Why a navigator is better than a smartphone: comparison of two devices. We use a smartphone as a navigator, which application should we choose? Cheap smartphone for navigation in the car

Why a navigator is better than a smartphone: comparison of two devices. We use a smartphone as a navigator, which application should we choose? Cheap smartphone for navigation in the car

25.10.2020

Good afternoon friends. Today we will talk about navigators installed on Android and working without the Internet. Needless to say, navigators have made life much easier for drivers in different countries. Many people simply stopped taking various atlases and road maps of different parts of the Earth with them.

But, navigators are not always at hand, which cannot be said about a mobile phone. Also, on the road, the Internet often disappears. Therefore, a decent number of Android navigation applications have been developed that function without the Internet. By installing such software on your phone, you can choose a shorter and safer way to the desired place, including in an unfamiliar city or country. I suggest you review 10 of these 2019 Android navigators and choose the one you like best.

Sygic

This offer is very popular in many countries. But, many drivers found out that if the program is used for a long time, the information is not quite reliable. Most likely, some places on Earth simply stopped supporting this software.

But despite this, Sygic is still one of the main leaders among offline navigation programs for smartphones. This app has a nice design that doesn't tire your eyes and fingers. In addition, the program can function using only GPS, which makes it possible to work efficiently without a constant connection to the Internet. The software updates its topographic bases for free in most regions of the world.

All in all, this app is one of the best choices for people spending a decent amount of time on the road. Even if, for a number of reasons, GPS and the Internet stop working, thanks to the loaded maps, people will be able to navigate the terrain. For additional features such as voice guidance and detailed instructions, you need to install the PRO version.

Download Sygic.

Until recently, this navigation program did not shine in a number of navigator programs. But, the developers of MapFactor began to make endless updates and enhancements to the application. In total, this software took the top three among similar applications of the Android system.

Its main advantage is that, having installed the program on the gadget, for excellent navigation on the terrain, you no longer need the Internet. It is only necessary to update the application every month to replenish information about changes in cartography.

MapFactor has navigation routing in many languages ​​of the world, and it is possible to develop a route in advance. The program makes it possible to see the required route, both in 2D and in 3D formats. That is, as a map with all the details, and in a simplified form.

For example, when traveling on highways between cities, it is preferable to use simple maps, due to the fact that you just need to carefully observe the movement. If you are in a settlement, it is better to use maps with all the nuances, such as gas stations, food outlets, rest and other landmarks.

Download offline navigator for Android MapFactor.

Due to the fact that in recent years smartphone manufacturers have been trying to "stuff" their devices with an exhaustive number of possibilities, the need for a separate purchase of gadgets responsible for one function is gradually disappearing. These devices have already replaced wristwatches, mp3 players, cameras, navigators, game consoles and even PCs.

But is the smartphone so good at coping with the abundance of functions assigned to it? In this article, we will look at why it is worth choosing a navigator, and not an application in a smartphone.

At first glance, it may seem like a waste of money to buy a navigator when you can download Yandex.Navigator or Google Maps for free and use it for your own pleasure. But, if it were so, the manufacturers of navigators have long disappeared. Statistics show that this market is only expanding its scale every year.

Let's consider several features of the functioning of a navigator and a smartphone as a device indicating the direction of travel in unfamiliar terrain.

Price question

You can buy a navigator on the Russian market from 2,200 rubles. At the same time, the official navigation program for a smartphone (actually working) will cost about 2,000 rubles. Demon paid apps, which can be downloaded through PlayMarket or AppStore, are operable only in large cities. In the suburbs, low-traffic places and villages, these maps, as a rule, give false or inaccurate information.

Another thing is the official programs, for example, 2,100 rubles will cost you maps of Russia from Navitel. But, 2,100 rubles is the price for only one official card. If you want to travel by car to another country, you will have to fork out extra money.

TOTAL: The navigator is equipped with maps of the world, for which you do not have to pay extra, except, if you wish, for certain paid applications or third-party maps.

Performance

The navigator starts immediately after turning on, instantly determining where you are, unlike a smartphone, which takes some time to launch, geolocate and get started.

