Wholly OT: I will respond to questions, and queries, but otherwise this will be the only post on this topic for my friends on a.h.r who may be interested in offline map routing programs.
I posted this to: alt.satellite.gps,alt.comp.freeware, & to comp.mobile.android (which is a rather new newsgroup).
Here's my overall quick summary of 20 suggested free offline map apps: (Please suggest any other offline map app you want tested!)
Top five *offline gps map routing Android free apps*:
- MapFactor: Navigator, v1.0.35, Database = OSM formatting linkBy far, the most logically intuitive GUI for an automotive GPS navigation system. PRO: Has a businessrivate odometer which might be handy for tax purposes. PRO: Search has options for nearest to map center, gps position, or destination. PRO: Map view is easily switched between close, medium, and full-trip views. PRO: Navigate easily allows waypoints to be enabled or disabled CON: Does not speak road names (if it only had TTS, it would negate the need for OsmAnd~) CON: Printed guidance at the bottom of the display is far too small for automotive use CON: Enabling "Save as .GPX" crashed my phone every time it was enabled
- F-Droid: OsmAnd~, v1.5-ARM (X-86 & MIPS builds exist), Database = OSM formatting linkSpeaks road names! (TTS) in addition to spoken directions (British English) PRO: Users are encouraged to add their own POIs, addresses, and map improvements! PRO: Opensource plugins are readily available to enhance functionality PRO: Has an easy to use recording mode to save & replay your tracks PRO: Buttons click when you type them in a search CON: Can't route greater than 100 miles without waypoints (and it won't tell you that it won't) CON: Crashes a *lot* on my stock Samsung Galaxy S3 (Android 4.3) CON: Impossible to set a Favorite from the Favorites menu! Con: Direction guidance annoyingly says "milly" & "millies" instead of "miles")
- Aponia: Be-On-Road, v3.9.26239 Database = OSM formatting linkLogical initial MAP display PRO: Can find POIs that are along the route you've selected (more apps should have this!) CON: Does not speak road names (TTS). CON: Impossible to add a Favorite when in the Favorites menu! CON: Impossible to change the name of a Favorite without first deleting it! CON: Can't organize Favorites other than alphabetically! IRK: Favorites=Map->Menu->POI->Favorites->FAVORITES->My POI->favorite IRK: Menu->POI->Favorites->Favorites->My POI->SELECTION->Navigate
- Geolife: NavFree USA, v2.1.17, Database = OSM formatting linkSlick-looking GUI (but looks are deceptive) CON: Does not speak road names (TTS) CON: Impossible to add a Favorite when in the Favorites menu! CON: Impossible to change the name of a Favorite without first deleting it! CON: Miserable mechanism to rename favorites (basically it can't be done) CON: Even after rebooting, and deleting, it wouldn't rename a favorite! CON: Can't organize Favorites other than alphabetically! CON: Adware is somewhat obtrusive (not horrid, but not good) CON: POI search doesn't give street address (so they all look alike!)
- Zoff, ZANavi, v2.0.19 (OSM maps) formatting linkSpeaks American English TTS road names beautifully in addition to spoken directions PRO: The road-name display is the easiest of them all to read (outside of Google Maps) CON: User interface must have been written on Mars, it's that unintuitive! CON: No concept of favorites (they only have "Recent Destinations") CON: Only accepts GPS coordinates in degrees-minutes-seconds (not decimal degrees) CON: Many features are half baked so I must consider this beta software
Backup programs *to make up for offline deficiencies* in the above apps: A. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
B. Google: Maps, v7.4.0 Database = Google
Tested apps which *didn't make the top five* for a variety of reasons: a. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps
b. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite, OSM data
c. Telenav: Scout, v1.6.1.7610003
d. CloudMade: MapDroyd, v2.0.4, OSM data
e. 66: Navigate 6, v5.13.46.DB3B2C1.73F9DB5
f. Prodevelop: gvSIG Mini Maps, v1.2.3 PRO: The route "to here" usability should be a nice feature CON: The program crashed on me so many times I gave up. CON: The maps wouldn't start downloading (and they were only tiles anyway)
g. Google Waze PRO: Crowd-source up-to-date traffic information CON: Does not work offline, so it was not tested
h. Mictale: GPS Essentials, v3.2.9
i. Code Sector: Maverick Lite, v2.2, OSM & MapQuest & Microsoft & others
j. Ulmon, City Maps 2Go, v3.8.0.14, Database = OSM
These *hiking apps* were tested off road off trail offline: a. Google MyTracks, v2.0.5
b. Atlogis, US Topo Maps Free, v1.1.0
c. Asamm, Locus Free, v2.17.4