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CoPilot and Bad Elf offer GPS to Wi-Fi iOS devices
Here's a nice idea. If you have a WiFi iPad but would like to use that big screen for navigation, now you have a solution. With a small hardware plug in, and the CoPilot Live software, you can navigate without needing a data plan. "People have always been so disappointed when we've told them that the expensive new iOS device they bought doesn't work with navigation apps because it doesn't have a built-in GPS receiver," said David Quin, head of consumer applications for ALK Technologies. "It has always seemed like such a waste of great technology. But now, with that combination of Bad Elf's GPS receivers and CoPilot Live's maps that don't require any mobile connection for navigation, we have a way to make all those devices more valuable and handy." Here's how it works. The Bad Elf GPS receiver is incorporated into a 30-pin data connector cable to charge your iOS device. On the other end is a USB connector, so you plug into your car power, and your GPS comes alive, while your iPad charges. If your iPad is charged, the GPS unit will take power from your iPad, and need not be plugged into external power. The included cable also allows your iPad to sync. Since you are probably going to ask, the Bad Elf GPS receiver doesn't require the CoPilot software. It works with other GPS apps that use self contained maps, like Navigon, Magellan Roadmate, Garmin and TomTom. Other apps, like Google Maps and Apple Maps won't work, because they require a data connection to download map data. The GPS receiver integrated perfectly with my iPad and the CoPilot Live software, and I loved having the bigger navigation screen of the iPad in the car. Of course, you can also use an iPod touch to navigate as well. As I drove around, I could see that the responsiveness was not as fast as my built-in GPS on my iPhone, but it was serviceable. A few times I lost GPS signal and then it was automatically re-acquired. My metal car didn't seem a perfect reception environment, and Bad Elf suggests an extender cable to get the receiver closer to a window. The CoPilot software bundled with the Bad Elf GPS unit can be bought for US$99.00. The hardware comes with a redemption code for the CoPilot Live Navigation app. Bad Elf will also be distributing the package at a later date. I've also seen the Bad Elf receiver sold stand alone on places like Amazon, but it's not much of a savings over getting the app bundle. The CoPilot Live software with the Bad Elf GPS unit is a good way to get high-quality navigation without shelling out more money for a data plan. If you wished your WiFi iPad or iPod touch could help get you around town or navigate a long trip, this hardware / software package is worth investigating.
Review: CoPilot Live Premium edition
If Apple Maps or Google Maps for iOS are not your cup of tea, fear not. There are other, low-cost options out there to choose from. The folks who make CoPilot Live Premium for iOS asked me to take their app for a spin, and was glad to take a look. The basic app is now on sale for US$9.99, which is one-third off the regular retail (the sale ends January 7). Unlike Google Maps, CoPilot Live is universal app and quite at home on an iPad. It uses Google and Yelp for local business info, making it more complete in that department than either Apple or Google. Other features include Traffic incident details along your route and on-board map and routing data, unlike both Apple and Google. You can also selectively download sections of the US to keep the apps footprint small on your device. %Gallery-174654% The screens are customizable, so you can display things like ETA or even your altitude without having to go somewhere else to look. You can also display your speed, and the posted speed limit, and get a warning if you are going over. The app supports route planning with multi-stop routes being supported. While driving the app around southern Arizona, I found its points-of-interest database to be quite complete and up to date. The maps were easy to read, but I missed the display of terrain which is an option on the Navigon app. The voice directions were clear, and you get a choice of female or male announcements. The app even reports on the weather at your destination. One negative, a big one for me, is that my neighborhood, which is only six or seven years old, was not displayed. Recent updates to Navigon, Garmin, Google and Apple apps had my neighborhood displayed. Happily, CoPilot Live has a built-in widget to submit map issues and the ability to add a description of what is wrong. I tried that and got a quick automated response noting that the next quarterly map update would contain the fix. That's a nice feature I'd like to see in every navigation app. On balance, CoPilot Live Premium is a very good navigation solution. It costs a bit more than free, but in my testing it had better POI data than both Apple and Google. Unlike Google, it could link to my address book, which kills Google Maps use for me. Google supports this feature only with a sign-in to your Google account, which seems a bit much for such a simple function. I understand Google wanting to get all my personal data, but I'm just not interested. CoPilot Live Premium has been optimized for the iPhone 5, and requires iOS 4.3 or later. It's a 26 megabyte download, not counting the regional maps you want on your phone. The app offers some in-app purchase, like fuel price info ($7.99 per year) and Active Traffic ($6.99 per year) but I think the app is just fine without those features.
