GPS device that works like a phone with google maps

[Pedro]

I know this might be a daft question to make, but is there any GPS device that works similar to a phone using google maps?

I would love to have something that uses and accesses google maps information and is easy to use both as a navigation device but also as checking where you are and what's around you like you can do on google maps, but isn't as poor in handling strong sunlight and temperatures. A normal phone doesn't like that, and I'm not sure sure about those rugged ones.

I use my iPhone when on the bike, and love that. It works fine enough and when it gets too hot for it to handle I just don't use it on the handlebar, however, I'm facing a conundrum.

Going to Morocco later on I'll have to buy a second phone as I'll need to keep my current portuguese number working properly for work reasons, but that doesn't give me a lot of data usage for Africa. So, I'll have to carry a second phone with a Moroccan card or buy a phone with two cards, having been stranded once before it's not a bad idea to have two phones, but here's my thing.

I like taking pictures and having them on the picture app in apple, with all the maps information on there, so an iPhone just works for me. On the other hand, it'll probably get a little too hot in several days, and I might stray off the road for a while in conditions where I like the device I'm using for orientation to keep working!

I'm not keen on carrying two phones plus a third gps device, and also don't really like gps devices and their limited information and databases, I don't want to load routes and shit like that beforehand but just go and wing it on the day having decided where to go.

Any suggestions on a device that isn't as fragile as a mobile phone but works like one with navigation?

[boboneleg]

I'd love to help you @Pedro but you may have seen my thoughts of using phones on bikes for navigation 

Try to talk to one of the scooter dudes who do deliveries (like Deliveroo) as they all seem to use phones so they must have something that works 

[Pedro]

15 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I'd love to help you @Pedro but you may have seen my thoughts of using phones on bikes for navigation 

Try to talk to one of the scooter dudes who do deliveries (like Deliveroo) as they all seem to use phones so they must have something that works 

Thing is, I don’t care what kind of device it is, it could well not be a phone since it worked in a similar way regarding maps and stuff like that. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

The Zumo XT has the bright screen, weather resistance, easy to follow instructions and can plan more interesting bike routes ('Adventure Route') but like you say limited database, its not intuitive in the same way as google maps and is slightly slow to respond to data input which isnt a biggy but it feels laggy. You can set it to show petrol stations, restaurants etc it has tripadvisor and foursquare on it (which contains airb&b & points of interest) and it links to your phone if you want to see txts/calls etc It also works easily with your gloves on.

I made a concerted effort to get to grips with it on my last jolly and found it faster to search google, mark the Garmin map and navigate to that mark. Using co-ordinates from google would be the way to go but there are different co-ordinate formats and Garmin and Googles are different. This can apparently be changed in settings but I havent got that far yet.

Some people link their second phone to their main phone so no need for a second SIM card and messages/calls then show but this doesnt fix the temperamental weather issues or the bright sunlight problem.

I believe the Tomtom Go is google compatible but I don't know if its robust/weatherproof as its not specifically designed for motorbikes.

Overall I love the clear easy instructions on the Zumo XT, the super bright screen and how robust its been, after a frustrating start with it I think its worth persevering with BUT this didn't stop me pulling over and checking google maps a couple of times for that last tiny bit when Garmin said I'd arrived and I hadn't. 

I bought mine updated it and left for Spain expecting it to work like google maps, it was soon abandoned on that first trip because on unknown roads in a different country your concentration needs to be on where you're riding not trying to fathom out what the GPS is doing. What I found very helpful while getting used to the Zumo was to have both the Zumo XT and the phone on the bars, it soon became apparent the Zumo's directions, display (speed limits etc) and (split screen showing which lane etc) was vastly superior to the overcrowded Google maps layout.

If you go for a separate GPS like the Zumo XT I'd advise getting it well in advance, the data update takes FOREVER and getting to grips with its foibles takes time. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

And yes a GPS that worked with google maps like a phone would be superb, if you find one let me know.

I got back and said if Garmin and Google could have baby and put it on a dedicated motorcycle sat nav that would be perfect. 