In addition, the navigator picks up a signal from satellites, often from several at the same time. The smartphone is limited by the Internet coverage: application hangs, glitches and loss of connection are not uncommon.

Another point that affects the performance of the device is the presence of a barometer and a compass. They are used not only for navigators, but also for smartphones. But unlike a navigator, in a smartphone, the work of these applications slows down and complicates the use of the navigation function.

TOTAL: If you are new to driving and are not sure that you can quickly react and re-route if the smartphone application freezes, the navigator is the only choice in your case.

Traffic

Connecting a smartphone to a satellite requires GPS and Internet, which entails an increase in traffic. You can of course download a specific area from Google Maps, but one small area will take up 500 MB. In this case, access to the Network is not required. Within your own country, Internet traffic may not be strongly felt, but it is worth going abroad, and you will be surprised how quickly money disappears from your account if you do not download the maps first into the smartphone's memory.

When using the navigator, these problems do not arise.

TOTAL: Having bought a navigator once, you do not have to spend money on replenishing your balance or bother loading volume maps into memory.

Optional accessories

The set of delivery of the navigator already includes a standard mount, and for a smartphone you will have to spend an additional 300-600 rubles to purchase it.

In addition, a cigarette lighter charger is supplied with the navigator, for a smartphone you will have to pay at least 300 rubles more.

TOTAL: Buying a navigator, you don't need anything else to work. Having decided to use a smartphone, you will have to buy additional accessories for about half of the cost of the budget navigator itself.

Battery life

Autonomy is one of the main points to pay attention to when choosing between a navigator and a smartphone. The average operating time of the navigator is about 6-12 hours (for expensive models) or up to 5 hours (for mid-budget models).

When using the smartphone as a navigator, its charge will last for a maximum of 1.5 hours. For example, Samsung A5 (2016) loses 80% of its charge when using the Yandex.Navigator application in 1 hour 20 minutes. Moreover, along with the "incapacity" of the navigator, you also "lose" your personal assistant in the form of a smartphone.

There is an opinion that the smartphone cannot be used as a navigator for more than 60 minutes, otherwise the battery runs the risk of swelling and becoming unusable.

TOTAL: If you often have to visit an unfamiliar area, you regularly go on business trips by car or travel, use your smartphone as a navigator-not an option.

Three optimal navigator models in different price categories

Buy car navigator in Russia it is possible at a price of 3,000 to 15,000 rubles. We have selected three models (inexpensive, mid-priced and luxury) that can be considered a bargain in 2018.

Artway NV-800 GPS - an inexpensive model with wide multimedia capabilities

The average price of a device in Russia is 3,000 rubles. And for this money, you are unlikely to find something better. Judge for yourself: 66 communication channels with a satellite, an error of up to 10 meters, a notebook / calculator, multimedia (player, player, photo).

Problems can arise with long loading menus and battery life.

Lexand SA5 - mid-range model with Navitel software

The navigator package includes maps of the Russian Federation, the CIS and the Scandinavian countries. For a low price, the navigator not only plots the route, but also determines the traffic congestion, building a route taking into account this indicator.

The device is powered by a SiRF Atlas V processor with a frequency of 800 GHz. The price is 3 800 rubles. Of the minuses, only glare on the screen in bright light can be noted.

Garmin Nuvi 2597LMT - luxury model with color LCD screen

For connoisseurs of comfort and those who do not mind spending 15,000 rubles, the model of the famous Garmin brand - Nuvi 2597LMT is suitable. This device can create about 100 routes and mark up to 1,000 waypoints. You can use the navigator in horizontal and vertical orientation. Touch sensitivity deserves a "5" mark.

Among other advantages: free upgrade(every six months), build quality, 5-inch color screen, screen backlight, 8 GB of memory.

Do you use a navigator, or do you still prefer the app on your smartphone?

Many users need to install the navigator on their phone. It will come in handy for couriers, taxi drivers, tourists and many other citizens. In modern realities, it is very easy to install a navigator, so in this article we will analyze in detail how to install a navigator on an Android smartphone for free.

