I loved my old iPhone, as most people that know me will attest. It was a very loved and well used phone. I traded up from a reliable, but lame blackberry 7000whatever to the iPhone. I waited in line for the this phone, just 21 days after I hurt my eye. I spent a lot of time on the couch face down after my injury and the iPhone was a great tool for keeping me occupied during my recovery. So when they announce the 3GS it took me a little time to decided to upgrade (about 4 days). One of the main reasons that I upgraded was the GPS. I dont have a GPS in my car or truck and we dont have a Tom Tom or a Nuvi. The KU are GPSless or at least we were until we both got 3GS’s (?).
When Apple announced the 3Gs, they had Tom Tom demo the up and coming app. I was sold. I rationalized getting the new phone based off how much money I would save NOT buying an stand alone GPS. So I waited, and waited, and waited. There has been a few nav apps available on the App Store. But I passed them up waiting for the Tom Tom app. And I wait. And waited. Then two days ago the Tom Tom app dropped…. for $100. And suddenly my entire rationale for getting new phones was out the window. For $100 I can buy a Tom Tom unit, that comes with a suction cup mount. If I buy the iPhone app I still would have to hold my phone in my hand and like it idiot. So getting to the point, I’ve started testing GPS app alternatives. Starting with a $1.99 app called Roadee.
I had high hopes for this app. I mean I spent almost 2 dollars on it. And its kind of open source, and I think that’s cool (I live in Portland, so I kind of have to). It uses OpenStreetMap.org maps, so I figured that if it could not give me good directions at least open source way finding could possibly be exciting. I have to admit I got kind of smiley when I first launch it and pulled out of the driveway. I mean it figured out the best way for me to drive and them recalculated the route for me as I decided to go east instead of west (still pulling out of my driveway). However after the 3rd intersection I was ready to throw it out a window. The problem was that it was having to download the map while giving directions. So it was not able to keep up with my driving in normal traffic. I kept missing turns, much to Johanna’s delight. The quote form her tonight, as I tried to incorporate Roadee into out evening of house hunting was: “You alway rely on new technology, and it alway lets you down”.
Story of my life.
I’m going to find a $5 GPS app and try it next. Baby steps.