Anybody here using an HTC Desire HD?

peterc10

Anybody here using an HTC Desire HD?

I understand that it has some form of built in mapping and navigation application which uses maps you can download via Wifi and save on your SD card. However on an Android forum I subscribe to I am getting conflicting and confusing advice (may just be me) about how it works and whether or not you pay for it. So I thought I would ask the real experts here.

How does it work? Do you have to pay to get real sat nav turn by turn instructions? What is it like? Can you download any maps you want or are you limited?

Many thanks in advance.
_________________
Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount

JockTamsonsBairn · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:34 pm Post subject:

I can't help, but would be interested in the responses.

However, it occurs to me that the software included with it, and any charges, may depend on which network provides the phone.
_________________
Jock

TomTom Go 940 LIVE (9.510, Europe v915.5074 on SD & 8.371, WCE v875.3613 on board)

peterc10 · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:00 pm Post subject:

Pocketgps · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:06 am Post subject:

May be only Google maps.

Features:

Web Browser
Office Document Viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
PDF Viewer
Flash 10
DLNA Wireless Media Sharing
Digital Compass
Google Maps

Other comments:

Maps That Never Let You Down:
Can't get online? No problem. On-device maps are always ready to help you explore your world.

Maps That Never Keep You Waiting:
Experience zero-wait when zipping and zooming around your maps. Now that the maps are loaded right on your phone, you don't have to wait… and wait… and wait...

Maps Good. Maps Plus Compass… Better:
Never scratch your head wondering which way to turn! With Locations – the map integrates with the compass so it always points you in the direction you need to go – instant orientation.

Never Miss a Turn – Because of a Call:
Don't worry about missing the next turn when a call comes in. Your map stays on screen while a call bar gently slides its way into view.

Satisfy Your Urge to Peek Ahead:
Stopped at a red light? Now you can take a virtual helicopter tour of the rest of your trip while you wait for the light to change.

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1940

Not sure if this helps but I am a new owner of an Android (2.1) Motorola Defy and I like using Open Street Maps.

From the Android Market I have downloaded and installed OsmAnd (see my signature) to my phone. I have not yet tried any kind of navigation with the device; I am still learning how to get the optimum settings for my usage but forums state how good navigation is, others of course, say how good it is NOT. When I am confident with my settings I shall start to use navigation.

I have downloaded all of UK, all of Andorra, all of Spain and half of France together with all relevant POI's and the En-Voice pack. I have downloaded map files for Driving and for Cycling to zoom level 19.

I download the App and Maps at home to my phone using Wi-Fi connected to my home Internet connection. All downloaded maps can be used at a later date without any network connections - only GPS needs to be enabled.

The OsmAnd app and it's data is currently occupying 750Mb on my 8Gb MicroSD card.

I like OSM and have been contributing to it for quite some time. The maps are very complete and usable. However, this is a community project and it is Work-In-Progress.

Whilst driving/cycling, I am able to spot a map error/omission where one exists and correct it, upload the data and then have a fully up-to date map in my next download.

All maps are free and reasonably up-to-date, most of the world is covered.
More users = More contributors = Better Maps.

Hope you find this of interest.

Sorry for the un-disguised plug for OSM.

EDIT - Some spelling.
_________________
Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20.

peterc10 · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:18 am Post subject:

Thanks to both of you for taking the time to answer.

PocketGPS - the Desire HD definitely has its own mapping and nav app on board (called Locations). Google Nav does not provide on-device maps. With Locations you are supposed to be able to download maps and save them onto the SD card. I am trying to find out how far that extends and how much it costs. Android forums suggests that it is mostly free, but if you want to use turn by turn directions you have to pay to have it implemented.

AliOnHols - I am aware of OSM, but they are reported to not be up to date in many areas.

