Verizon Navigation and Data usage

[mikestock]

I have, for the last week, used my S4 routing quite a bit while on vacation in an unfamiliar area this week. It has been 6 days since my monthly reset and I show just over 1.1 Gb of my 2 Gb allowance. I have also used the phone's hot spot for checking email but that, from past experience, has never used over 1 Gb for an entire month. Never realized that the routing function used up my data at this rate. I love the functionality of the Verizon GPS navigation but guess I will dig the Garmin back out and forget using the phone.

[outwestbound]

soos wrote:
It would be hard for me to believe that the Uconnect is going to give you enough free data to tether your iPad and use it for anything practical, so I would check out the cost. I use my iPad data for many other things so I wouldn't give up my data plan. In fact I just went from $30 for 2gig to $40 for 4gig.
Canada is the trickiest part. No data up there for all practical purposes.

Just posted on this here: UconnectI love my iPad account with it's own phone number too. I'm going to check out these Uconnect premium XM satellite services; weather, current traffic, internet, etc. and see what they cost. It seems the practical value of going satellite is a good signal no matter the location (I assume). I travel in NC mountains a good bit and loose my cell signal.

[soos]

It would be hard for me to believe that the Uconnect is going to give you enough free data to tether your iPad and use it for anything practical, so I would check out the cost. I use my iPad data for many other things so I wouldn't give up my data plan. In fact I just went from $30 for 2gig to $40 for 4gig.
Canada is the trickiest part. No data up there for all practical purposes.

[outwestbound]

soos wrote:
our Ford system is pretty good for directing us some place, but when we are towing, especially someplace we've never been, I (the passenger) always have the iPad up and running in map mode. I just use basic google maps and what it gives me is satellite view and street view so i can see the actual parking lot.
I don't think the built in GPSs will give you satellite view.

since we are headed thru Canada again this summer up to Alaska, I might check into that co-pilot map for us.

Sue
Sue

Thanks. Yes, I use google a lot too with my ipad in the car. I have the dedicated phone line into theipad, but I wonder if not having a cell signal would be a problem. This RAM 3500 Uconnect thing has a satalite internet WiFi signal (I think). Would that be the way to go with the iPad and just ditch the iPad's $30 per month dedicated phone line with Verizon?

[soos]

our Ford system is pretty good for directing us some place, but when we are towing, especially someplace we've never been, I (the passenger) always have the iPad up and running in map mode. I just use basic google maps and what it gives me is satellite view and street view so i can see the actual parking lot.
I don't think the built in GPSs will give you satellite view.

since we are headed thru Canada again this summer up to Alaska, I might check into that co-pilot map for us.

Sue
Sue

[outwestbound]

Hi. Does anyone know if the navigation systems that come in new Ford and Ram trucks are very good?They are called SYNC and UConnect. I'm working up a budget to go full-time. I'm getting a 40 foot 5er so details on where that will fit will be critical.

I have to have this feature on the new truck since so many other things come in this "package", but I don't know whether I should plan to also get another navigation system. I see most folks using iPads or laptops with internet connections and various applications. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[loggenrock]

Hey MrWizard! Is "My Tracks" using data whenever it is on/in use? I know it will save waypoints even when there is no service in the area, only adds the map when in range, but curious as to how much data MyTracks uses... Thanks! ST

[mikestock]

Yes. I was talking about the Google navigation app. I was not aware of the amount of data it was gobbling up. I will download CoPilot and see how it goes. I have a Garmin but it didn't come with free updates and the POI's are way out of date. I am probably going to buy another stand alone GPS with free updates, for future trips.

[schneid]

Co-pilot is definitely an option. I think cheaper than TT too. my only complaint is the voice is pretty mechanical sounding. TT sounds more human.

There is also Route 66 and some others. I've been with TT for so long I'm not switching.

[chiefneon]

Deleted double post.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

You may want to look a Co-Pilot GPS app.you download the map to your devise and no data connection is needed to us it. Been using Co-Pilot for the last few years as our go to GPS and it works well. It also has a RV setting you can use to det the height of you RV.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

[mlts22]

My AT&T telenav app takes about 1575 megs of storage to download its offline maps, so that is about right.

[strollin]

schneid wrote:
...
With TomTom, Co-pilot and others, your maps are on board. Take about 2gb of storage.

This is the key. You need to find a navigation app for your phone that stores its maps locally instead of constantly downloading map data as you drive.

I use Co-Pilot, its maps require around 2GB of storage but they only get downloaded once. If you're concerned about data usage download and install when connected via wifi.

Another important reason to have the map data stored locally is that you can still navigate when you don't have a cell signal. With Verizon or Google you need a cellular connection for the map data. The gps function itself doesn't rely on having a cellular connection.

[schneid]

I've just weened myself from my TomTom stand-alone and gone to their USA Android app. Not cheap but I have thousands of POI's in their OV2 format that are compatible. I also now enter the addresses for appointments into DigiCal. A "Location" icon appears by the appointment that when I can click will then autoload it into TomTom (or other app with and Intent). TomTom is picky about how the address must be formatted. Google Search used to do that too but now it will only use Google Nav. Yelp will autoload to TT and other apps.

With TomTom, Co-pilot and others, your maps are on board. Take about 2gb of storage.

[jcpainter]

soos wrote:
Navigation is the number one cause of data use on my ipad, but since that's what i bought it for, I don't mind so much. When we're towing, and DH says "can I get into that gas station ahead?"
It's great that I know the answer!

Sue

This sounds very useful. Which navigation app do you use and what info does it give you about the accessibility of the gas stations?