Ummm... Apple Watch (iPhone 6). Tempting

[Strider]

So the software is bung and its so poorly made it bends in your pocket. I am honestly amazed iPhone are even still in the running.

[GPSGuided]

So the software is bung and its so poorly made it bends in your pocket. I am honestly amazed iPhone are even still in the running.

The only idiots are the users and those who spin the facts. All just simple material science and affect every single smartphone that go for big and thin. Get over it!



http://www.redmondpie.com/the-samsung-g ... nd-cracks/

[walkon]

Calm down Gpsg, let's just wait and see what the reviews are in a few months. I never believe any reviews that are published so soon after the release date.
Personally I like the pic that compares the iphone 6 with a banana, though the above pic is similar

[GPSGuided]

Above is a Samsung.

[Mark F]

You can destroy most phones by sitting on them but it is interesting that I can't remember any other phone where this became a media issue so soon after release. Sour grapes or a problem?? I don't know.

As many comments in this thread allude to, smart phones are rapidly gaining the required features to make them a serious threat to stand alone gps units. I am heading out tomorrow with my Samsung S4 and GPS Maps software (with lpi pdf maps) to walk Hilltop to Katoomba via Kanangra Walls over 7 days. My only power source is a Anker 6000mAh power bank (150 grams) which should recharge the phone twice. I like looking at maps while I walk so I plan to give it a serious work out but if I run out of juice I do know my way to Katoomba and have paper maps . I really want to find the edges of these technologies - I just received the makings of a 50 - 60 gram 700mA @ 5v solar panel but am yet to put it together - this, along with a reasonable power storage source should be able to provide adequate power to keep a smart phone based system operational indefinitely at a sensible weight.

I expect that ultimately the closed nature of Garmin's vector mapping file structure, small screens, outdated technology pathway (always 2+ years behind) etc are going to see their demise in the handheld gps market.

[Strider]

That may be so GPS, but is is clear that iPhone is falling short in multiple areas. They were overtaken by Samsung upon release of the Galaxy S2 and even with the iPhone 6 still have feature sets which lag by several years when compared with Samsung's current offerings.

Remember that Steve Jobs only designed products to last Apple up until 2015. After that they are on their own, and cracks are already starting to show (excuse the pun).

[GPSGuided]

That may be so GPS, but is is clear that iPhone is falling short in multiple areas. They were overtaken by Samsung upon release of the Galaxy S2 and even with the iPhone 6 still have feature sets which lag by several years when compared with Samsung's current offerings.

Apple's iPhone was never about putting another entry on the spec sheet unless it's of real value. The value of i-devices to many of its users is that it's functional and comes in a well designed package. Seamless interface with desktop computer and other services are but part of that package. As an analogy that was introduced much earlier, it's as for HiFi systems designed by the British and the Japanese. Japanese units invariably had 20 knobs/switches with tech sheet pointing left right and centre while the British unit just has the basic 4-5, and sounded much better.

Apple like all companies have always made errors here and there, even whilst Jobs was at the helm. Nothing unusual. Right now, Apple bashing has turned into a sport that's good for media revenue and Android. Pretty meaningless unless one likes being led by pointless media spins.

[DanShell]

My youngest son and wife upgraded to the iPhone 6 and they are both very happy.

As I may have mentioned earlier in this thread, we are a family of Apple users so it's a complete system for us from the desktop computer through to the wireless system to the smaller I gadgets right trough to the TV. It all works seamlessly together. We will never go back to windows/android type systems.

But anyway the good thing about them upgrading is I got myself the handmedown iPhone 5! In fact I just purchased SOB's mapping app and I've so far taught myself how to use the tas gov maps and save them for offline use

[GPSGuided]

I still haven't found any references by reviews and apps making specific use of the barometer data. Guess it's not a high priority function. Just waiting...

[photohiker]

I expect that ultimately the closed nature of Garmin's vector mapping file structure, small screens, outdated technology pathway (always 2+ years behind) etc are going to see their demise in the handheld gps market.

Garmin's map format is not closed. It supports commercially locked mapping but that is not the same thing.

Given that you can get a water, shock and bend proof Etrex for a couple of hundred dollars that is a navigation specific device, weighs 146g with batteries (about the same as your battery pack), runs about 3 days on a set of replaceable batteries and will take a lot of maps (home grown or commercial), I wouldn't hold your breath.

[GPSGuided]

Consumer Report has released its finding on bendability of smartphones.
- All will deform when the force is excessive and iPhone 6/6Plus is not at the bottom of the heap.
- Whilst Galaxy Note 3 was the strongest, it failed to function electronically when deformed. Most others continued to function even when deformed.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news ... /index.htm

Anyone who exerts more than 60lb of force on their phone should think again how they are using the devices. Hardly a manufacturers' issue.

[Mark F]

photohiker - can you direct me to Garmin's publicly available specification for the file format of their img file (vector maps)? I can't find it - all I can find out there are other people's work on reverse engineering the specification - to me that means it is closed or proprietary. I have used home made raster maps from geo-referenced scans on my eTrex 30 (2.2" 176 x 220 pixel screen) and they really do not compare to good vector maps on a 5" 1080 x 1920 screen where with gestures you can scroll around an entire lpi 1:25k map with absolutely minimal effort.

I have just come back from a 4 day walk using my Samsung S4 with GPS Maps and the lpi map sheets and found that with no tracking but quite heavy use the battery went from full to 48% over 3 quite long days.

[photohiker]

Whether Garmin releases the spec or not is moot. It's out there and in common use. Garmin is not and has not attempted to close the gate, the genie has well and truly bolted. Garmin also offers open use of raster images on newer devices as you know.

Raster maps on a 1080 x 1920 screen compare favourably with a 176 x 220 screen. Who would have guessed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garmin_.img Describes the basics of the Garmin image format.

Tracking is one of the basic features of GPS use in my experience. The advantage is that on the track you can walk back out when lost by following your trail. Turning it off changes the GPS power drain considerably. I'd guess your ETrex would go for weeks if you treated it the same as your S4. Try dropping your S4 into a creek and onto some rocks and see how it compares.

Bottom line is a GPS is a specific purpose instrument, a smartphone is a multipurpose instrument. Take your choice, there are advantages and disadvantages for each. I use a smartphone as a backup device for my GPS and if I need to see hi res mapping, I use paper maps as I find them better than displaying them even on a 1080P display.

[GPSGuided]

I gather that Garmin has been trying to cover their base on the smartphones too with an ever increasing range of apps and services on that platform. They can see the convergence and impact on their core business and traditional product lines.

[Mark F]

It is rather like smart phones scavenging sales of cheap point and shoot cameras.

The latest version of PDF Maps has a couple of useful new? features - maybe I hadn't noticed them until now.
- The gps location circle grows and shrinks as the accuracy of the fix changes.
- The gps location circle has a small arrow on one side that points to where the phone is being pointed.
- When choosing a map to display you can now see the relative position of each map in relation to the current position.

[GPSGuided]

Mark, you are on Android, right? Avenza PDF Map hasn't updated since Jun on iOS and I am expecting an update for iOS 8 soon. Those features you talked about has been in other mapping apps on the iOS for quite a while now. Avenza hasn't been the most energetic of developers in keeping up with features and updates.