Which navigator should you choose?

Before installing the navigator, you need to choose which navigator we will install. At the moment for Android there is 3 popular navigators: 2GIS, Yandex.Navigator and Google maps ... First, let's figure out what is the difference between these navigators.

2GIS is a navigator without the Internet!

2GIS is currently outdated, it has extremely ill-conceived logistics, so it can sometimes start to drive you in circles.

The only advantage of this navigator is full functionality without the Internet. You just need to download it, after which it can work without the Internet.

Install 2GIS navigator:

  1. go to Play Market, in the search write "2GIS";
  2. go to the first application in the search and click the "DOWNLOAD" button;
  3. after that, the process of downloading city maps to your phone / tablet will begin;
  4. after downloading, you will be able to use 2GIS without the application.

Yandex.Navigator - online traffic situation!

The second navigator - Yandex.Navigator is popular with transport drivers: taxi drivers, freight carriers, etc. In addition, it is required to work with the Yandex.Taxi application.

This navigator has a well-thought-out logistics, so it will show you both the shortest and the fastest way to bypass traffic jams and congestion. If you use Yandex Phone, then this application you will already have it preinstalled.

If you have another smartphone, then you can go to the Play Market, enter in search Yandex.Navigator, download the application, after which you can immediately use the navigator.

Google Maps - user-friendly interface!

The latest navigator Google Maps (Google Maps) offers a user-friendly interface, but unfortunately this application is extremely inconvenient travel.

Maps are rarely updated, so they can lead you to a dead end. In addition, unlike Yandex.Maps, Google Maps does not show the real situation on the roads, so you cannot avoid a traffic jam or an accident if you drive on this map.

This navigator is preinstalled on all Android devices, just open the "Google" folder and open the Google Maps app there.

Once upon a time, GPS navigators replaced simple paper maps. And now, completely imperceptibly and somehow even on the sly, the ubiquitous smartphones began to conquer the market.

In 2014 alone, about 1.2 billion smartphones were sold worldwide. These are mind-boggling numbers that should make GPS navigators stand on end in their electronic hair. A logical question arises - is a smartphone preferred over other gadgets because it is better? Or is it just more widely used due to its rich functionality? So let's figure it out. What is better to use as a road signpost - a traditional GPS tracker or a smart phone dear to the heart, without which a modern person feels naked?

Should you prefer a smartphone or a GPS navigator?

Photo extremetech.com

Satellite signals

In the 1970s. U.S. Department of Defense ordered the development what today we call a global positioning system, the constellation of which includes 24 satellites. Around the same time, Russia began to develop own network, called GLONASS. By the way, in December 2006, negotiations were held, at which the Russians and the Americans agreed that the systems GLONASS and GPS will complement each other.

To use the positioning system, until recently, motorists needed a special device that could skillfully process GPS signals. But today the situation has changed: almost all new smartphones can receive such signals, process them and track their location almost instantly with great accuracy. It would seem - what's the difference? She is. And the main trump card up the sleeve of smartphones is Assisted GPS. This technology allows for faster cold start of GPS receivers.

GPS and GLONASS systems make our life easier

Photo patriotam.rf

This unique feature mobile phones allows the device to use in real time the information provided by the towers cellular operators... So the person driving can determine their coordinates much faster. Some help in this case. mobile applications that use the built-in phone accelerometer and digital compass for more precise definition location.

Map data

The most important information any the navigation tool are maps. I must admit that many GPS trackers, especially those that do not know how to access the Internet, are equipped with a very meager set of pre-installed maps. Updating such data is often associated with many technological challenges. In addition, do not forget about the additional financial burden. When using a smartphone, this problem is not so acute, although there are pitfalls here too.

Many cars are equipped with standard GPS systems, which fully satisfy the needs of drivers.

Photo fastcompany.net

The main thing is the price of the issue. When it comes to spending extra money, the smartphone does GPS navigator hit below the belt. While the cost software installed on GPS systems can be quite weighty; you can get maps for your smartphone absolutely free. And if not free, then practically for a penny. There are tons of navigation apps that can be installed on your smartphone in a matter of seconds. And such maps not only match the data provided by GPS navigators, but can give them a head start. In addition, smartphones can easily link photos to geotags. Some GPS navigators are also taught this magic, but it costs the user a pretty penny.

