

Apple, Google Just Killed Portable GPS Devices - vmyy99
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/06/gps-devices-are-dead/

======
kyleslattery
One big reason to keep using a dedicated GPS is offline support—as far as I
know, both iOS and Android require an internet connection to calculate a
route, so if you don't have cell service, you're out of luck. Since dedicated
GPS devices have everything locally, they just do all that work without having
to talk to a server.

~~~
there
The upcoming Maps update for Android will have offline support so you can pre-
cache a selected area.

[http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/6/3068113/google-maps-
offline...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/6/3068113/google-maps-offline-for-
android-coming-soon)

~~~
dataminer
Will it support offline navigation? Map caching has been available as an
experimental feature for quite a long time.

~~~
rogerbinns
I can't imagine that navigation will work offline. Currently the directions
and rerouting are calculated by Google's servers, not on the client device.
Obviously trivial routing can be done on the device, but proper routing would
need a lot more data to be present, and cover the whole route.

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jpxxx
Boats. Airplanes. Backpackers. Campers. Adventurers. People who need routes
anywhere the network isn't real or good enough.

But mom? Yeah, she's not going to struggle with a Garmin or try to get the
piece of shit in her car dash to work.

Thank you Google!

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gamble
And yet, standalone GPS systems are still absurdly expensive. I was looking at
a handheld system with topological map support for hiking this summer, and the
Garmin options basically _start_ at $250 - and don't even include the maps,
which are $100 on their own.

Motorcycle GPS? $700 please.

None of Garmin's standalone GPS products are remotely as capable as a free-on-
contract Android smartphone, but they cost as much as an unsubsidized high-end
handset. And you have to keep paying every year for updated maps.

~~~
_mayo
It may be that they feel they can charge more due to offline capabilities of
dedicated GPS devices.

~~~
gamble
Could be. It's definitely possible to do everything offline with a smartphone,
but it isn't easy yet. I ended up buying a couple of topo map apps on my
iPhone, and they did everything I needed.

------
SlipperySlope
Convergence happens when an available device is good enough to replace a
purpose-built specialized device.

~~~
huggyface
"Good enough" being a compound factor. The best common smartphone (e.g. GS III
/ iPhone 4S) still pale compared to a decent P&S, but the convenience of being
able to share/upload/utilize those photos overcomes the imaging deficiency.

Just thought it was worth mentioning that. I love my T2i, but most of the time
I leave it sidelined simply because it's such a PITA -- relative to a
smartphone -- dealing with the photos.

~~~
r00fus
I think the smartphone has effectively killed the P&S for me and other folks
in similar ages in my circles.

It used to be a) DSLR for events + b) P&S for hiking/casual/video. But now the
(b) slot is completely replaced by my iPhone. I haven't replaced the DSLR
since 2004 (O.G. rebel + nifty fifty), but will probably replace that before I
ever consider getting another P&S camera.

------
rogerbinns
I've got both an Android phone (Galaxy Nexus) and a Garmin in my car. The
Android has a smaller screen and more up to date maps. The Garmin shows the
maps better (spatial awareness) and its instructions are better, plus more
complete when roads do things like fork. Additionally I can actually read the
Garmin in sunshine while wearing sunglasses - something that is considerably
harder for the Android.

But another generation or two of displays and they'll no longer be an issue. I
don't hold out much hope for the friendliness of Google's map display and
instructions, but suspect most people won't care, and certainly won't care
enough to fork our for a PND.

It is interesting to see how companies are responding. Garmin are now letting
their devices cooperate with your phone with SmartLink:
[http://gpstracklog.com/2012/06/garmin-smartphone-link-
review...](http://gpstracklog.com/2012/06/garmin-smartphone-link-review.html)

Also interesting is the Parrot Asteroid. The concept is great - a head unit
running Android - but the implementation is truly awful.
[http://www.parrot.com/usa/products/bluetooth-hands-free-
car-...](http://www.parrot.com/usa/products/bluetooth-hands-free-car-
kits/parrot-asteroid)

------
jack-r-abbit
Well... the article focuses on the car nav units. I've started using my phone
with Waze for car navigation and it works great. So much better than the Nuvi
I used prior. But "Portable GPS Devices" are used for more things than car
nav. As much as I love my phone, it is no where near as rugged as my DeLorme
GPS. When I'm out in the woods hiking or looking for a geocache, I'm not
reaching for my phone.

------
jackalope
I love the Navigation app on my Android, but I can use up my monthly data
allotment in one day. Until I get unlimited data or Navigation stops
overriding my low bandwidth settings, I'll continue to use my TomTom (terrible
UI by comparison, but good enough directions).

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seanalltogether
I've only ever used a gps device in a rental car, and that hasn't changed
since owning an android phone, so I imagine that as long as these gps
manufacturers continue close ties with rental agencies they will continue to
live on.

------
diminish
and nokia had killed the alarm clock in late 90s for me.

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beej71
There are still GPS applications out there the phone isn't so great. Number
one on the list is fitness. Number two I'd say is precision. My Garmin owns
the phone in that regard, but really who cares except for mappers and cachers,
and half the cachers will just use their phones anyway.

"Just killed" is a bit extreme. How about "have been killing for the past
three years and are continuing to kill now"? But, yes, the standard GPS is
going the way of the standard PnS camera.

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DrJokepu
No, they have killed them years ago but maybe this wasn't obvious up until
now. It takes time to work out deficiencies and for the market to react.
Remember this when the next time someone is arguing that even though Product X
is looking less and less relevant, "it's far from being dead, in fact, it's
selling more than ever."

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dataminer
Will ios6 support offline navigation? Thats one of the killer features
currently missing on Android as well.

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tchvil
This will work fine in Europe as long as we stay in our own country. The
prohibitive rooming costs make us all turn off data when we cross the border.
Long life to GPS devices over here!

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mcantelon
Android's Navigation app first came out a year or so ago and since them I've
used it during travel in regions where a network is available. Odd that this
is still considered news.

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latchkey
Funny, I just said the same thing here a few days ago.
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4079010>

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mvkel
1) Offline support 2) Devices, maybe, but companies, no. In iOS 6, in very
very small print, it says "data provided by TomTom"

