Android is a powerful platform that provides us with a great deal of functionality. One of its most popular uses is as a satellite-based navigation system or GPS. The only problem is choice; Android users shopping for a sat nav app may find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer amount of it. In order to help, here are five of the most popular options currently on the market.
Google Maps Navigation
Google Maps Navigation is a set of advanced sat nav features included in Google Maps. Google Maps, which is completely free, is one of the most comprehensive map systems available. Despite offering it free, Google updates the software regularly and also provides a high-level of customer support, this is something that not all pay-for GPS apps can boast about. The app provides multiple layers, an innovative search mechanism and both audio and visual turn-by-turn navigation. The one downside to this app is that the navigation logic is not sophisticated.
Copilot Live 8
The reason that the Copilot Live 8 is so popular is that it’s able to store its maps and related data locally. So unlike with Google Maps Navigation, if you lose your Internet connection, you can keep on driving and use the navigator just as you would with a standalone sat nav unit. The only drawback to Copilot Live 8 is that it doesn’t have all the search features that Google offers, but the far superior navigation logic more than makes up for that.
Sygic Mobile Maps 10
Sygic Mobile Maps became popular on the Windows Phone platform and then the iPhone before making its way to Android. That wait was certainly worth it. Mobile Maps 9, which boasted one of the better 3D sat nav implementations available, had an immediate positive effect on the GPS segment of the Android market. With version 10, we get an app that continues to be one of the more feature-rich options on the market.
Navigon MobileNavigator
The Navigon MobileNavigator boasts a “reality scanner,” which might just be the coolest feature available on a GPS. Simply aim the camera of your Android device at something, such as a building or landmark, and MobileNavigator will provide you information about that site. Of course, drivers won’t use this kind of feature every day, but it does make MobileNavigator the top sat nav choice for tourists.
Skobbler
Skobbler uses Open Street Maps, and since it’s completely free, it’s a real competitor to Google Maps Navigation. The one area where Skobbler sets itself apart from Google is with the navigation logic. Skobbler may be the best at that among the free apps. Google’s app is still far more polished overall, but Skobbler may be the better free option if efficiency is paramount.
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Bishwajeet
February 18, 2011 at 4:49 pm
I am using Google Maps ,will check out the others
Jason
February 19, 2011 at 12:25 am
You couldn’t have shared this post at a better time because I was actually thinking about getting a GPS app for my Droid. I like the reality scanner feature the Skobbler has, so I guess I will give that one a try first. Thanks for the great review, you saved me a a lot of time.
Computer Smart Phone Technology
February 28, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Nice write up, I am more used to Google Maps Navigation because it is the most popular.
Admin
March 13, 2011 at 11:53 pm
Thanks for the comments 😀
Paul
June 21, 2011 at 5:14 pm
IMO having tested all on Android:
Copliot 8: looks great, has TTS voice saying street names which I like although pronouncing words strangley sometimes – poor routing though in UK – took me weird ways to destinations when I tested
Navigon 3.6: very polished look, nice features, not too cluttered, routing in UK when I tested was very good, nice voice instructions and also has very polished TTS voice which is one of my TOP requirements for sat nav – Overall was very impressed with this option
Sygic 11 – Looks great inputting destination address was a bit confusing but the navigation screen looks very nice and uncluttered, voice instruction were nice but sometimes got cut off at beginning when I played the audio thorugh bluetooth equipped car cd/radio
Google Navigation – Nice clean navigation display, has TTS but sounds slightly robot like voice not as polished as some of the commercial TTS vpices which are very good these days
Choose Navigon for commercial sat nav with bells and whistles it’s really nice, but Google Navigation as a FREE option is more than good enough for most uses
Skobbler: I’ve never tried but will now !!
Jayven
June 24, 2011 at 10:35 am
Android is totally awesome! I like its cool and very functional features.
oaba
October 22, 2011 at 2:56 am
The best of the best is IGO my way for android.
ipleze
November 22, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Is there a gps app that works like a real gps what I mean can I put in locations like the ones used in geochacing and features where you can go back to where you were?
Lackner
April 2, 2012 at 6:16 am
I think there is an app like that i saw an article of an app like this with a features like what you are saying. i’ll try to check it out later and give you feedback…
mandy
June 17, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Ugh. I tried to read your article but this stupid floating social sharing widget on the left made it impossible. I’m sure it’s fine on a large screen but for the *many* people who use smaller screens (like my netbook) all it does is block a good portion of the text making it impossible to read anything on your site. You might want to consider making it either stationary so I can scroll down to get rid of it or making it easy to close out. I’m certainly not going to use it to recommend the blog to others who might be similarly annoyed by this idiotic plugin.
Admin
June 21, 2012 at 9:11 am
Sorry Mandy and thanks for bringing it to our attention. We have stopped the widget from floating. However, if the problem persists we may have to make it Auto-close whenever a reader clicks anywhere on the page. Your feedback is important to us so please let us know. Thanks again.
Garmin
October 20, 2012 at 4:21 am
I’m using the latest ios 6 building sat nav app.It’s also very great.I think maybe it’s better than google’s sat nav service.
Bolton
February 26, 2013 at 2:27 am
There are some amazing Android GPS Apps and I think the ones you have mentioned here are great options. It has killed of a large part of the traditional GPS business, but has been great in making it available to loads of users globally for a very low price or in many instances at no cost.
The result is that most people don’t use standard GPSs anymore and it has become more a tool in some specialized fields.
Abhishek
March 21, 2014 at 6:28 pm
i am more used Google Maps Navigation for search area, restaurant,hotels, peoples,and much more things to get easily via google maps.
Thanks For sharing all apps.
Abhishek