Patch available for Samsung i700 phone users

[stjohn1335]

Maptech’s Outdoor Navigator is a topographic map software program, considered by many to be the premier topo solution for PDAs. Unfortunately the all-important “Follow Mode” (the mode in which the screen scrolls while the GPS icon stays in a fixed position rather than trailing off the screen) was completely inaccessible to i700 users, because it could only be activated using button 4, a non-existent button on the i700.

Fortunately the developer is very eager to develop this software further, and after emailing him he said he would provide a workaround patch. I beta tested for a few days, and the patch is now available for download! The patch maps the Follow Mode to the “right arrow” button, which was otherwise unused by the software. To download the patch, you must go to www.maptech.com and request it via email (uploading my patch would be useless; it is attached to my specific user ID).

The developer tried to implement the patch for all reduced-button Pocket PCs, but because Samsung chose to disable the button code (boo to Samsung!! ), the developer could only make a patch specific to the i700. This is a temporary fix until the next version release, which will incorporate a custom button mapping feature.

Having field-tested this software, I can’t say enough good things about it. It is based off the Pocket Navigator software, but much more reasonably priced ($99 for the software AND access to all 50 states, plus nautical maps). You can download a demo version from www.outdoornavigator.com. Future updates this year will include auto-map rotation, tracks, bulk map download, waypoint management, and more. I of course don’t work for the company, I just like the software, and like the lengths the developer went to personalize this for us.

I used this software on a hike last weekend along with my Pharos serial GPS, and it came in VERY handy, because there was snow on the top half of the hike. We had followed footprints in the snow over a very steep ridge and found the tracks ended. I checked our position and realized we strayed too far left of the trail, missing the hanging valley we were headed for. The software showed me how far off the trail I was and in what direction I needed to travel to get to my next waypoint. It took about 20 minutes to find the trail, and the rest of my family thought I was leading them astray, but sure enough the trail was right where it was supposed to be! Even my wife, who didn’t like how much I spent on the software, agreed it paid for itself right then.

It also came in handy later during switchbacks where there was too much snow coverage. We headed to the south side of the ridge where the sun had melted the snow and continued cross-country, using the software to find the trail later. It was also useful for my youngest sister, who became quite weary and whiny . I was able to show her exactly how much farther we had to go and when it would become less steep. It helped her emotionally quite a bit.

At the end of an 8 hour hike I still had close to full power. I was able to turn the PDA off while not in use, and because the i700 powers the Pharos serial GPS while off, I always had a hot fix. Thus I could just turn the i700 on and in about 1-2 seconds the map scrolled to my current position, then I would turn the phone off again.

I kept the phone in an empty pouch in my camera bag (attached to my fanny pack), and tied the serial cable aound a loop on my fanny pack. This way the GPS had a clear view of the sky behind me, and I could remove ALL of my equipment by taking off my fanny pack. The solution worked perfectly!

[MikeB]

Isnt the English language wonderful, over in the UK we cannot use the expresion 'fanny pack' as this has implications about the intimate parts of female anatomy, here we call it a 'bum bag' again this has a different meaning in the US.

On a different note it really is good to see user driven requirements actually working in practice. This should be what forums are all about providing the right feedback to developers to improve products.

I did notice one slight error in your post. Outdoor Navigator is not based on Pocket Navigator, it is a totally new product. Jeff is doing an excellent job and hopefully with our input will get the best navigation tool available on the market.

I am going to Florida in a few weeks to test out the latest version of Outdoor Navigator on the Tungsten T3 so watch this space as they say.
_________________
Mike Barrett

[stjohn1335]

Oops - hope I didn't offend anybody with my foul mouth! Forgot about that one. In the states it's not even considered kind of a bad word--you see that name in stores! Never heard of "bum bag" before, I'll have to remember that.

Thanks for the correction about the PN vs. ON.

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