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Routing belongs on a mobile device. Now all I need is a usable Android app for browsing maps and navigating. OsmAnd seems to be the benchmark, and it's freaking

Routing belongs on a mobile device. Now all I need is a usable Android app for browsing maps and navigating. OsmAnd seems to be the benchmark, and it's freaking terrible.

orblivion 12y ago
I've been tempted to set up Eclipse, and just go in there and gut 90% of the menu options. What would remain would probably be a reasonably usable mapping app.
- chippy 12y ago
  udig has been around for a while now. http://udig.refractions.net/ http://udig.refractions.net/
  - orblivion 12y ago
    I was talking about taking the menu options out of OSMAnd. I mentioned Eclipse because it is necessary for Android development.
wongarsu 12y ago
Can you elaborate on why you think OsmAnd is terrible?
- karussell 12y ago
  I think he means end-usability. Feature-wise and once you get used to it, it is VERY amazing :)
- andygates 12y ago
  IMO, so cluttered and stuffed with... stuff ... that the useful functionality is buried under a baffling pile of UI elements and surprise actions. It's a classic open source problem: pack in the functionality, but not be entirely sure how best to present it, so provide everything with lots and lots of switches for power users to toggle what they want. Starting out with less stuff might help; starting out remembering to go to the map would, I suspect, be a great UX experience for a map app.
moltonel 12y ago
OsmAnd is great but its target users are OSM contributors and map geeks, not "Joe User looking for a GM alternative". For your usecase, have a look at mapswithme instead. It's proprietary but very neat. Does only the basics but does them well. There are plenty of mobile apps using OSM data, some of them high quality and improving regularly. If one app doesn't suit you, look around. Have another look if you last tried many months ago.
rmc 12y ago
Maps.me is a good android OSM app. It has routing now I think.

Routing belongs on a mobile device. Now all I need is a usable Android app for browsing maps and navigating. OsmAnd seems to be the benchmark, and it's freaking terrible.

orblivion 12y ago

I've been tempted to set up Eclipse, and just go in there and gut 90% of the menu options. What would remain would probably be a reasonably usable mapping app.

chippy 12y ago
udig has been around for a while now. http://udig.refractions.net/ http://udig.refractions.net/
- orblivion 12y ago
  I was talking about taking the menu options out of OSMAnd. I mentioned Eclipse because it is necessary for Android development.

wongarsu 12y ago

Can you elaborate on why you think OsmAnd is terrible?

karussell 12y ago
I think he means end-usability. Feature-wise and once you get used to it, it is VERY amazing :)
andygates 12y ago
IMO, so cluttered and stuffed with... stuff ... that the useful functionality is buried under a baffling pile of UI elements and surprise actions. It's a classic open source problem: pack in the functionality, but not be entirely sure how best to present it, so provide everything with lots and lots of switches for power users to toggle what they want. Starting out with less stuff might help; starting out remembering to go to the map would, I suspect, be a great UX experience for a map app.

moltonel 12y ago

OsmAnd is great but its target users are OSM contributors and map geeks, not "Joe User looking for a GM alternative". For your usecase, have a look at mapswithme instead. It's proprietary but very neat. Does only the basics but does them well. There are plenty of mobile apps using OSM data, some of them high quality and improving regularly. If one app doesn't suit you, look around. Have another look if you last tried many months ago.

rmc 12y ago

Maps.me is a good android OSM app. It has routing now I think.