Phone App for an "All-in-One" use

[RDC]

I've got my phone mount all setup and it works great. Easy on, easy off.

Currently, I'm using Android Auto as my "all-in-one" app, but it's not really designed for motorcycle use.

What apps are you using if your mounted phone is your go to gadget for GPS, Music, Phone, etc.?

Thanks!

Rick

 

[samamoto]

For navigation maps.me, for music pandora, for phone "do-not-call list". I should get to and find a good way to manage everything with voice commands but there's always something else to do or I'm just getting too lazy to get around it...

 

[rbentnail]

I never had any luck using a phone for "all-in-one". It does everything half assed. Plus I want everything all the time, fiddling with the phone apps while riding can be counter productive and frustrating. I should also say I'm not a comms guy so voice commands are not an option for me. The gps works fine with gloves and a protective shield, my phone requires glove removal. I tried the finger add-on thingee but it was also half assed. The gps is water proof, the phone not. I tried an Otterbox and a baggie but the phone is very difficult to see inside something else in the rain.

So I continue to use separate devices- mp3 player for music, gps for navigation, phone for local searches.

 

[RDC]

I had been using a Zumo 550 for the last 10-12 years. It's starting to show its age a bit. And, it didn't work great with my new Cardo Packtalk Slim.

My phone is a Samsung S9+, so it's got a decent size screen, and it's waterproof. I modified my gloves by placing a small slit in the pad area of each index finger. Pop my finger out to control the phone, pop it back in for riding. That actually works great! Even in the cold, my fingers stay warm while inside the gloves. It's also pretty easy to do it one handed.

The Android Auto works well enough, the buttons are just a little on the small side. You can add all sorts of apps to it. I'm currently using it with Google Maps and Waze for GPS, Amazon Prime Music for some tunes and it allows me to make/receive phone calls. Combined with the Voice Features of the Packtalk, it's a nice combo. I was just hoping there was a more Motorcycle Friendly "all-in-one" option out there.

 

[russperry]

Motion X GPS is friggin' awesome for GPS if you use an iPhone - much better than any canned GPS unit. You can download and use all kinds of maps including USGS topo maps, world topo maps, maritime maps if you're inclined, and many others including satellite images, road maps, etc.... So my typical app lineup when traveling:

1) Motion X for logging in near real time speeds, altitudes and positions. I also use it when navigating off road and specifically when out of cell range.

2) SW Connect for sending position updates to Spotwalla

3) Google Maps for regular road navigation when in cell range.

4) I still have a version of Navigon on my phone if I want to have a real time road navigation app with audio turn prompts running. I don't typically use this one very much. Surprisingly they're still providing updates even though I can't find it in the App Store any longer. Its good if you're out of cell range when Google Maps or Waze won't work. It happens quite frequently actually when travelling in the west on anything other than the interstates.

5) At one time I used a Sena SR-10 to connect a FRS radio into the headset but it just didn't have much utility so that's gone now.

6) Then all audio (phone, music, navigation prompts, etc...) connected to a Sena SMH-10

Certainly this is not "all in one" but basically I really use Google Maps, Motion X and SW Connect and the others only in rare circumstances...

But I really can't say enough positive about Motion X. If you're gonna be out of cell range much, and really if you're going to do any adventure riding, it is absolutely the best thing going. You can download topo maps with dirt roads shown, down to very high resolution (down to 40' elevation intervals, but eats up memory on your phone at that level) and use it very effectively when out in the boonies, when all the other GPS units are showing a blue triangle on a blank screen.

 

[st4gary]

Motion X GPS is friggin' awesome for GPS if you use an iPhone - much better than any canned GPS unit.

Russ,

Who's the publisher of Motion X GPS? Wonder if they have a version for Android.

Thanks,

Gary

 

[Intech]

The main problem with relying on the phone is that I regularly ride in areas where there is no phone reception. Zumo 665 for me for navigation and music.

 

[jblanken64]

For Android I was using something called DriveMode. It's an alternative to Android Auto and works pretty well. I'm back on an iPhone now and tend to use Waze and voice commands a lot. I never really found cell reception to be an issue since I keep HereMaps installed with offline copies of all of the states that I'm usually in. And I keep a fair amount of music loaded for when Spotify can't get a signal. The GPS works regardless of cell signal, so HereMaps works flawlessly then. There are other offline options as well.

 

[rbentnail]

The main problem with relying on the phone is that I regularly ride in areas where there is no phone reception. Zumo 665 for me for navigation and music.

The main problem for me is even with the phone set for the highest level of location accuracy using "GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks to determine location" it often has no idea where it is. Having downloaded maps or a mapping app is useless if the damn thing can't locate itself. I was in Greensboro, NC the other day, a pretty good sized city, with the setting at "High Accuracy" as described and the damn thing couldn't figure out where it was.

 

[blchandl2]

I just wish Google Maps would let you send a custom route to your phone.