Again if anybody with a Desire HD could help me with this I would be grateful. I am trying to decide whether it should be my next phone in a couple of months time and need to know how good the system is, whether you pay for it and what maps you can download. Also whether the maps work with Google Nav
_________________
Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount

Rick-uk · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:49 pm Post subject:

No help yet but...

after much research I have decided to get one when my current contract is due an upgrade (April 8th) to replace my full of potential but very disappointing Nokia N97

I've been following your thread on Android Forums and like you I am still not 100% sure what you get for free

Hopefully when I get it I may be able to be of more assistance

Rick-uk · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 4:46 pm Post subject:

On this weeks BBC Click (scroll the video to 2:04) there was mention of two free alternatives for Android.

navmii and andnav

navmii is currently available on iPhone and andnav is an open source project.

Have not got my HD yet but will give them a look in the future.

Rick

guydavies · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 3

Hi,

I use an HTC Desire HD. The built-in "premium navigation" is based on Route66's navigation engine and TomTom's maps. The navigation engine is not as good as my experience with my old TTGO700. It makes some peculiar routing choices occasionally, but it's generally OK. Nor is the GUI as intuitive in my view.

The maps are free, as far as I can tell, but you have to pay to either subscribe for a month, annually or you can get a perpetual license for the app to use the maps for various regions ranging from a single country up to the whole of Europe, N America, etc.

I am mildly irritated by the fact that there is no single download for Europe or even W Europe. You have to go and find the maps and download them individually. Finding them is easy, but picking all the ones you want and downloading them is tedious. Route66 and HTC say there is no immediate plans to put them into single regional maps.

The prices are pretty reasonable (€49 for a perpetual license for W. Europe, €39 for USA, IIRC). I don't know if the maps are linked to a particular version of the app, so if you want to upgrade the free maps you have to upgrade your non-free app. That would be really sneaky and bad (but not unexpected :-( ).

One thing I did find was that when I rooted and flashed a new ROM onto my DHD, some ROMs didn't play nicely with the premium navigation causing the app to crash. I've now found one that I like, it's quick and it plays nicely with premium navigation, so I'm sticking with that for now Smile

Rgds,

Guy

peterc10 · Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:20 am Post subject:

Guy - thank you for that comprehensive info - exactly what I was looking for.

I am afraid Route 66 has not enjoyed a good reputation on this forum (I have never used it myself). And the prices sound high when compared with, for example, copilot. In any event I already own Sygic for Europe and Copilot for the USA, so I will probably arrange for those to be moved to the new phone.

Based on your information I think I have concluded that when making comparisons of the models for my next phone I will ignore the "built in" mapping on the Desire HD.
_________________
Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount

guydavies · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 3

Hi Peter,

I looked into CoPilot and it looked to be almost twice the price for both Europe (€79) and USA (can't remember), compared to a perpetual Route66 license (note: I'm not related in any way to Route66 and I do have some "issues" with their software, as I described ;-).

[/Edit] I just checked again and it was Navigon that had very high prices. Copilot is very cheap for the US, strangely not so for Europe (about the same as a perpetual license for Route66/HTC's software).

One thing to note is that while you're in your home country, Google Maps makes a fair job of turn-by-turn instructions as long as you have a reasonably high data cap. The downside of GM is that there is no way to preload the maps so you must download new ones when you go to a new location (even if you configure an enormous cache for old ones).

I'll have to go hunting through the forum to look for reviews of Route66. I haven't been here in ages but my renewed interest in getting a reliable turn-by-turn navigation for my DHD and the regular newsletter arriving in my inbox triggered me to come back :-)

Rgds,

Guy

peterc10 · Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:45 am Post subject:

Guy

I bought Copilot for North America for $30 last year (about £20 at the time). It is now available in the market for £3 for the USA or £12 for the whole of North America (cheap as chips). Copilot for the UK is £17 and Europe is £49. But, as I said, I already own Sygic and Copilot so will use those again on my new phone.

I quite like Google Nav, which is the turn by turn Google navigation app. But it has let me down too many times in areas where 3G signal is poor or non-existent. And once you leave your home country it starts costing a fortune in data roaming. And no custom POIs, so no speed cameras (unless you run Cameralert alongside it), is a pain.
_________________
Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount