Need Help Iphone GPS Battery Etc please read (for charity)

markiejt

markiejt

markiejt

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Hi all,

Need some help. I'm walking Offa's Dyke on 1/03/10 with a friend for Help for Heroes.

Along with my other kit I'm buying I'm looking that I need a new phone, Internet access to update my daily blog and a GPS and need Ipod...

So of course I thought Iphone. Now offa's Dyke is 177miles though England and Wales. It is along the board but is though the country side most of the way.

1- what is the GPS like on the phone? I would only be using every now and then as a lot of it is a trail but i would need to know it is ok to find my way?

2- looking at most deals (I'm currently with Orange Pay N Go) I was looking at there deals but it shows internet usage of 250MB per month. I know O2 offer 750mb and Tesco I think 750mb. Now is 250mb to low? As I wouldnt want to go over. I would be updating a blog daily and also using the GPS which I guess uses internet? Would I be better going to other network. I have looked at Paymonthly but I only top-up my phone £50 a year max.

3-I have looked at batteries and been told that I would get a day max usage so would need to keep charged. I can see you can get external charges. I looked at the ones that take AA batteries as this meant I only needed to buy 1 and just buy packs of batteries. are these any good? to say charge it over night?

4- what good apps would you recommend for my 10 day Hike?

Thanks all for your help
 
I'd recommend that you get a proper GPS device as relying on an iphone really isn't advisable, using the GPS, music and other applications regularly and you wont even see a days use from the battery.

More to the point the I really wouldn't rely on the GPS working 100% of the time and 100% accurately, if you find yourself in dire straits then I'd rather have the professional gizmo.

Sorry to put a downer on the idea but I don't think the iphone is the right tool for the job.

So I would go with,

Cheap phone with a very long battery life + Ipod shuffle for the music + proper GPS tracking device + iphone for blog and because you want a new phone.
 
thanks for reply.

I do currently have a old Nokia phone which is basic as they come with very long battery that I was going to take as back-up and leave off unless needed it.

So the GPS isnt great on Iphone? all i would need would be a Map and for it to find where I was incase I was lost to find why back on track.

Do you have any thoughts on the external AA battery chargers?
 
The iPhone GPS relies on a data signal. No phone reception = no directions = bad.

For this purpose I'd say be careful when relying on either of the phones as if the GPS isn't working you are stuffed and you wouldn't be able to call for help. Nokia would equally be screwed without signal. Do you know of anyone with a TomTom or dedicated GPS? I'd use that.

1 - It's good for driving or when you in areas where you have a signal.

2 - All apps that access the network (this includes GPS) will use varying amounts of data. I wouldn't like to guess how much data you'd use, but it may well exceed 250MB if it's constantly on - occassional checking might be a better strategy if it's safe.

3 - Batteries sound like a good idea but I can't say I'd want to fiddle with them on a long hike. There are dedicated boost packs but they only double battery life, and they're expensive. If you aren't passing a place to charge you may well end up with packs of batts.

4 - I'd say have a look on the iTunes appstore. I have no knowledge of walking or hiking apps, there may not be many.. alternatively, there could be some must-haves. Read some reviews.

Apart from that I'd say take:
  • Small first aid kit
  • Map
  • Compass
  • Personal radio / walkee talkee
  • Torch
  • Small camping stove / cooker
  • Tent
  • Sleeping bag
 
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I wouldn't say that its useless, I'd just want something more reliable and rugged If I were in a fix. Im sure theres an app that has the maps built in or there is some way of cacheing them, but the built in maps application needs internet to get the maps, so if you have no phone signal you have no location.

this thread seems to have lots of thoughts on apps that can be used and battery life etc.
 
thanks again,

So thinking seperate GPS might be way to go... or map and compass. So the Iphone hasnt got real GPS. It uses internet for GPS? or is it to just download maps? and if so cant you pre install the maps?
 
The iphone has GPS, It doesn't have the maps stored locally it fetches them from the net when you access the application. This requires a phone signal.

You really should be using a map and compass as the first port of call and GPS as an emergency backup anyway :)
 
thanks again :)

I think im going to get a Iphone or simular? not sure if this is a good place to ask but are any of the other phones as good for what I want.. music, internet, gps?

Also im going to get a compass and map as first choice to get me around
 
o also does anyone know of any blogging sites that i can use from Ipod that i can upload text and photo's direct from it... like in the field for free? (not twitter)
 
Two points i'd like to make:

My iPhone managed to get a GPS lock, in the middle of the channel with no signal :p

and two, it beat a TomTom GPS £200 jobbie to gain a lock inside of Tescos store where it sits, on, all the time and hence the fact my 3GS got a lock in < 30 secs to 250ft accuracy when the Tom Tom thought I was in the Severn Estuary says something.

It's not a bad GPS at all.

If your using it sparcely to log a GPS position and that you turn off 3G, WiFi turn the brightness down (or turn airport mode on) you WILL get a day out of it easily.

I managed to get 6 hours of GPS tracking every 30 seconds with my 3GS before it died. An hours charge got me another 2 hours.

Impressive piece of kit tbh.
 
While the comments above about the iPhone needing a data connection for full GPS functionality are correct if you are using google maps, there are many GPS apps out there designed for walkers and other such outdoor activites. Many of these provide the exact same functionality given by stand alone units and don't require a data connection to operate.

I've use a couple of these and found them to be more than adequate to replace a stand alone GPS unit. Some are very low cost apps such as GB Locate (only gives you your current UK Grid Ref) and others such as GPSX provide full route and track navigation for a bit more cost.

I will echo the comments above though regarding battery life, you will only get one days use at most so you will need to be able to regularly charge and/or carry a backup power supply (plenty on the market).

Also, always remember, a GPS of any sort is only an aid to navigation and should in no way be relied on. A map and compass should aways be the primary navigation tool.
 
markiejt said:
how much did it download each time you loaded google maps?
Click to expand...

Hardly anything!

£3 a mb and maybe i used 512k over 5 days in france with a few map loads to find places.

GPS Upload data was literally nothing, even when it was sending back every 30 seconds.

Its not HUGE amounts tbh.

Just FYI since 20th August 2009 i've received 446Mb and sent 79.4Mb. And thats with WiFi off (it messes up IM+ Messenger) and emails fetching every half hour and updates/downloads for a few apps.

Data usage isn't as much as you think. 250Mb is more than enough. 177 Miles, 10 miles a day? 20 days? 12.5Mb a day? Hmmmm even with me hammering it I doubt you'd use it that much :p
 
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