 

[SkipS]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="blchandl2" data-cid="1414380" data-time="1552094545"><p>

I just wish Google Maps would let you send a custom route to your phone.</p></blockquote>

 

[SkipS]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="blchandl2" data-cid="1414380" data-time="1552094545"><p>

I just wish Google Maps would let you send a custom route to your phone.</p></blockquote>

They do. I have done it multiple times. I create the custom route map on my PC then send it to my phone and create a shortcut on a page I keep all my most used routes on.

 

[Uncle Hud]

blchandl2 posted: I just wish Google Maps would let you send a custom route to your phone.

I don't "send" anything to my phone, but navigate by Google Maps all the time. Two ways ...

1) For rally riding, where you have to stop for a bonus photo at each waypoint: create your route in Google Maps / Your Places / Maps and make sure it saves. When you're ready to ride, pull up your phone's Google Maps app and load your Rally Map, also via Your Places / Maps. Zoom to and select any bonus location, and the app will provide turn-by-turn directions USING THE FASTEST (or shortest) CURRENT ROUTE. Note: not necessarily the route you planned, but for rally riding, don't you always want the fastest route?

When you're finished at bonus #1, zoom and select bonus #2, mount up and ride.

2) For following a specific route, Google Maps is far less useful: Create and save your route as above, with the minimum waypoints that force the specific route you desire. Ten minutes before you're ready to ride, call up the custom map and turn on/off layers such that only the waypoints are shown. Click the "directions" button to call up directions from Your location with the destination field empty. Click inside the destination field and select Choose on map. A red marker and X appear. Pan and zoom until the first waypoint is under the X, and select OK. NOTE: Be as accurate as possible with the on-screen selection!

You should now see the desired route from your current location to the first waypoint. Touch the triple-dots next to Your Location, and select Add stop. Add additional waypoints as above, selecting them on-screen, up to the limit of 10 waypoints.

As you're riding the pre-planned route, I think you have to press "continue" or something like that when you've reached each waypoint. Be prepared to stop for a few seconds if you don't have smartphone-enabled gloves.

Honestly, I don't use Technique #2 often, because I usually want to get to my destination as efficiently as possible. If I'm flower-sniffing, then I instruct Google Maps to route me "home", and start riding wherever the wind blows. When the "ETA at home" time gets close to when I've promised I'll be back, I begin following Miss Google's directions.

..................................................................................................................................................

You do know that any custom Google Map (or individual Map layer) can be indirectly exported to a GPX file, right? Open the desired map in My Maps and click the triple-dots beside the map name. Export to KMZ, then use any number of websites to convert to GPX. My favorite is GPSvisualizer.com (no affiliation) because it's quick, precise, and has minimal BS.

 

[Kneedragger55]

The main problem with relying on the phone is that I regularly ride in areas where there is no phone reception. Zumo 665 for me for navigation and music.

The main problem for me is even with the phone set for the highest level of location accuracy using "GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks to determine location" it often has no idea where it is. Having downloaded maps or a mapping app is useless if the damn thing can't locate itself. I was in Greensboro, NC the other day, a pretty good sized city, with the setting at "High Accuracy" as described and the damn thing couldn't figure out where it was.

You need a new phone LOL

Never had a problem using my phone as a do it all.

Google maps for 99% of my riding with no issues. Create a route on MyMaps, export via map converter. Open in CoPilot for no-service vs google maps with service. Co pilot has all maps downloaded off line, all you need is a GPS signal. I do the same thing mountain biking and even in the remotest of spots in Pisgah National Forest have never lost GPS signal using any Google Phone, Pixel 1 or 3.

Sena 20S I can do any voice command I can normally do by hitting 1 button. No special app needed. Send text, call, play music, change directions, cancel navigation, you name it. Music through Google Music...."Play my thumbs up playlist"...No problem

Still don't quite understand all the rigmarole with having a bunch of devices, MP3, GPS, Phone, Comm. Any smart phone has the power of a modern computer. I guess I understand the GPS thing for super-remote long distance stuff, just never needed it.

 

[Uncle Hud]

rbentnail posted (kind of) : I was in Greensboro, NC the other day, a pretty good sized city, with the setting at "High Accuracy" as described and the damn thing couldn't figure out where it was.

First, if you were in downtown Greensboro, you could easily have been so far into the sticks that you got no cell service.

Second, when I start Google Maps, takes a bit of movement before it figures out where I am. Usually 20 feet or so will solve that, but it can mean occasional u-turns.

Third, when surrounded by tall buildings, it can be impossible for the phone to get a GPS fix.

Last, you're a bubblehead, your phone knows that, and it was just yanking yer chain.

 

[Niehart]

kneedragger55, come on out west my friend. Lots of places with no people or phone service. And that's a good thing!

 

[Kneedragger55]

kneedragger55, come on out west my friend. Lots of places with no people or phone service. And that's a good thing!

Too many places too little time. I imagine it's a bit different in that far land. One day we'll make it happen. The mountains of NC are too close but I'm slowly making my way towards the Mississippi.