I finally scored the “holy grail” of phones; the iPhone 4. While I am still coming down from the high of it, admittedly, it has given me a great deal of review ideas. This will be the first in a series of GPS app reviews. First, I will be testing the newly released and upgraded Magellan Roadmate app which is available for a onetime cost of $44.99 which includes lifetime traffic and updates, and test it against some of the free iPhone GPS enabled apps including; Mapquest, Skobbler, and the included Maps app for the iPhone. The second will be reviewing Magellans Roadmate app alone, and the third will be reviewing the no cost gps options for the iPhone. They were tested as stand alone products.
While I do use the Magellan Premium Car kit for day to day use on my iPod Touch 2g, I wanted to have the most equal test, using just the iPhone 4. The car kit may enhance any or all of the capabilities of the apps, and this would give an unfair advantage to one if not all apps.
The test included some basics, as well as general GPS navigation. The first test is one I always do with any GPS unit or app; I go home. I know the shortest and quickest route, and expect to be taken there. There is a test involving the beauty that is driving in Boston. Another test involves my getting lost and testing the recalculation speed and routes. Finally, I take the app on a 150 mile journey through the White Mountains of NH and Green Mountains of VT.
Will the motto of “you get what you pay for” ring true ? Or will the free apps out perform navigations patriarch ?
Let’s start with the Magellan RoadMate app and its list of features;
- Lifetime Upgrades
- Lifetime Traffic
- Multitasking
- Fast App Switching
- Uninterrupted navigation while on phone calls
- Security and quality of NAVTEQ maps
- Built in music player
Everything is onboard, so while some may see this as a space hog, I see it as a quality that speeds up navigational calculations. Startup is extremely fast and just takes the touch of a finger.
So how did the tests come out ?
Well let’s start with the first test; getting me home. I know the quickest route, but it seems that none of the FREE GPS apps seemed to know the quickest way. The RoadMate app was the only one that took me on the quickest route.
The next test was to go into downtown Boston which is 36 miles south of my home town. All 4 of the apps faired quite well for general directions and re routes. However, Magellan was the shining star here thanks to its built in lifetime traffic, which includes options such as live traffic and rerouting. There is a separate traffic app that you can download to compliment the “Free” apps . It is by Traffic.com. But again, why would you want two separate apps.
Remember when Bugs Bunny always said “I knew I should have taken that right turn at Albuquerque.” ? Well he didn’t have an iPhone or GPS apps to guide him. We do ! So I purposely got lost. Of all the apps, Skobbler had the worst recalc speed and in fact, told me to take a turn that I already passed. MapQuest and the onboard maps faired a little better, but only gave me seconds to turn. Magellan gave me close to 10 seconds to turn and had a recalc speed of seeming less than 5 seconds.
The last test was a long haul; 156 miles from my home town on the MA/NH border to Woodsville NH (part of the Northern Kingdom). While all apps seemed to have the same routes, Neither Skobbler nor the onboard “Maps” picked up on some of the off the beaten path back roads that Magellan and Mapquest showed.
As a side note here, only Magellan and Mapquest offer POI’s, and both seemed up to date with the most current info. Neither Skobbler nor the included Maps app have them, although you can use the Google mobile app to search for a POI and then map it out with the onboard Maps app.
In all, each free app performed well and was adequate for what it advertised. If you are on a family vacation and want to have some extra fun stops, the clear winner is Magellan and followed by MapQuest. Skobbler and the onboard Maps app are lacking and are truly no frills (albeit getting the job done). If you are a true roadwarrior like me, it is time to put aside the old cliché of “the best things in life are free”, because while there may be a small truth to that, it does not apply to technology. With the lifetime traffic and the lifetime included upgrades, the Magellan RoadMate app is the last GPS app you will ever purchase. So put your money where your iPhone is, because you GET what you pay for.
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