Righteo, got me thinking ahead a bit with a conversation I had with a good biking friend.
For mobile devices really (aimed at mobile phone really) when youre running your gps/ route via edmondo etc via your mobile do you find if you run it all day it runs pretty low and you risk running out of battery before the ride finishes and the car journey home.
How would you like to be able to solve this, I may have the answer.
Go on............
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I have an answer... keep the phone for phone calls and used a proper GPS with all the functions, form-factor and water-resistance you need for outdoors.
Edit: As recommended by Mountain Rescue.
keep the phone for phone calls and used a proper GPS with all the functions, form-factor and water-resistance you need for outdoors.
This is bollocks frankly. IF you're just after recording your route in Endomondo or something then a phone is just fine.
In fact I'd say it is perfectly reasonable to use a phone as a "proper GPS", provided you have suitable software and waterproof case. Why not?
In fact I'd say it is perfectly reasonable to use a phone as a "proper GPS", provided you have suitable software and waterproof case. Why not?
Don't forget your normal phone to use for phone things when the battery runs out on your "GPS".
Or just, you know, take an extra battery?
Or just, you know, take an extra battery?
😆 @ Jobs disciples
Sigh. Yes, yes:
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They all look [b]so[/b] convenient.
Arguably more convenient than powering off your phone, taking it apart to change the battery, then booting it back up again. Especially when you are trying to record a GPS route (or if you have cold hands!)
Point is, battery running out [i]shouldn't[/i] be an issue if you are sensible - so what's wrong with potentially using a phone as a "proper GPS"?
The battery life on a "proper" Garmin eTrex is only something like 17 hours on fresh high-power AA batteries anyway, so it's not like they are immune to that issue.
They all look so convenient.
You don't have to leave it connected.
I have a solar/usb charging battery thingy that I take for big days out.
But for the OP you're thinking of entering the 'extra battery' market I think it's a bit limited. You can get piggy back batteries (for iPhone at least) for £25 ish off t'Bay.
Exposure are doing a link off the back of their lights to allow iphone connection etc now I think?
I've just reduced the gps sensor rate and increased the time between position recordings on my android phone using Mytracks (I assume other gps recording software can do the same thing?) it reduces the accuracy of the speed and location a bit. It makes the battery last a lot longer.
Most of the good software adapts the sensor rate based on how fast you are going.
Exposure are doing a link off the back of their lights to allow iphone connection etc now I think?
That'd require a careful calculation of drain by the phone in use, I'd rather have a flat phone than flat lights 🙂
I assume it's pretty nominal compared with one of their endurance batteries.
I like to keep my phone in a safe location so if I have a big stack I can use it to call for help - rather than keeping it in a precarious position on the bars.
If all you are doing is recording the route rather than following one you could just use one of those cheap GPS loggers, like the i-gotu things:
Yeah saw them reviewed in the mag. Looks quite cool.
But then Endomondo gives me audible pace information and lets the missus cheer me on from home 😀
And other GPS apps offer maps, routes etc.
They all look so convenient.
I'm not sure how the last one is inconvenient. 😕
But for the OP you're thinking of entering the 'extra battery' market I think it's a bit limited. You can get piggy back batteries (for iPhone at least) for £25 ish off t'Bay.
fly lead for existing (lights) battery packs, incorporating something to regulate output to 5v (or whatever USB is) ??
lets the missus cheer me on from home
this is the main advantage of using a phone as it can log your last position in case someone has to come out to get you.
but weatherproofedness is an issue.
You could get the Defy but someone on here said that it interprets raindrops as screen taps!
I have a HTC Desire and use Endomondo, to preserve battery life I put the phone into 'airplane' mode.
It helps but I have given in and got a basic Garmin
You could strap a Pebble charger to the bike, only issue is the robustness of the USB interface.
or just take it along in and plug in for a quick charge whenever you stop for a snack or need the phone for a call.
I have a HTC Desire
based on trying to navigate with my Desire I would say it was a good move to go to the garmin - sometimes the accuracy was terrible, with both GPS and 3G on.
On that great weekend 2 weeks ago my GPS accuracy was down to 104ft at Peaslake on my Satmap even though the skies were clear - my phone could see satellites but couldn't lock on to anything - the SNR must have been really bad for some reason.
I have a HTC Desire and use Endomondo, to preserve battery life I put the phone into 'airplane' mode.
The main thing is to switch the screen off when you're not looking at it.
Having said that the max I've used Endo for was an hour ride in, normal day at work (without Endo running obviously), then and hour ride back.
Seemed fine for that but I guess if you're doing 12 hour epics it might struggle a bit!
On that great weekend 2 weeks ago my GPS accuracy was down to 104ft
I use the GPS a fair bit to help produce traces for maps on OpenStreetMap and it doesn't seem too bad.
On the iPhone 4 I'm usually getting an HDOP of 10m, sometimes as low as 5. I have the tracking app set to only record points when the HDOP is less than 20m.
I use the GPS a fair bit to help produce traces for maps on OpenStreetMap and it doesn't seem too bad
on my satmap the normal accuracy is 16ft - I think I might have seen lower though, maybe 9ft, but I am not sure if that is possible.
