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Lappen
Barker
Joined: Oct 29, 2005
Posts: 152
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
June 09, 2007 - 08:06 AM |
 
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| Post subject: Nokia N95 GPS |
Anyone that can give some review of the GPS? Is it working well in Shanghai/China? Any other comments about the N95?
Thanks! |
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computersolutions
SuperStar
Joined: July 02, 2006
Posts: 1543
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
June 09, 2007 - 10:28 AM |
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Haven't tried phone with internal GPS, but I can tell you about the stuff I have.
Its all about the maps baby!
I have a e61i, with TomTom (only out of china maps, but its definitely the coolest - the HK maps rock!), smartcom gps (jpeg maps, and a little crummy interface wise but alright), and Route 66 (china maps, but some parts of shanghai missing so far, hoping for an update soon la). Route 66 works pretty well, and its in english, although the maps are in chinese. Luckily i read chinese after all these years  , even if the directions are a little off occasionally. Other choices are MapKing, but its too chinesey for me. (Interface design bloweth)
For me its all good, i spent 2 or 3 hours downloading and messing around with them to get them working. I'd get Route 66 if it was available easily here - its fairly decent, and worth the money.
Ask me via pm for the software if you need. Route 66 is chabuduo 300 meg or so with the china map, so you need a sd/xd/whatever card in your phone.
I bought a gps holux 526? series 3 gps device the other day - 800rmb, but works reasonably well. Works better than the Nokia LD-3, which was my other choice. The reviews agree with my findings, which is encouraging. Takes about 30 seconds in the car before it syncs with Route 66, but from then on I get directions to where I'm going, although sometimes I disagree with the route. Its good if you are going to outer pudongland, as thats my weakness - i really don't know pudong, so i get map, directions, and turn left, turn right from the phone/gps software, and i'm good.
Most stores will throw in software if you don't have it, as long as you buy the gps device.
Be careful though - I've already lost a window to thieves. Hide the gps, they are highly sellable, so don't leave stuff in plain sight, or some **** will smash the window and steal all your toys. Has happened to me already (At Pier One, godammit)
I lost an iPod and my phone chargers. Which was more annoying than anything else, as the repair place was the other side of town past Hong Qiao.
Luckily replacement windows cost about nothing here, but you waste a day running around... |
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computersolutions
SuperStar
Joined: July 02, 2006
Posts: 1543
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
June 09, 2007 - 10:33 AM |
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Addendum - I've tried the Nokia map software - but its rather non useful for China. There is a Shanghai directory, but you can't purchase it, and their online stuff is a little broken. (At least from my experience). It looks rather good, but only if you are in europe. So Route 66 + China map is still the clear winner for us in China Land. |
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IT Support - http://www.computersolutions.cn | Web Design - http://design.computersolutions.cn |
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sinned69
SuperStar
Joined: Sep 01, 2004
Posts: 1467
Location: China, Middle East, Asia Pacific
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Dec 15, 2007 - 12:52 PM |
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| Post subject: N95 |
i considered a N95 being a Nokia fan from way back, but its symbian OS doesn't support much else aside from games, ring tones and some simple applications... it has a major drawback in being that there is not of really useful software for it... cross platform wise...
i ended up going for a PPC for this reason... have access to such a broader range of software and applications as well as more options for GPS...
i have some substantial posts previously on this topic... suggest a search if you're interested...
here's my take... on phone/PPC/PDA's with inbuilt GPS...
i use a HTC-P3300 and ditched the preloaded TomTom... who don't have mapping of China.
i use MapKing2007 (MK) English version with many different maps of China some with pinying and some with Chinese characters.
Also have and use Route66 (R66) with a map of China.
my take on comparison...
MK maps are much smaller file sizes compared with the R66 map of China which is 320mb currently (thats just the map size) and therefore they tend to lack a little detail, like POI categories, detailed roading such as showing actual lanes in each direction. Also MK lacks a little in identifying overpasses etc, which can be a pain when taking a route that passes under or over another road, and MK tries to route in a way that physically doesn't exist, such as when an expressway overpass cuts over a road and there's no physical way to get onto the overpass road at that location, but MK routes as though there is. R66 doesn't have this problem that i found at this point.
MK though has a much more intuitive interface IMO. when MK is started it doesn't connect automatically to GPS, so one can use the map in a more functional useful way, such as scrolling from one point to another, as opposed to R66 which tries to connect to GPS automatically on activation. There is a way to scroll the China map but its far too cumbersome since it involves far too many steps to do it. not much help when you are on the fly, trying to reroute or plan a route by seeing alternatives at the same time.
MK is easily bought back to the menu when the its in GPS mode, and the menu options are intuitive and logical, easily navigated. e.g. if i find a place i want add as a POI, when i'm in MK GPS mode i touch the touchscreen with my finger (don't need to use the stylus), the menu comes up while the GPS is still activated in the background, i then hit the button for add POI called "MOB", then i hit the "go back" button and i'm back to the map in GPS mode. try to do this in 3 easy steps in R66... sorry no can do, it takes far more steps, requiring more concentration resulting in stopping the car or motorbike...
one major POI category missing in R66 compared with MK is speed
cameras. -a major necessity IMO. i have downloaded the R66 safety camera update and installed it, but nothing has changed in the categories section, so even if i want to manually add a speed camera location which is easily done in MK, which can then be edited so that one gets a verbal warning in MK, this doesn't seem to be the case with R66 thus far in China.
R66 big map of the whole of China is far too memory intensive, and if one chooses a long distance route (as i often drive or ride) then there are some memory problems being able to choose the routing type, such as avoiding expressways, toll roads etc. therefore in my situation, i need to downscale my route into smaller parts to use the various routing functions.. that just sucks in comparison to the ease of use department.
MK do have an overall map of China named China cities 2003 which just gives the major roading network from and between cities, but not detailed maps of the cities themselves, alternatively MK have broken China into many different parts, like major cities having their own maps, or area maps like pearl river delta or yangtze river delta etc. the downside is that the maps are now a little stale, not having been updated in most cases since 2006, which you know in China is a big deal since everything is changing so rapidly.
also i have found some glaring omissions for some routes, with some portions of national highways or expressways non existent on the maps, or having major alignment issues. R66 does have a few areas where this also is an issue, but less frequently.
for me...
i prefer the ease of use of MK, its less resource hungry and therefore this shows in its responsiveness and usability, its easy and more logical and is more operator friendly when wanting to use on the fly such as interacting with the menu, or wanting to scroll a map, but the maps have alignment issues and need major updating.
R66 has the detail lacking in MK, it looks a little more polished with a slightly nicer sleeker interface, but the map is way too big (they should make it more regionally based like the MK approach). R66 doesn't seem to support the inclusion of speed cameras in the POI category, but has way more POI categories than MK. sorry but i prefer the speed camera POI ability than some of the others...
and in China is speed camera overkill
i also think that for a device the HTC TyTN-II would rank up there for an all inclusive device that should be able to handle the requirements of R66...
thats my kuais worth |
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