[Pedro]

7 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Some people link their second phone to their main phone so no need for a second SIM card and messages/calls then show but this doesnt fix the temperamental weather issues or the bright sunlight problem.

What I meant is that I need my portuguese number working normally for getting work calls without being too disruptive of that, while at the same time having more data volume in Morocco than I can get with that portuguese connection, hence keeping the portuguese card and using a Moroccan one for mainly data.

 

What you say about the garmin sounds right to me. I wouldn't bother getting anything like that for Portugal, and I think I won't either this time, will keep it simple like what I've been doing since after checking the gamin you mention they state a 6 hour battery life too? That's another thing I don't want to have on the handlebar, which is one more device and battery to worry about. 

Also I don't really need turn by turn navigation except in cities and that's a small amount of time overall, I much more prefer a moving map and checking with more or less a paper map inside my screen, if that makes sense.

[Specs]

Just put maps.me on your phone and download the area you need. Doesn't use any data. Not quite google maps but more than adequate.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

13 hours ago, Pedro said:

What I meant is that I need my portuguese number working normally for getting work calls without being too disruptive of that, while at the same time having more data volume in Morocco than I can get with that portuguese connection, hence keeping the portuguese card and using a Moroccan one for mainly data.

 

What you say about the garmin sounds right to me. I wouldn't bother getting anything like that for Portugal, and I think I won't either this time, will keep it simple like what I've been doing since after checking the gamin you mention they state a 6 hour battery life too? That's another thing I don't want to have on the handlebar, which is one more device and battery to worry about. 

Also I don't really need turn by turn navigation except in cities and that's a small amount of time overall, I much more prefer a moving map and checking with more or less a paper map inside my screen, if that makes sense.

Cities and road splits is where its most useful so might not really be worth the spend for you but its also better at showing what's ahead and where you don't have priority even without a destination set which is handier than it sounds.

The six hour battery life sounds optimistic to me, I've only used it once without charging it at the same time and it was nowhere near 6 hours, however it comes with a handle bar mount thats wired so it charges while its locked in the cradle on your bars so charging (even in torrential rain) is not an issue, its the one device I don't concern myself with whether its charged because it always is. Charging it off the bike involves a mini usb connector, why on earth they went for mini usb which absolutely no-one uses anymore I do not know.

If you're sticking with the phone then perhaps any second device will do for work? I've tried a combo of things in the past. Second phone for navigation, main phone for navigation and put my uk sim in my iPad for work stuff and Ive tried Apple Watch and iPhone - which I then discovered after I bought it UK apple watches sims don't work abroad  

I've bought a second sim for the same purposes as you want one in a different country 3 times now and found it worked out best when I asked the hotel staff to help me buy a sim. They get asked all the time and know where to go, which network is best and how much you should pay for the data you want, they also speak the lingo so you don't get ripped off.

You're still left with the bright sunlight and inclement weather issues though. I found a phone case with a plastic hood helped with the bright light a bit, not a lot but a bit.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Oh and google maps are also available to download and use offline.

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

I've bought a second sim for the same purposes as you want one in a different country 3 times now and found it worked out best when I asked the hotel staff to help me buy a sim. They get asked all the time and know where to go, which network is best and how much you should pay for the data you want, they also speak the lingo so you don't get ripped off.

No worries in Morocco, just stop at the first Inwi (which is the provider with absolutely best coverage nationwide) shop and you'll get a card with plenty of data and even some international calls to Europe for something like 10 or 15 Euros, cheaper than here. The dude will set it up, get paid in cash, no invoice, and you're away, no need for speaking languages or any complicated stuff. I wondered if I'd run out the next day as it seemed too easy and unofficial to me, but has worked flawlessly 4 times now using two different shops.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Bargain and good to know about 'Inwi'

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

A small triumph that feels like major one with the Garmin Zumo XT today. 

The difficulties entering the destination if the address doesn't exist or is not recognised and the sluggish map response while you find where you want to go by trying to marry up what you're looking at on google maps on the Garmin has been frustrating. 