A smartphone without special accessories can be a serious distraction

Photo pexels.com

Many mobile navigation apps allow you to share location information, waypoints and routes in social networks, or store this information in the "cloud", from where it can be "pulled" by other users. Try this with your GPS device.

Device cost

If we are already talking about the price, then it is worth noting that many users claim that a GPS navigator is much cheaper than a smartphone. However, the price of a gadget is a very, very conditional factor. Electronics manufacturers have long begun to fill different market niches, so today you can find both smartphones and GPS trackers playing in different price leagues. Motorists have the opportunity to buy quite a decent navigation system at a democratic price, or to acquire budget smartphone, who will be an excellent guide to cities and towns.

Today, the cost of a gadget is not a factor.

Photo phonearena.com

Internet access

The ability to connect to the World Wide Web is an important component of a comfortable ride in unfamiliar terrain. Many GPS navigators, but not all, are equipped with this function today. However, as a rule, they are not cheap. But for a smartphone, going online is as natural as breathing for us. This feature allows you to download new maps and updates in real time, receive data on traffic congestion and POIs, and much more.

Internet access is a huge advantage of a smartphone

Photo today.mts.com.ua

The advantage of the filling

No one will argue that the performance of smartphones is usually an order of magnitude higher than the capabilities provided by a GPS navigator. More modern software and high-performance hardware are pushing smartphones forward again.

Smartphone has more impressive capabilities

Photo gnsystems.net

Accessories

All navigators are equipped with such necessary necessary things as a car charger and a special mount that allows you to position the device in the car in such a way that the driver is as comfortable as possible. If the motorist nevertheless decided to give preference to a smartphone, he would have to buy all the accompanying accessories. And, as experience shows, a functional phone mount is not so easy to find.

Special mounts make it much easier to use the smartphone while driving

Photo discount-discs.co.uk

Functionality and battery

One gets the impression that the navigator is losing out to the smartphone, but this device also has its own important advantages. For example, a phone can interrupt navigation at any time by ringing and distract a person who is concentrating on turning the steering wheel. Such a surprise will not happen with a GPS tracker.

The smartphone can also be mounted on the steering wheel

Photo onfancy.com

It is also worth thinking about how long the device you choose will be able to work in offline... If the navigator's battery allows it to operate without recharging for 2-3 hours, then the always-on screen of a smartphone operating in navigation mode will "land" the gadget much earlier.

GPS navigator

Smartphone

pros

Minuses

pros

Minuses

Location tracking reliability

The relatively high cost of such a mono-tasking device

Easily available and cheap (often free) cards

Battery life (when you turn on the navigation applications, the smartphone starts burning calories at a breakneck speed)

Structural strength

Low display resolution, which makes reading cards quite difficult at times

Size (many users regard the relatively small smartphone screen as a disadvantage)

Navigation can be interrupted by a call

Usually, navigator displays are equipped with an anti-reflective coating, which makes the device more comfortable to use.

Even today, many navigators do not have an Internet connection function.

Regular updates of the mapping software (there is no need to connect the gadget to desktop computer to "fill" the updated data)

Cellular Signal Dependence

Includes windshield mount and car charger

Always with you, so it doesn't matter in whose car you are

Good battery capacity

The ability to access the Internet at any time

Optimal display size for card reading

High performance indicators

Summing up, I must say that neither a smartphone nor a GPS navigator can be unequivocally called the winner of this discussion. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. And your decision will depend on many factors, including the state of the family budget, habits, preferences, and even mood. But there is one main question that every motorist must find an answer to. Rather, there are two interpretations of this question. First, decide if you need a navigator if your existing phone has the same features? Secondly, consider whether a directional device is always more reliable and understandable. After all, a cake can be baked in the microwave, but the bread maker will cope with this task much better. Good choice and error-free navigation!

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