Re: OT

J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 2026/8/19 19:30:4, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> > J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:
[...]
> >> Plus, a lot of map "apps" - like a lot of other apps - are actually only
> >> a gateway to an online database, i. e. won't work where there's no
> >> signal. (OK, if you know you're going to use them in advance, you can in
> >> many "apps" pre-download the maps for the areas you're going to be in.)>
> > 
> >   There are quite a lot of navigation apps which use offline maps and
> > hence do not need a 'signal' (mobile data connection). I used them in
> 
> As I say, even Google maps _can_ download quite a large area in advance.
> 
> > Australia's rural/Outback/remote areas where there often just *is* no
> > signal (except very expensive satellite Internet). A smartphone can
> > easily hold the offline maps for whole countries (like the UK, AU, etc.)
> > and more. One of these days, I'll add the NZ maps! :-)
> > 
> > [...]
> 
> I still think a dedicated device is _slightly_ better, though obviously
> single-use, so not as versatile as a smartphone. Yes, the XGODY SatNav I
> had came with maps of most of the world in its (IIRR) 8G of memory;
> since I was actually unlikely to leave the UK or at most Europe, I
> actually removed some regions (I think Russia, might have been Aus and
> NZ as well) to make room for more music, since (as, like you, most of my
> driving was in areas I could drive while asleep) it spent most of its
> time as an mp3 player (and in theory BlueTooth gateway for a mobile)
> through the car's FM radio.

  For use in countries like your and mine, a dedicated device is fine.

  But for more sparsely populated areas it's nice and often essential to
have several different map sources (TomTom, HERE/NAVTEQ, OSM). A
dedicated device doesn't offer that flexibility. (N.B. The OSM
(OpenStreetMaps) maps often show roads where the vehicles of the
commercial map providers don't bother/dare to come.)

  Case in point: In Queensland (Australia), we encountered a couple with
a car and caravan who were about to take a 500km detour, because the
road they were on was not on their dedicated device and they didn't dare
to continue. We could show them that the road would take them where they
wanted to go, saving them some 400km.

  A long, long time ago, in Australia, I was about to buy my first
dedicated navigation device, but hesitated several times. Eventually I
bit the bullet and bought my very first 'smartphone', with a whopping
'4GB' - actually 1GB 'free', if that 'much' - (non-volatile) storage.
Added a MicroSD card for the maps and never looked back.

  But, as always, YMMV/YMWV.