Got Gaia GPS?

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LandCruiserPhil

LandCruiserPhil

Peter Pan Syndrome
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Anyone running Gaia GPS on an android?
http://www.gaiagps.com/

Getting ready to jump to Giai GPS software and given app choices of Android and Apple. I have seen the apple version and I like it but never the android. Not being up to speed on apps would the Android and Apple version be the same? I have access to Anroid tablets so it would be my first choice but I dont want miss out on the feature the apple app I have seen gives.

What am I missing?
 
GWcruiser said:
A bit of a tangent, USGS maps are available for free. So far as I can tell, they lack the integration to a GPS to show where you are on them...

http://nationalmap.gov/
http://gallery.usgs.gov/videos/663
Click to expand...


I current have the entire state on USGS along with a couple other mapping programs I can run at the same time.

Im looking to go with one software with various types of maps with the capabilities of overlaying google earth via touch screen.
 
GeoPDF does that ... one click. Just no GPS position integration. I have a query into the folks making the maps if they know of a solution.

Untitled.png
 
According to the website:
"For the last 6 months, the core Gaia developers have endeavored to bring the same critically acclaimed mapping experience we offer on iOS to Android. We have tested the app iteratively with an open beta group throughout the summer, and with version 5 we’re ready to replace the old app completely with the new."

I took a course on phone/tablet-based navigation at the Overland Expo last week, and the instructor rated GAIA GPS as the best platform currently available. He was demonstrating it on an Android tablet, and it was impressive. I am going to make the switch from Backcountry Navigator to GAIA.
 
Two thumbs up for Gaia. I have used it for a little over two years now on my iPad and love it. It has made our exploration out west much more enjoyable. All four of the guys in our group use it and would recommend it.

Best,

Scott
 
Looks like it combines the functionality of two apps I use - Topo Maps and Motion-X GPS. I like the idea of only having to use one app, but for $20, I'll just keep using the two. Also, it looks like a subscription is needed for "premium maps." If any user can shed light on what that means, it'd be great. Topo Maps allows downloads of all maps for free, no subscription for higher quality.
 
x2 smittycrusher though i am running it on an old iPhone 4 mounted with a ProClip. I subscribed to the Pro service and am pretty pleased with the layers they provide.
 
The USGS puts out these rather nice maps that are free to download at NationalMaps... free to download and with good integrated GPS support from TerraGo using their Adobe Reader plugin (all free) - 15x and higher and 7.5k plus multiple years so you can compare now to then. ANd you can enbale layers as needed, no need for sat view? One check box turns it off;

Don't want isos or water features showing? Other boxes turn those off. And most all the layers work that way.

I haven't tried the GPS overlay - my notebook and Kindle Fire don't have a GPS - but according to everyone at USGS they say it works ather well, right down to tracking - add and modifying routes that can be shared.
 
Gaia provides USGS Topo (1:12000), USGS Aerial (1:12000), World Topo (:12000), Open StreetMap (1:3000) and USFS (1:12000) as a default. All maps are available via cellular to display in real time or you can choose to download a selected area of any of these maps for offline use. There are also a number of overlays that you can download.
 
Gaia sounds like it has some nice features... but at the same time it seems weird to pay for something that's available through our tax dollars at work. Also, the Gais maps are old versions. USGS has new maps available. Though, the older maps have some rather nice features like hand written notes of what's nearby. At NationalMaps you have to weed through what year of map you want, 1954, 1958, 1970, 1988, 2013, etc. Or just take them all and decide which one is best for that particular place.

Belmont.png
 
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Sounds cool, I'll have to check it out. Can't beat free. The main selling point for Gaia, for me, was the ease of use of the UI, setup and controls are great, customizable GPS related data points displayed on screen with map, (current speed, altitude, page, moving time, stopped time, current long/lat, etc...) and the ability to take a photo waypoint with your tablet/smartphone and have it accessible on the map. Some of these additional features made the 30 or 40 dollar price (don't remember exactly...) worth it to me. I'm not sold on the 40 per year "Pro" version which gives access to additional map sources, allows user to overlay multiple maps, gives access to weather and tide overlays and some other stuff I haven't looked into. If they would sell these features for a one-time additional fee or just bundle it all into a more expensive version of Gaia I'd consider but not interested in the subscription thing.
 
sxwatson said:
Gaia provides USGS Topo (1:12000), USGS Aerial (1:12000), World Topo :)12000), Open StreetMap (1:3000) and USFS (1:12000) as a default. All maps are available via cellular to display in real time or you can choose to download a selected area of any of these maps for offline use. There are also a number of overlays that you can download.
Click to expand...


What are you using Android and Apple?
 