I use Endomondo and Viewranger a lot.. if it's a longer ride I stick it in Airplane mode as someone else suggested. And carry a £10 unsmart phone for backup...
I have one of those pebblecharger thingies. Connects to the phone via a USB cable. My worry is that I'd damage the USB connector on the phone but it's been fine so far. Makes a long ( 12 hours) all dayer possible.
can't you just take a map and do some basic arithmetic?
average speed = distance/time
Dynamo hub
USB charger lead
Oh...and spare batteries for the phone, obviously.
can't you just take a map and do some basic arithmetic?
I think you might be slight underestimating how much information a GPX track can give you. Try whacking one into here for example:
http://utrack.crempa.net/ (or just look at the samples).
Plus they can give you this stuff live (e.g. Endomondo can call out your rime for each km, and coach you to go faster if you're trying to beat a certain time or burn a certain number of calories).
Plus they can feed the information live to your missus, so she knows where you are 😀
[i]Rim [/i]dynamo? Oh dear 🙂
Jesus, what a pile of rubbish just so you can combine two items into one. Buy a cheapo phone and a cheapo GPS and they're going to do exactly the same bloody job, risk a fraction of the value in the wet and rain and leave each usable should the other die (which is a safety issue with regards the phone). Extra battery packs, waterproof cases, apps to call you names if you're not fast enough etc etc just to get one device to do everything - what a backward way of doing things.
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Buy a cheapo phone and a cheapo GPS
or buy an expensive phone and an expensive GPS - much more applicable to STW, shurely
You could, of course, remind yourself that you are going out riding a bicycle in a little loop covering about 15 miles over terrain that most prams could manage, and stop worrying about taking lots of electronic gadgets with you, you great big blouse.
what a pile of rubbish just so you can combine two items into one. Buy a cheapo phone and a cheapo GPS and they're going to do exactly the same bloody job
Right. I already have an expensive phone that has a GPS chip and digital compass in it. But to avoid buying maybe £40 of extra stuff to cart around I should instead spend a few hundred quid buying another phone and another GPS device? Genius 🙄
remind yourself that you are going out riding a bicycle in a little loop covering about 15 miles over terrain that most prams could manage
That makes more sense. But numbers are fun.
Jesus, what a pile of rubbish just so you can combine two items into one.
Wow you're a bit angry about this aren't you.
leave each usable should the other die (which is a safety issue with regards the phone).
Yes because before mobile phones existed everyone who went out mountain biking died. [b]EVERYONE[/b].
Am I missing something here? The only mobile device i have is me and my bike 🙂 Batteries are for lights.
Am I missing something here?
Usually, yes. 😉
You could, of course, remind yourself that you are going out riding a bicycle in a little loop covering about 15 miles over terrain that most prams could manage
no, that's just you...
He's right. I don't get anywhere close to 15 miles 😀
Easy....get a blackberry, I can run mine using GPS on Endomundo for 6+ hours. These 'smart phones' are just battery killers.
<whispers>But the Blackberry [u]is[/u] a smart phone?</whispers>
Right. I already have an expensive phone that has a GPS chip and digital compass in it. But to avoid buying maybe £40 of extra stuff to cart around I should instead spend a few hundred quid buying another phone and another GPS device? Genius
No, you could leave behind the delicate battery eating monstrosity you call a phone, it's not like you'll need a web connection and email while out cycling is it? Everyone has an old mobile that lasts decades on a battery sitting in their drawers at home and a cheap GPS will set you back 30 quid if you want to log your route. My point was simply that buying a smart phone to do all the fun gadgetry stuff, then having to buy additional covers and gadgets to actually get it to do it is farcical when you could just buy a cheap one of each for much less (hell you could buy them for less than the cost of the extra charger and waterproof casing and mount for the smartphone!).
And no, not angry - just bemused by illogical activity.
Easy....get a blackberry, I can run mine using GPS on Endomundo for 6+ hours. These 'smart phones' are just battery killers.
Ummmmmmmm.... ok. You are aware....never mind.
I am fancying one of these jobys for the task, though I have a garmin edge 800 was thinking more for other sports, and for uploading the garmins workouts in the carpark.
http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/overview/xperia-active?cc=gb&lc=en
a cheap GPS will set you back 30 quid if you want to log your route.
You'll be doing well to find a GPS for £30.
Even [url= http://mobile.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=227620 ]that little GotU is £45 from Maplin[/url] and it doesn't even have a screen so is no use for checking your route, never mind doing the fun/useful stuff.
you could just buy a cheap one of each for much less
Yeah probably. But it wouldn't be nearly as usable, fully featured or fun. Plus I already have a smartphone so I might as use it no?
Easy....get a blackberry, I can run mine using GPS on Endomundo for 6+ hours. These 'smart phones' are just battery killers.
Yes but then you have to actually use a Blackberry. I'd rather beat my head against a brick wall repeatedly.
For much cheapness try one of these for a iphone
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duracell-PPS2-External-battery-pack/dp/B001FC49VS
or even cheaper for a standard usb connector
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duracell-PPS1-mini-USB-Connectors-Batteries/dp/B001FC49TK
I use the cheaper one to extend the battery life on my Garmin 305 and it works a treat
I've never taken a smart phone biking so don't really know if the connectors will be robust enough but worth a try at that money