 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
I've got a brand spanking new phone on the way - an HTC Desire HD which runs on the Android operating system.
I'm going away to Pas de la Casa in Andorra in January and would like, if possible, to have an app installed that can use the GPS in the phone to track my progress up and down the piste. I've found one that looks pretty good, but wondered if anyone has used it, if it's any good, or if someone can tell me of a good one to use?
the one i found is :
Satski
http://www.satsportsgps.com/satski/htcandroid.html
Any help appreciated,
Cheers,
Grim.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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grimmy, Good choice of phone, I have had mine for a couple of months now, I would worry about using the GPS in Andorra you might find the cost pretty high 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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i have an htc desire. i downloaded the free one called trail maps. it is basically a piste map on a screen so dont know if it would tell you how far youskied etc. i too would be worried about the cost (Im on 3 network)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| livetoski wrote: |
| grimmy, Good choice of phone, I have had mine for a couple of months now, I would worry about using the GPS in Andorra you might find the cost pretty high |
there shouldn't be any cost for using the GPS abroad.
If you need to download maps that's another issue..
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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livetoski, Thanks, I've been rocking my Nokia N95 8GB for 3 years, which was a lovely phone, but I need something shiny and new now 
polo99, I've seen a couple of ski map ones, which are definitely useful, however I wanted one that will track me.
Apparently the Satski app only uses the phone's GPS rather than GPRS (mobile internet data) or the A-GPS (GPS assisted by cell towers to find location at the cost of small amounts of GPRS data). The thing is that it sounds a bit too good to be true!? Apparently it can map all the data onto Google Earth as well?
Has anyone used it? If so, does it work well in practice?
Cheers,
Grim.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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grimmy,
To make sure sure you don't use the A-GPS, uncheck "use wireless networks" in the Desire's Location settings.
And download maps on wifi before hitting the mountain.
And although I haven't tested this with this phone, with GPS on, my experience is that your phone battery will go empty pretty quickly...
Although I love the phone, the Desire battery is pretty pants compared to the N95 and that wasn't lasting a full day on the slopes.
Another "tracking" app is Endomondo, but it doesn't include piste maps.
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another GPS tracking app for Android is "My Tracks" - allows you to export to .kml for use in google earth - does not have map overlays, but doesn't cost you any roaming charges.
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Thanks for your help guys I'll look into these and post a little review when I get back (if I remember - obviously)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Having lost my (very) old phone I have just bought an Orange San Francisco which seems great value. There are a number of android programmes available (just google it) and I'm about to start using My Tracks for my cycling (and possibly skiing later when I get around to booking something).
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Kruisler,
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To make sure sure you don't use the A-GPS, uncheck "use wireless networks" in the Desire's Location settings.
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When I use the sat nav in the UK mine prompts me to open the GPS and wireless networks, so will this do the same in Europe? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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livetoski,
wireless networks help getting a quicker GPS lock. If you're abroad don't let the phone switch it on.
I don't which sat nav app you use, but Google Navigation works without the wireless networks, switch only the GPS on.
I doubt other sat-nav apps would force you to switch A-GPS on. They probably recommend it but ignore that if you do not want to use/pay for data (although data use would be very small).
The problem you face with google navigation abroad is that it'll need to download the maps on the go. No way round that one, and that'll be expensive.
If you use the sat nav abroad a lot, you're better off buying an app that stores the maps on the phone.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 30-11-10 12:06; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Probably the best Sat Nav for the Andoid is Co-Pilot Live, which is about £28 with UK maps or £50 with full Europe mapping. I have the UK only version and would recommend it, runs really well on the Desire. Having said that, I bought it just before Google released free navigation with Maps, which in the UK with a decent data allowance is adequate, but co-pilot is better as an all round SatNav.
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pretty sure he didn't want Sat Nav, but GPS recording.
I use mytracks for MTB and running on Android, works very well.
http://mytracks.appspot.com/
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Satski is ok - i got it last year its got the piste maps etc but you have to pay.
the best app for GPS tracking, distance, speed and other cool stuff is CardioTrainer - had it on my android for ages and use it for running and Skiing.
Remember to turn off 3g roaming or it will munch up load of data and cost poo-poo loads, but when you get home you can see where you have skied layerd over google maps... pretty cool!
oh and CardioTrainer is free.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks so much to everyone who has replied! I've now got my Desire HD and i'm loving it!
I'll definitely give some of these programmes a try though at the moment SatSki sounds pretty good to me. I'm a bit of a geek so I'm going to try and do a 'google maps' overlay if I can puzzle it out.
I'll definitely download before I go away and will have my phone on mobile internet lockdown while away!
Roll on Jan 16th Pas de la Casa here we come!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My Android using friends swear by RunKeeper: http://runkeeper.com/
Obviously aimed at runners, but works well for anything else where you want to track your location.
Like everyone else says, watch out for the data costs!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've got and used Satski last year, as noted I downloaded the map to the resort that I was visiting from home, the app then told me that I was x miles from the base of resort 
To be honest, I used it about twice.
Once to try to see how fast I was going, but the GPS signal when the phone was in my pocket didnt work, might of been an issue with my HTC Magic.
Then once to see how to get from where I was, to a mountain bar to meet some friends, v useful feature.
Though once you've gotten your phone out of your pocket, taken your gloves off, fingered your phone in the freezing cold (!), put your phone away, gloves back on, etc etc I'd be amazed if you used it more than twice...
There are those North face e-tip gloves which you can get, but they are dead thin and too cold to use up a mountain.
Piste map, every time! ... though the gadget feak in me will still be trying it again on my ski hols next year... but this point I should have either new phone - either a HTC Desire HD / Galaxy S or Nexus X
--- Oh, I brought Satski after seeing it on the Gadget shows snow special end of 2009, their 2010 episode is on nx week so maybe they'll cover that type of tech again! worth a watch...
On Android phone when aboard, switch off 'Data roaming' and any Syncing, then nothing will try and use your overseas cell network for data calls, all in settings / Wireless controls / Mobile networks & Setting / Data synchronization , at least on Android 1.6 they are.
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