For shorter activities outside, I now only use the Viewranger Outdoor Navigation App.
The Viewranger App (For iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Nokia Symbian and BlackBerry available) card software and navigation device in one. On maps are both free open source maps of openstreetmap available, as well as paid topographic maps. The navigation device Everything you expect from such a software and a little more: you have the option ofBuddy beacons"To send. With the beacons, for example, over the Internet at any time the current position can be displayed on a map. Other app users could also have the position of the "Buddy" displayed directly on their smartphone. But more on that later.
The functional scope of Viewranger
Viewranger has the functionality of a normal navigation device, One can be both pre-made or planned at home routes upload to your smartphone and then use it as an on-the-go help. A trackingOf course, there is also function, so you can save the run route for later evaluation or presentation on a map as a GPX file. The special thing about Viewranger is the one mentioned above BuddyBeacon Function: at programmable intervals, the app sends the current position to the server of Viewranger. This allows, for example, the friends at home to see where they are right now and follow the progress of the company live. Even from the app itself, you can follow his buddies - practically if you should have got lost once on the road or want to know where the others of the group currently are. Once the cellphone network is unavailable, Viewranger stores the bacons and sends them collected as soon as they return Internet connection consists.
The map display in Viewranger is a special highlight. Not only free maps of Openstreetmap can be saved offline, high-quality topographic maps can also be purchased. Here you can either buy whole sets of cards, for example for a certain one national park, Or you select individual tiles of the target area and only pay for the areas that you really use. There is a selection of high quality products for a variety of areas worldwide topographic maps ready for download. For Germany, for example, the official TK50 and TK25 cards or the Swisstopo cards for Switzerland can be purchased. When changing a device or reinstalling a move of the purchased cards and map tiles is not a problem, you simply re-loads them on the smartphone, Viewranger remembers the purchased cards.
Interaction with Social Hiking / Shareyouradventure.com
I've been using Viewranger for a while now Social Hiking (shareyouradventure.com). Many readers will have already discovered the maps in some tours. To integrate these cards, you create an account on Social Hiking via an existing Twitter account, and the BuddyBeacons "pulls itself in" from the Viewranger app. For this, the BuddyBeacon PIN must be entered on Social Hiking. Several media accounts can still be added, for example, a tweet or an Instagram photo can be displayed directly on the map from where it was sent. Tip: You can also upload GPX tracks from past tours!
usability
As mentioned above, the app is ideal for shorter tours. The restriction comes simply through the Battery Life from smartphones. In addition, a mobile connection is required to send the beacons. On the other hand, the navigation function and map display are offline-capable. I get the battery problem under control or delayed a bit by getting a replacement battery and a power pack that can be operated with normal batteries.
Which (navigation) apps do you use outside?