Enter the Garmin Drive app. Simply copy n paste the coordinates or the address from google into Garmin Drive and it sends it straight to the Garmin. I don't understand why this app isn't mentioned, even the folk at the Garmin stand when I said I was having trouble entering destinations didn't mention it. 

Have tried it out with addresses, dropped pins and coordinates for the UK and Spain and it's worked seamlessly. Apparently 'what 3 words' works well with Garmin Drive too.

Very happy. 

Only a minor thing but if you copy coordinates remember to remove the brackets that google uses before sending. 

[boboneleg]

This sounds interesting but first of all what type of phone do you use ? 

I ask because I have the Garmin Connect app on my i phone but my Garmin Montana doesn't like the ios system that apple uses so the feckers will pair but it doesn't receive stuff (gpx routes etc) from my phone. .  My mate has a Samsung (android) and Connect works perfectly for him.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

1 minute ago, boboneleg said:

This sounds interesting but first of all what type of phone do you use ? 

I ask because I have the Garmin Connect app on my i phone but my Garmin Montana doesn't like the ios system that apple uses so the feckers will pair but it doesn't receive stuff (gpx routes etc) from my phone. .  My mate has a Samsung (android) and Connect works perfectly for him.

Iphone 13

I also have the Garmin Connect app because thats what was recommended. I found it rubbish. Garmin drive on the other had seems to be doing a cracking job.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/garmin-drive/id1276198893

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

@XTreme guess who chips in on the Garmin Zumo forum as admin?

Stu from Hull.

https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1669

[XTreme]

5 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

@XTreme guess who chips in on the Garmin Zumo forum as admin?

Stu from Hull.

https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1669

He has that forum as well? I noticed the subscriptions button!

[boboneleg]

So I just tried it, I have an i phone 7 and it really doesn't like the Garmin Montana.  To be fair to the drive app it doesn't even list the Montana 700i as a recognisable device 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

1 minute ago, boboneleg said:

So I just tried it, I have an i phone 7 and it really doesn't like the Garmin Montana.  To be fair to the drive app it doesn't even list the Montana 700i as a recognisable device 

No software updates available for them?

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

2 minutes ago, XTreme said:

He has that forum as well? I noticed the subscriptions button!

I didn't stick around long enough to look

[boboneleg]

Just now, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

No software updates available for them?

I'll check  later 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

6 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I'll check  later 

Garmin take forever to update (like hours) so best done overnight. 

iPhone's usually reasonably fast but depends how many updates are outstanding.

I also have an iPhone 7, next time I'm in Blighty I'll see if it works with Garmin Drive. Don't see why it wouldn't.

I once left updating my MacBook so long it had moved so far on the first update was no longer able to install.

The guy in the apple store had to take away and give it to the tech team

I also used to get it in the neck from Mr Slowly because I'd whine n moan my tech doesn't work and when he takes over all that's needed was an update with the bug fixes included.

For techy people it's a proper eye roll thing

[boboneleg]

I updated my Montana (just two small updates) but no real joy,  for whatever reason my phone just doesn't like it . I'll just continue to navigate with the Montana as a stand alone device, it does a pretty good job for my type of riding.

[Sir Fallsalot]

Just now, boboneleg said:

I updated my Montana (just two small updates) but no real joy,  for whatever reason my phone just doesn't like it . I'll just continue to navigate with the Montana as a stand alone device, it does a pretty good job for my type of riding.

Have you checked your phone is up to date Bob, What version IOS is on there. look in Settings-general- software update if you didn't already know

[boboneleg]

1 minute ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Have you checked your phone is up to date Bob, What version IOS is on there. look in Settings-general- software update if you didn't already know

Yes, it updated last week.  I've gone over this several times over the last year and even had an email conversation with the Garmin tech department, they admitted that the Montana works better with android phones.

[Sir Fallsalot]

Your fucked @boboneleg just checked and your phone is in technology terms a fossil, wont run the IOS needed for Garmin Drive