Android Smartphone as GPS without cellular or wi-fi??

I'm currently trying Here which is a free app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.here.app.m...

A quick search on Google Play store will find several.

Maybe some of the first smartphones may have taken a long time to find your location, but the newer ones should find it fairly quick even if not connected to wifi or have a cell signal. Just make sure your location service is set to High so it actually turns on the GPS chip in the phone. I usually only turn it on when I am specifically using the GPS app to save battery power.

You may find one of these 13 android apps that will meet your needs:

http://www.androidauthority.com/best-gps-app-and-navigation-...

Don't forget to pick one that offers downloaded maps and be sure and download the off line map while you are on wifi.
I have researched a lot and Here seems to be a good one with offline maps and it is free..

I have a Nexus 5 as my main cell, and 2 Nexus 4's as spares.

Both of the N4's have a very good GPS signal with no sim card installed.

One has HERE and GPS Test Pro installed, and can navigate with the downloaded maps. No cell service, or wifi required.

Turn on location services and data.
You should be good to go whichever map program you use.

I have used the HERE app on my Galaxy S4 and the app and maps are free. You just download as many or as few worldwide maps as you feel you need for offline use without data needed.

The app works great and you can get real time traffic if you want to use a little bit of your data plan.

I had been using Garmins for nearly 7 years and recently sold the last one I had because I realized that between my built in nav in my car and my smartphone I hadn't taken the Garmin 3790lmt out of the closet in over 6 months.

I have a Samsung smart phone(no data plan) set up with Here and Garmin Viago navigation with off line maps.No problems at all.Works great.The Garmin Viago is no longer available but Here a good second choice.As others stated there are other Apps out there for download.MapFactor Navigator also a good selection for off line maps https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.... .

I just started doing some testing with MapFactor: GPS Navigation on a Galaxy S4 and so far it looks like a pretty good alternative. The maps are free as they use OpenStreetmaps and the navigation looks reasonable. The maps can be placed on an SD card which I don't think you can do with Here, so that's a bonus. Still trying to work through some of the options but so far so good.

I've compared the Here app with my Garmin 3597 and they worked about the same. The Garmin had a bit better spoken directions. Here is about the same as my older, lower priced Garmin units in that regard.

When you install Here, download the state map(s) you will need and set Here to operate offline only. My phone has limited storage so I only downloaded one state map. If you are traveling through several states without access to wifi, this could be an issue.

If you are using for an extended period of time, a car charger for the phone may be needed.

Here does has the option to select download to SD Card.One of my tablets has ICS and Here will not work with it.MapFactor will.Plus you can do custom pois with MapFactor .Once you get the conversion down.

Here maps work fine for me, if happens that I'm using them. Free maps under OsmAnd work fine to.

But if you want use Android device instead of GPS be sure to get cable to plug it into power outlet of the car. Otherwise you can end up with depleted battery before you get to destination or almost dead phone at destination. Buy at least 1A adapter plugged into lighter socket and you will be fine.

Appreciate all the helpful replies. Based on the info, I'll probably opt for an HTC One M7 with HERE maps.

I have my Dual Electronics XGPS 160 SkyPro gps receiver with me, I don't have to worry about Wi-Fi or cell signal anywhere I go. With my Samsung Note 4 Android phone and Here maps offline, the possibilities are endless.

Take a peek at this wonderful gps receiver: http://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-lifestyle/car/xgps160-for-n...

Open Here, go to:
Settings
Storage memory
Your have the option to set up Here to use SDcard or Internal for downloading maps.

Took a look at your link to the gps receiver. Very nice!!!

I have had three different apps on my phone for several years that use downloaded maps. Two came from TomTom and one from CoPilot. Each has its good points and its not-so-good points.

- Tom -

I have worked with mobile technology for a number of years at work, and have done some playing around with it on the side, as this is fun stuff for me.

I've used Android, iPhones, and Windows Phones.

In the early to mid 2000's I had tested and used a number of navigation products for Windows Mobile. Blackberry had navigation that I tried for several months, but being a corporate device, I didn't want to continue paying the ten dollar monthly fee although it was pretty good in its day. Fast forwarding a few years, added iPhone's and Androids to the mix and then late 2010/early 2011 added the Windows Phone.

Today, Windows Phone is my current favorite and I'll use Here Drive on my production device. I've also added Here Drive to an Android device. For a free app and maps, it's hard to turn away.

I've used Alk's Co-Pilot originally on Windows Mobile, but have tried it on iPhone and Android. Tom-Tom on the iPhone android or Garmin on the devices are pretty close the physical PND's of each brand respectively.

I think you'll like the HTC that you mentioned you'll probably go with. Downloading the maps as many others have said will be the way to go in order to save data charges. I've used my smartphone with downloaded maps in many places where there wasn't even a cell phone signal so downloaded maps were a must anyway.

Based on the positive feedback, I am downloading HERE right now. It is worth having just in case.

Thanks-
Rob

I'll try it out too

This sounds like something I need to check out.

Interesting thought. Worth looking into

me and the wife do a lot of what you call garage sailing estates sales and we get confused at time as to where the hell are we
? an I can always use my droid turbo to get turn by turn voice commands to get home , I still take my Garmin on long trips I like to be able to glance at the screen and see how soon I have to leave the highway . but pretty much use the phone for local stuff, one driving and the other giving directions to the driver!
the phone doesn't have the Garmin screen that you can glance at
but the phone seems to be just as fast and accurate and I don't use data or wifi to use the phone gps.

There are still a lot of people who don't have and probably don't want a smart phone. When GPS service is free and basic cell service as low as $7 a month (or even free if you qualify for Lifeline), that could be a hard upsell just for navigation capability.

Gps stand alone is good and with traffic. If you have a smart phone HERE maps is also good.

the problems isnt the phones, its America
No Change that, its American Phone companies,
the only companies that hasnt implemented the GSM standard fully
I have a 90s nokia phone, no way a smart phone, but its multi band and gets signal everywhere
I kept it because it works in the Territory, smart phones don't, I can call ambos, most people I meet have hit a roo https://s.yimg.com/ea/img/-/160120/car_on_fire_1b9tqq9-1b9tq...

In Aus, UK, Can, Deu, Nederlands, Fiji, Spain, without a sim card in it, dial #6 and the display tells you the street name and postal code,
In the US, as soon as its more than 3-5 miles from the Can border nothing
US cops can't trace phones +-miles (According to tv), other countries cops can tell which door in a motel to kick in.
Privacy is fine, accuracy is better

I use Sygic. Waze was to hectic and you rely on your peers not to f with you with traffic / accidents.

I agree that HERE is a good app for offline use.
As some have indicated, take the time to download (wi-fi if you don't have unlimited data) the maps you think that you may need.

Good luck,
Rob

I use Here, Viago and Waze on my Iphone 5S. I like all three apps but only use them hand held when on foot or riding as a passenger. The screen is too small for me to effectively read with the smartphone mounted to the dash and I don’t want to risk a ticket for hand held use of a cell phone while driving.

There are so many ever changing state and local laws governing hand held cell phone / smartphone use, it is difficult to know if you are breaking the law. Just having one in your hand is reason enough to get pulled over in many locations. Enforcement is also on the increase as well it should be with the growing number of texting while driving accidents.

I’m curious as to how other users of these nav apps deal with this issue.

I almost never drive anymore except to go to get a haircut so I don't use anything for that.
My husband always drives me.
My husband never looks at the handheld while driving. I am the navigator. I tell him if we are getting close enough to change lanes to turn or anything that the map doesn't tell him. I even do this when we use the in dash unit. After over 50 years he has come to depend on the backseat driving.

So long as the smartphone is mounted and not in hand, the GPS exception often present in smartphone usage laws should apply. As to the smartphone law itself, if I recall it's a secondary enforcement law, meaning smartphone use cannot be the primary reason as to why the driver is pulled over. Of course, that may vary by state and it's wise to know the law in yours.

As to how other users of these apps deal with the issue, based upon what I see around me, most don't care that there is such a law. I personally keep Here on my device as a backup GPS, though if I do get a mount for my Nexus 6 I'll probably use it instead. The large screen makes a difference.

I have used this vent mount linked below with my Note 4 with the nav apps and it works great in both portrait and landscape orentations. It is very secure and the screen on my Note 4 is 5.7" which is larger and easier to read than any of the Garmins I used to own. The Note 4 goes into driving mode when I'm driving which allows me to answer my calls hands free and reads out any text messages automatically without having to look or touch anything on the phone. I can even make calls by just telling it to listen and then saying a name to call. Gives me full function of the phone and navigation without having to touch the phone at any time while I'm driving. Kind of the best of both worlds and the Viago app and the HERE app have the full maps in the phone so not data is required.

http://www.asseenontvwebstore.com/Air-Vent-Phone-Holder-p/ai...

I have used the TomTom and CoPilot phone apps and have found their screens to be no problem to read with the phone on the dash.

