Navfree app

[Mickeyspals]

Hi, has anyone used the Navfree app whilst in Florida. Have just heard about this and wondered if it was any good. It states that once the app is downloaded onto your phone you do not use any of your phone data when using it a sat nav as the maps are stored onto you phone. Just wondering if it would be an alternative to hiring sat nav when there as will be getting 2 cars

[Michelle]

It's good when it works. I found it could take a while to find the GPS. It's a good little app for free though.

[Mickeyspals]

Thanks Michelle, when you say it takes a while how long would you say. Was it pretty accurate. Sorry for all the questions

[mysteryjimbo]

Originally Posted by Michelle

It's good when it works. I found it could take a while to find the GPS. It's a good little app for free though.

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This isn't related to the app. GPS is phone driven and could be down to a number of factors such as cloud cover and position in the car. It should be much quicker with direct line of sight of the sky

Originally Posted by Mickeyspals

Thanks Michelle, when you say it takes a while how long would you say. Was it pretty accurate. Sorry for all the questions

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I've used the UK maps and they worked fine. So I can vouch for the general accuracy. I'd go as far as to say it may be more accurate than the GPS provided on rentals as the maps are updated regularly.

[gdbano81]

Great for free, but if you don't mind spending £20-30 Navigon by Garmin is excellent too, maps pre-loaded onto the phone doesn't need data.

[Guest]

I have used satnav apps on my iphone and not had any trouble on our last few trips only thing is the phone does get hot so make sure its near the fan on the dash

[mysteryjimbo]

Originally Posted by whizzingalong

I have used satnav apps on my iphone and not had any trouble on our last few trips only thing is the phone does get hot so make sure its near the fan on the dash

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That can be said about any number of apps and games.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Mickeyspals

Thanks Michelle, when you say it takes a while how long would you say. Was it pretty accurate. Sorry for all the questions

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No problem, I don't mind any questions. It took a while, we eventually got it working when we stopped at a McD's.

Originally Posted by mysteryjimbo

This isn't related to the app. GPS is phone driven and could be down to a number of factors such as cloud cover and position in the car. It should be much quicker with direct line of sight of the sky



I've used the UK maps and they worked fine. So I can vouch for the general accuracy. I'd go as far as to say it may be more accurate than the GPS provided on rentals as the maps are updated regularly.

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I used Nav free in the USA so I am giving my experience. I wanted the app to work as soon as I got in the car. There was no cloud could of been the position of the car, but when you are driving along and it won't pick up the signal it was annoying. In the end we had to change to Co-Pilot, which worked better IMO.

Once we got the NavFree to work it was fine.

Make sure you have updated the maps while you have wifi if you haven't used the US version before.

[mysteryjimbo]

Originally Posted by Michelle

I used Nav free in the USA so I am giving my experience. I wanted the app to work as soon as I got in the car. There was no cloud could of been the position of the car, but when you are driving along and it won't pick up the signal it was annoying. In the end we had to change to Co-Pilot, which worked better IMO.

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That's true and your welcome to present your point of view and experience. I was presenting information from a technical point of view, GPS is a service provided by the phone operating system which is why so many apps can make use of it. It isn't generally a fault of the app itself if the phone is slow to pick up satellites.

It could be the app isnt as lightweight as the compared CoPilot so the phone CPU was struggling more. Hence it could be to do with the model of phone rather than NavFree directly and the problem may not be experience by someone with the latest model.

Like I said, I've never used NavFree in the US but have used it in the UK prior to purchasing CoPilot myself. TBH I've had more trouble with the routing provided by CoPilot. It has frequently recommended I come off motorway exits only to recommend I return to the motorway after going around the island. The routes are also frequently inefficient as well. It does the job but I don't always agree with it.

[Michelle]

Hope it works just as good for you when you get over in the US