell of finding anything.

Thats why I am thinking a dedicated handheld GPS may be more accurate and useful.

Regards Alan

 

[colingr]

I have found that the android gps takes a while to "settle down" once it gets the initial fix. After a couple on minutes the fix improves and moving around shows the fix changing as you would expect. It also depends on the individual app and how often it samples the position.

I have one on my HTC called GPS Status and Toolbox by EclipSim which is pretty good for showing the GPS position track satellite info etc.

I cannot see any reason why, provided it has a good view of the satellites, an HTC will be any less accurate than any other GPS device.

 

[Fire99]

I wouldn't rely on the Android phone GPS. I have an android phone (with GPS apps) and they are very accurate, once they settle down.

However, the software isn't glitch free and the risk of the phone 'crashing' or 'freezing' is far greater than on a dedicated GPS.

As I say, I'd certainly use the Android GPS apps, but I wouldn't solely rely upon it.

 

[colingr]

I agree with Fire99, also the phones are not rugged enough to survive the marine world, OK for fun, or backup, but not as a primary nav tool.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I wouldn't rely on the Android phone GPS. I have an android phone (with GPS apps) and they are very accurate, once they settle down.

However, the software isn't glitch free and the risk of the phone 'crashing' or 'freezing' is far greater than on a dedicated GPS.

As I say, I'd certainly use the Android GPS apps, but I wouldn't solely rely upon it.

Another reason to avoid Android.

iPhones dont crash, or freeze and the GPS is excellent.

Am I starting to sound repetitive?

 

[colingr]

Ooh an android vs iphone thread, makes a change from raggies vs mobos.

I can't remember my android phone ever crashing or locking actually, and I run all sorts of iffy software on it (including some written by me under development).

Also I have not found any inaccuracies in the gps, as already stated.

Not that I dislike iphones, I just wanted an android one.

 

[markdj]

As mentioned GPS Status is a good app. Phones tend to be more sensitive to trees, buildings as the gps receiver is much smaller than in a dedicated handheld gps so for accuracy, I'd go with a dedicated one.

You can get waterproof pouches which works excellently and keep the phone dry - they were selling them at sibs and I got 2 think they were called "overboard"...

 

[mattnj]

Another reason to avoid Android.

iPhones dont crash, or freeze and the GPS is excellent.

Am I starting to sound repetitive?

oh dear me, they do crash plenty enough:-

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1601461?start=0&tstart=0

 

[Fire99]

iPhones dont crash, or freeze

Sadly they do..

The reality is that you are using a multi-function 'smart' phone as a navigation device that you are depending on. iphones are not designed for that purpose.

OK, they're a nice to have and great tools. But their architecture and OS was never designed for potential life-threatening situations, in a hostile environment.

I'm no great advocate of marine-specific kit, as often you are paying through the nose for things which don't deserve the price tag. However, a marine GPS does exactly what it says on the tin and is fit for purpose (and tried and tested a million times over)

 

[prv]

iPhones dont crash, or freeze and the GPS is excellent.

I've got one, and like it, but to claim that it never ever crashes is silly. It's not common, but it happens.

I wouldn't call the GPS on my 3G "excellent" either. It's not bad, as an extra feature on a phone, but it takes a while to figure out where it is and isn't as accurate as my Tomtom. Maybe newer models are better.

Pete

 

[maxi77]

Another reason to avoid Android.

iPhones dont crash, or freeze and the GPS is excellent.

Am I starting to sound repetitive?

Not true my Iphone freezes and whilst the gps is good not all apps make good use of it. Mrs Maxi finds he Iphone freezes from time to time too, and the other night her Ipad froze too.

I certainly woul;d not rely on my Iphone as my primary navigation tool but it is certainly useful to have. I do think the Iphone update rate from gps is not as fast as a dedicated device though I would consider an Ipad or Android pad as a back up nav system

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Maybe newer models are better.

Pete

They are. I was referring to the 4. Mine finds a fix faster than my Garmin eTrex.

Actually, my phone has never crashed, neither has my sons, my wifes or my daughters. Perhpas we are lucky.

 

[maxi77]

They are. I was referring to the 4. Mine finds a fix faster than my Garmin eTrex.

Actually, my phone has never crashed, neither has my sons, my wifes or my daughters. Perhpas we are lucky.

Yes Ipnones can lock on fast because they use cell information to assist the GPS startup. I suspect the startup outside phone coverage areas may be a trifle slower.

Considering there is a specific unfreezing procedure for the Iphone one suspects it is not that uncommon, and the Ipad does it too. Scares the hell out of you the first time but after that you just wait for it to startup again, if that time was a problem for your navigation then you are using the wrong tool.

 

[bendyone]

Android and Navionics put me right in my berth.

 

[Supine Being]

I don't know about anyone else, but using any GPS app seems to hammer the battery on my wife's android phone. I suspect this would be the case with an iPhone too.

 

[vikinglish]

Navionics on my android HTC is fantastic. It does take a short while to settle down but then it always shows same data as my raymarine chartplotter.
Brilliant to have in the cockpit for a quick glance or to explain plans to the crew on deck..... but there is no way it is fit as a replacement to the main chartplotter. The hardware is just not built for it. Battery life, screen visibility, water resistance, the list goes on...
Great to have... but not as your primary GPS.

 

[Fire99]

Navionics on my android HTC is fantastic. It does take a short while to settle down but then it always shows same data as my raymarine chartplotter.
Brilliant to have in the cockpit for a quick glance or to explain plans to the crew on deck..... but there is no way it is fit as a replacement to the main chartplotter. The hardware is just not built for it. Battery life, screen visibility, water resistance, the list goes on...
Great to have... but not as your primary GPS.

Absolutely.

Iphone/Android versus nothing.. Iphone/Android
Iphone/Android versus dedicated GPS.... No contest. GPS

 

[wotayottie]

Another reason to avoid Android.

iPhones dont crash, or freeze and the GPS is excellent.

Am I starting to sound repetitive?

Just wait till Jobs has achieved world domination and got you and all your private data on the cloud as he plans - incidentally with entirel automatic no intervention uploading.