I'm using the Apple platform.
After watching this Android review here:

The features available on Android look to be the same the UI is different though. This review is dated January 2013 so I'm sure some improvements have been made since.
 
I run it on iOS. I have converted many people on Android to it and none have complained. All have been very happy with it. It's a great app. Version 9 for iOS is in beta testing.... I also have an Android tablet that I play with and paid to have GAIA on it.
 
Time to chime in...Android Gaia/Samsung Tab4 details:
  1. I bought a Samsung Tab 4 ~11 days ago from BB (14-day return policy, it's going back).
  2. I got a trial version of Gaia (customer service from Gaia sent me the link, I never saw it on the the Google store).
  3. I've recorded three trips via Gaia on the Tab 4, quick impressions as I need to hop back to the job:
    • Tab4/Gaia combo isn't "perfect":
      • 7" form factor probably isn't one that Gaia tests with via Android (possible iOS devices) - found myself having to routinely rotate the Tab4 to account for the popup keyboard Gaia wants you to interact with when saving pictures and/or adding/editing Notes against record(ing/ed) trips. The screen rotation, as it is with any "smart" device, can be pretty frustrating if it is something you have to repeatedly do and this is definitely the case during my limited use in the past ~1.5 weeks (yes, I'm impatient but that extra second or two delay each time I'm waiting for this frustrates the bejezus out of me)
      • Tab4 simply seems a bit underwhelming (performance standpoint). I proactively saved a map which covered any/all areas I've recorded trips against but Gaia doesn't always feel like it's working off a local map - plenty of occasions were painfully slow to wait for GPS updates to get me back to the map when in the field.
      • Saving a pic as a waypoint isn't optimized from a UX standpoint - it's a two-step "save" process. First, you have to confirm the pic you've taken is adequate (save/cancel) and next you have to wait for a GPS data pull before the pic becomes available to title and/or add notes against (requiring another 'save'). Once you're at this stage, this is where the keyboard popup gets in the way if you're holding the tablet in landscape - that keyboard literally blocks you from hitting 'save' and there's no way to get to the 'save' button without rotating again to change the layout (taller layout accommodates the keyboard underneath the data entry/button (save/cancel) area whereas landscape - no luck). It's extremely frustrating after you've done it a few times recognizing you'll be doing it again, and again, and again.....this entire sequence should be optimized in one step (asynchronous gps data pull against single data entry/save/cancel activity on the user's part).
    • Exports (I emailed two to a buddy who gave me some feedback) - GPX export was fine with the exception that when I was "walking around", his import doesn't sound like it made anything legible on his side (he's using MotionX via an iPad). As I didn't see what he is describing, I can't qualify further, just passing along. Further, exports don't include pics taken as waypoints - very disappointing since that's a big part of the overall GPS experience in today's digital file-sharing world.
    • All-in-all, Gaia is pretty intuitive and I generally really liked it. It was extremely useful to have a 7" tablet with me on Saturday morning as I made my thru some trails I'd never been on and had a clear picture of my ultimate destination. LOVED that aspect of things.....there are some UX quirks I'm sure could be fairly easily overcome with their programming team (performance, testing and usability with 7" form factor in both portrait and landscape modes, eliminate redundancy in terms of data entry steps).
  4. I'm returning the Tab4. In general, it's possible that I'm simply too accustomed to my iPad but:
    • wouldn't repeatedly re-join my wireless despite everything else I've got automatically and quickly jumping back on (REALLY irritating and the UI/settings steps to re-join are nowhere as reliable or effective as with other devices)
    • too many times it would "freeze" doing some kind of update or data pull - I literally just had to put it down on several occasions and let it complete whatever it was doing despite the fact that I was intentionally only running maybe three apps at a time (Gaia, Chrome, camera)
    • it's more $$ than I wanted to spend in searching for a dedicated tablet/GPS combination.
  5. My next trial will continue to use Gaia against my iPad (Gen 1) but with a purchased remote GPS puck doing the streaming. I run software dev teams and want to give the Gaia folks a chance to look at some updates with their app before abandoning ship - it'd be hypocritical of me to do otherwise since that's the world I live in and can provide some detailed technical input for their teams to at least consider......will report updates if they feel they are interested in doing anything here.
Hope this proves useful.....probably sounds more "critical" than intended but it's always easier to identify what's wrong vs. what's right. I'm encouraged with what I saw, interested in seeing if I can find the right combo of tablet/GPS I can live with.....

--t
 
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I actually have a Gen III iPad, my fault on the typo. Regardless, the iOS version is much better at this time (hands down). My big shake down was scouting and wheeling south of Payson. Ease of use, performance, etc. we're all much more polished. Purchased the app, very happy.
 
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