Turn your mobile phone into a GPS with on-screen digital mapping software and lots more.
ViewRanger V2 - Tested
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Price:
£25
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Weight: N/A
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Features: GPS for
mobile phones with on screen OS mapping, live tracking, and
unique panorama view without the expense of additional
hardware. Plus navigate, track your routes, track your
buddies, import and export data.
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What's It For?
Simple really, ViewRanger software turns Symbian S60-based mobile
phones - that's most Nokia units for starters - into a GPS complete
with on-screen digital OS mapping.
The Techy Bits
When ViewRanger emerged a couple of years ago it offered a unique
opportunity for most mobile phone users to access digital mapping and
GPS.
After multiple awards the software has been upgraded and improved,
offering support for the growing number of handsets with integrated
GPS. The original features are now complimented by custom map
selection, live map downloads and an option to have your position
tracked live on the internet.
More than ever the software offers a realistic, entry level price,
option for accurate location finding and route recording without the
outlay on dedicated hardware.
With digital OS maps starting from £25 for the UK National
Parks (1:50k) it's not going to break the bank, and ViewRanger now
offers a choice of mapping downloads at both 1:50k and 1:25k. You can
also select a customised mapping area to suit your trip.
On the off chance you wander off the edge of your installed map
there's now an option to select and download additional maps live
from your phone via the company's own server. The server is also the
hub for ViewRanger's shared resources, where you can upload and
download pictures and text shared with other users.
Track Your Mates...
You'll also need to connect online to the main server to take
advantage of the superb Buddy system. This is similar to the SPOT
emergency device tracker, but without the high subscription overhead,
with the additional feature of showing tracked friends' position live
on screen.
The unique 360 degree panoramic view lets the user see, and
identify, natural features from hills to lakes and villages complete
with interactive tags. Using a data connection to the company's
servers the name tags can display further information on each of the
features and link to shared information from other users.
How It Performs
Viewranger works on any Symbian 60 based mobile, which means
pretty much any of the common Nokia handsets, and is compatible with
both integrated and stand-alone Bluetooth compatible devices.
In use it's obvious that the application has been specifically
designed for mobiles, with a simple to use interface. The downside of
using a mobile. compared to a dedicated receiver, is button size,
with real restrictions when wearing gloves.
The most common features, including a quick grid reference, have
been designed for easy access direct from the main menu, and on
screen mapping is very clear. All the usual features of a GPS are
present, from waypoints to route tracking, and ViewRanger uses the
GPX file format, making it easy to transfer routes between the device
and OM's new routes system.
Usiing real digital OS maps also gives it an instant edge for many
users over most stand-alone GPS units which have at best only basic
topographical mapping, so don't assume that it's automatically second
best. You can still plan and follow routes on your phone, or transfer
routes from many mapping software packages.
GPS has become mainstream over the last few years, as has
taking a mobile onto the hill. ViewRanger offers an opportunity to
combine the two technologies in a single device and save the weight
of an additional device.
The Buddy tracking system is a major boost, offering a feature not
available yet in mainstream outdoor specific GPS receivers and
providing a very useful additional security option.
Most of all the software offers an easily affordable introduction
to the world of GPS for millions of mobile phone users, providing all
the best features of GPS and mapping software without needing to
invest in a stand-alone GPS unit.
And as GPS integration in mobile phones becomes standard the
ViewRanger software is likely to become increasingly popular. See the
web site for a full run-down of the package's capabilities.
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Integrates two functions in a single unit, OS mapping, Buddy
system is excellent.
Toughness depends on the design of your particular mobile
phone.
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Know more or want to?
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Richard Gear or try a posting to our
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