- Tom -

I also have the free (operative word is Free) on my cell and tablet. No Internet needed.

Not as good as a Garmin, but ok. I mainly use to plot our route on a trip, so my copilot (wife) can see where we are and where we're going.

Seniors moment.

Two oops in a row. Must be getting old. LOL

long trips from Washington to Arizona I use the mounted Garmin to glance at , the wife drives part and I drive part , some times the other takes a nap . in town going to a doctors office where we don't know our way around we use the phone one drives the other gives directions the phone has turn by turn voice instructions , the difference between the two is the size the Garmin you can glance at and the phone you would have to stare at because of the smaller details . I can find restaurants and stores on both , both have poi.s and the phone has gas buddy which finds the cheapest gas in the area I'm in at the time which the Garmin doesn't so both have good and bad points so I use them both .

A bit of a updated list. Many new apps have come around since this thread started.
Nokia Here
OSMAND+
Locus
CoPilot

I use mostly Locus and OSMAND+
Getting the POI from here is very simple in Locus.

You forgot Navfree, MapFactor and Maps.Me.

Currently, I do not have an offline solution installed on my Nexus 6. Given the presence of three GPS receivers in my house, I don't actually need it.

Thank you!

Right now, Locus Maps Pro and CoPilot Live are my usual offline "daily drivers". I will admit I do tend to use them differently (Locus for 2D directions, geogaming, and import from Google Earth mapping--even though there is a capacity for directions in it--and CoPilot Live for highway directions).

One nice thing re Locus is that you can get OpenMaps vector maps fairly painlessly and free (I use OpenAndroMaps: http://www.openandromaps.org/) which does tend to be kept up well.

the openandro maps that you are using are updated once a month. They are taken after the OSM map builds.
I think.

LEarn Something new every day.

I used this as my default map if I lose cellular connection. It was developed by Microsoft, but sold late last year by the company.

Well ya see its like this.....
Early this morning, I was fixin to head out someplace. I only had a clue of where I wanted to go and no real idea of how to get there. So I kicked OSMAND awake and first thing I did was kick it off wifi and into airplane mode.
Went to search and put in the national forest I wanted to visit. OSMAND could not find it, oh well not a big deal. I started another app that I have and it found it and there was the route so off I went. BTW This was at 8am and it was only 85 degrees.
I got where I was going shut everything down cause I did not charge my phone last night. It was about 25% I think when I left? Had beakfast, talked to some guys, rode around the park scouting out camp sites for this fall. Its WAY to hot be be camping this time of year down here but I have heard good things about this park in the fall.
So, I get done with my scouting and I want to head home before the heat gets to full blast. I kick OSMAND awake and use favorites/home. I did not check the settings, I did not pay attention to the profile. I just woke it up and told me to take me home.
Rembmber, I was totaly offline so it worked a bit then came up with a route. I didnt check it, I didnt look at it I just went.
All was going well till it dumped me off onto an interstate, I did take it for awhile, maybe 5-10 miles. That was enough of that and I knew I had to head south and east from where I was so the next exit I got off.
First I turned the wrong way and had to make a U Turn, OSMAND rerouted me, wanted me back on the interstate, I just ignored the instructions and kept heading north-east. Not exactly the direction I wanted to go but it was close. As I was making my way along this nice 2 lane road once in a while OSMAND would tell me that the route was re calculated. I would glance down at the screen time to time and it was pretty easy to tell it wanted me to go back.
I just ignored it will it decided another way was better.
I was some place in another national forest I think when it told me to take a left, which was more or less in the direction I wanted to go. Here in Texas you have to be careful of these roads, what may start as an old paved road, may turn into a gravel road, and then followed by a rough rutted gravel road followed by a goat path.
Today I was in luck! It kept routing me down these old 2 land mostly paved, most good roads that I NEVER knew existed. I could not find these roads again to save my life. Yes, I should have been recording this.
Directions were always turn left,right continue on for 5 miles, continue on for 3 miles, Sharp left continue on 3 miles. I had no clue where I was but it was VERY nice riding. 2nd gear about 30-40 mph. Not the kind of roads you will make miles or time on.
Country roads, no traffic, no....well not anything but me and a LOT of trees. It finaly dumped me out on a road about 10 miles from home. 1 last fill up with gas and I got home about 1230 and it was 95 degrees and time to park the bike.

It was a great ride on roads I did not know even existed.
Exactly what I want apps like this to do. OSMAND may have a few glitches, bugs and PITA moments but today it was perfect.