ViewRanger is specifically coded for the Symbian S60 platform, and a complete re-write would be needed to port to the iPhone's operating system, so I can't see it coming anytime soon.
"ViewRanger, the software that turns your Smart Phone into a GPS unit displaying Ordnance Survey mapping, is now available for the Nokia 5800 and other Symbian S60 touch screen mobile phones."
ViewRanger will not turn your smartphone into a GPS unit.....but the software will allow you to use a compatible phone with either an integrated GPS or an external bluetooth GPS to display OS maps on-screen. "Other Symbian S60 touch screen mobile phones" means Symbian S60 5th generation mobiles.
"The software also allows you to point at a landscape feature such as a hill and ViewRanger will identify and name that feature using its 3D Panorama Maps where available". - doesn't mean point the phone at it and the software will identify it. What this refers to is ViewRanger's panorama software that can use your GPS location to display a 360 degree, 3D, panorama of features than are, or would be, viewable from that position. With the panorama displayed you can then scroll until the features on screen match those in the direction you're looking. Physical features including lakes, mountains and settlements are marked on screen with their appropriate name tags, so if you don't know what a particular feature is you simply match up the panorama to the skyline view to find the place/feature's name.
I think that Oziexplorer is very much more interesting. It does work with opensource maps..... However there isn't a symbian version available only Windows Mobile compatible
Is it possible to print maps from this to use as a back up while you are out? Or do you need to buy paper maps or another printable system to go with it?
Also, it says it is £25 for all National Parks, is that each or for all of them in one purchase as could be implied?
Neither point is clear on their web site so any user feed back on these points would be good.
On the Nokia touch screen, can it be used with gloved hands or from inside a clear case? Is it a good weather only combo/system?
Is it possible to print maps from this to use as a back up while you are out? Or do you need to buy paper maps or another printable system to go with it?
Also, it says it is £25 for all National Parks, is that each or for all of them in one purchase as could be implied?
Neither point is clear on their web site so any user feed back on these points would be good.
On the Nokia touch screen, can it be used with gloved hands or from inside a clear case? Is it a good weather only combo/system?
Ta very much.
No you can't print print maps.
£25 covers all the national Parks at 1:50k
On the 5800 you can operate it in gloved hands, but like any mobilr phone based system it's not designed for bad weather.
Thanks, I went and tried the 5800 in store, rang Vodafone (negotiated!) and one is on the way. (Waiting in right now for the courier) I have since found my way around the web site and worked out what you get for what cash.
My phone contract was up so it was a logical intro to GPS for me. If I did not need a new phone and revised contract I am not sure I would go out of my way to buy into it.
Agree that it is a fair weather and occasional use system, no way I would dream of leaving the map at home in a new area on a iffy day. Not being able to print the maps is a major draw back in my mind but one that I will continue to live with through use of the local library and my not insubstantial map collection.
Does anybody make a Symbian simulator to run on windows or mac that would allow you to run your phone ap's, view and print screen?
If I was being picky I would also question the way in which you buy the preselected areas (this point is not just aimed at View Ranger.) Consider the option of buying the maps in dif' sections such as SE or SW GB rather than just north, south, wales etc. For example, how often will people in Cornwall need to be on the same map as Norfolk? Commercially and recreationally they have a limited amount in common, as do the visiters to each area. i.e. would it make more sense if the South West included Wales?
It would also be good if the national park selections went a bit further beyond the boundries, quite a few popular national park routes skim the edges of the park. I know the current set up means you have buy more maps but I think you could also argue that you would sell more if the map offer was more in line with social habits.
"a complete re-write would be needed to port to the iPhone's operating system, so I can't see it coming anytime soon." That would, in quite a large way, be their loss.
I'd say so.
I'm surprised with all the other apps you can get for the iphone, that somone, somewhere hasnt done it yet.
"Possibly, but the Symbian OS isn't exactly niche."
True. Symbian may get 500 million downloads from their app store in short order like Apple has. Let's watch and see.
With the iPhone, it may be Fugawi that get there first. They have something for boats at the moment. But their maps seem far too pricey to me, compared to Viewranger's pick and mix approach.
Well, iPhone applets is an interesting topic. The iPhone hasn't been around that long (at least compared to Symbian phones). And Steve Jobs has, historically, been rather keen on keeping his computer systems closed; a bit of control freakery (see Guardian article). So it's interesting that Apple have recently changed tack somewhat, and supported the idea of 3rd party apps on the iPhone, very successfully. The success of iPhone applets is down to the support for applet browsing and download on the phone; making it simple for the user to do, and supporting developers. A simple and clever piece of marketing.
There's no reason why Symbian or WinMobile phones couldn't do this, just that no-one has thought to put up an applet browser and download application. There's always been a Symbian Developer's Network, supporting 3rd party apps on Symbian.
Symbian OS has long had support for simple applet installation with their .SIS files (which date from the Psion5 EPOC32 era, which is Symbian's origin). My Psion 5 and Revo will both auto-install applications, upgrades, patches, etc using .SIS files. This made it a lot simpler than apps for the Psion Series 3, where you had to manually put the files in the right folders. Some authors supplied flat zip files and expected you to create the directory tree yourself; more savvy authors created zips with the appropriate directory structure, meaning all you had to do was copy the tree to the Psion.
Look out for applet browsers appearing on Symbian and WinMobile phones...
I should say that I hope that Symbian does succeed, or rather, continues its success, particularly if it keeps Windows Mobile at bay. I have Viewranger on my old Nokia N70 and it's great. I wouldn't call Viewranger an Applet, it is in my view a full desktop class application. I do all my routing and tracking and navigating easily on it. The only use I have for a desktop is getting gpx files off the web (and if the N70 had WIFI, I might be able to do that on the phone too.
The trouble with Viewranger comes when you want to do something a bit complex like importing a GPX, or viewing a graph. I counted 9 clicks to get to the folder where you can select a file. Menu, menu menu menu etc. It's too complex. That's what Symbian needs to fix, in my opinion. I don't know if the 5800 version of Viewranger tackles this, I read a bit in the manual about using a puck, which I think is a stylus. That suggests to me some way to go yet.
In the meantime, for iPhone users, you can get OS Maps on the iPhone (but without location awareness) with this.
Indeed. I looked at a mates' HTC Touch Pro recently, and couldn't believe how long it took to start up. My mapping colleague has just bought a Touch HD which seems to boot a lot quicker. His mapping applet works very nicely on the HD.
> I counted 9 clicks to get to the folder where you can select a file
That's not the fault of the OS; that's a fault of the application writers (I'd suggest)...Or the fact that, as you say, it's much more than an 'applet' (a term I was using very loosely above).
Nice link; I'll pass it on to my mapping colleague.
There are already Ordnance Survey maps on the iPhone available from the RouteBuddy Store. These maps load into the new iPhone application 'RouteBuddy Atlas' and v.1.0 is available as a free download from the iTunes Store; version 1.1 is currently in beta and will be adding more GPS features.
Should you wish to use any OS map purchased from us on a Mac then these maps also load in our desktop software 'RouteBuddy for Mac OS X'.
So far we have on offer all the OS Explorer and Landranger map titles giving nationwide coverage, with the Explorer maps selling for £19.99 ea. (£10 less than an equivalent, delivered, PC digital map) and Landranger maps for £9.99.
National Parks of the UK will be released shortly and at competitive prices with PC versions.
We also have a growing range of topographic maps for US states from USGS data (their OSGB).
For more info see the links below or contact us here: support@routebuddy.com