CoPilot offering good deals on its navigation apps this month
Well, how about US$2.99 for CoPilot Live Standard? It features a 2D map, with voiced turn-by-turn directions. CoPilot Live Premium adds 3D maps with lane assistance and alternate routes. It's $14.99 during the sale, which ends October 31. In both versions, maps are stored onboard and don't need to be downloaded. The apps also include Bing local search, and weather information. The company also has extra an extra-charge traffic service which includes smart routing around congestion for $8.99 a year. I've reviewed the CoPilot apps before and found them quite competent, but not as feature rich as some of the more expensive competition. I should note that the sale price in July for CoPilot Live Premium was $5.00 cheaper than the current offer, but both apps are still reasonably priced on sale. If you're looking for inexpensive navigation that is iOS5 ready, then the CoPilot Live apps might be just what you're looking for.
iPhone GPS navigation head-to-head review
Nobody likes getting lost, and nobody likes paying too much for a reheated lunch at a franchise restaurant when there's a mouthwatering family joint hiding just around the corner. Wouldn't you know it, there's an app that solves those problems -- quite a few of the things, as it turns out. Following up on our earlier look at non-iPhone GPS apps, we took a look at the top iPhone navigation choices in the App Store and narrowed it down to the five below, then threw in a no charge option for kicks, covering a range of prices from free to upwards of $120 per year. As it turns out there's a very tangible difference between the discount and the "premium" options here, but is that extra really worth it? Read on to find out.
CoPilot Live adding free in-app search
The makers of CoPilot Live North America are including free search from within its iPhone app. Previously the search function was a premium add-on. CoPilot Live is $34.99 with most of the features users expect, like turn by turn voice directions, 2D and 3D driving views and U.S. plus Canada Maps. According to the company, CoPilot Live v8's integrated access to local search enables users to quickly and easily find whatever they are looking for, whether it's the nearest service, product, brand or shop. Search results are displayed in the on-screen map or as a list. The integrated search will be a free update for current customers, but the company has not given us a certain date for availability pending approval from Apple. We've looked at the app before, and found it pretty useful. Users at the App Store give it mixed ratings. It should be more competitive now with integrated search, and it's nice to see GPS prices in general dropping.
Nav apps keep updating, adding features
Today it's CoPilot live, continuing a holiday sale price of U.S. $24.99 [iTunes link] through the end of December. We've had a look at the app before. It is good for a low-cost app, but the database seems a bit out of date and the POI list is limited. The new version adds live traffic, local search and fuel prices for an extra $19.95. The new features are for 12 months only, and then you would have to renew. The new features make up for the POI omissions, but it costs extra to solve the problem. As all these GPS apps race to add features and keep prices down, we all benefit. And of course, we're still holding our breath to see if the new Google Navigator app makes it through the Apple approval gauntlet. With word that Apple has bought a mapping technology company and wants to beef up mapping, the Google app may never see the light of day. We'll be doing a roundup with our views on the best GPS solutions for the holidays, so stay tuned.
CoPilot Live for iPhone updates features and maps
We're seeing a lot of updates to navigation applications, and the latest is for the CoPilot Live app [iTunes link] for the iPhone. As promised, the company has updated the map data to fix mistakes or omissions that were reported by users. The latest update also adds iPod controls within the app, which many users were requesting. The update fixes a reported address search issue, improves GPS reception and makes some improvements to the user interface. The previous version of the U.S. $34.99 app added text to speech and a better method of text entry. As we've mentioned before, the competition in nav apps is going to get very interesting if Apple allows the Google nav app into the app store. It will be free, and has a host of features that are not currently available in the paid apps that are shipping for the iPhone now. With the FCC watching the relationship between Google and Apple, I'm thinking Apple will have to let the app in, but Apple has surprised me before, and not always in a positive way.
CoPilot Live navigates to more features
CoPilot Live [iTunes link] for North American roads is becoming the little engine that could. At only US$34.99 it is quickly adding new features, and in this latest update has added the coveted text to speech capability. For drivers, that means the nav app will say "turn left on Elm street" instead of "turn left just ahead". Other new features include adding an iPhone-standard keyboard for entering destinations, instead of the one designed for the app (which was clunky). The maps have been updated, and the developer says there is better integration of the address book from the iPhone. I took CoPilot for a drive. It acquired the GPS signal quickly and I was on my way. It looks like the POI database has been improved, and the text to speech worked as anticipated. It is a great addition, and even the TomTom still doesn't have that feature. Navigon and AT&T both have text to speech in their offerings. I still find that the maps are way below the quality of every other navigator I have tested. Driving home it couldn't find my street so it just put me on some nearby street. That could be misleading to a driver at best, and dangerous at worse. The developers say the maps will continue to improve, but maps are what navigation is all about and they need to be up to date. I've talked to some users of this software, and they say their region is very accurate, so it depends where you are. At a fraction of the cost of the 'big boys' and with text to speech, CoPilot Live is becoming a very competitive driving companion. User ratings continue to improve, and I think it is very worthwhile at the low cost (if the map coverage in your area is adequate). If you have your own experiences to share, we'd love to hear from you.
TUAW Follow Up: CoPilot Live missing features
Our Saturday review of CoPilot Live [iTunes Link] raised some interesting questions among users of the US$34.99 app. TUAW reader Jeremy sent us an email this morning wondering why the Live Local Search feature of the app is now a paid feature, when it was free on the first version that was released. This clever feature used an internet connection to find nearby points of interest, even though the maps and bulk of the POI database are on the app itself. It was a great way to keep the app up to date, using a blend of static maps and info with an internet supplement. With the latest update to the app (version 8.0.0.096) that feature is now part of a US$19.99 annual update that also adds real time traffic updates and gas price searches. At first blush, it seems like features should not be taken away in an update. I contacted ALK, the app developer, and received a response from spokesperson Mary Kelly: "Local Search was included in the first release of the App as a taster of this premium feature. We did not advertise it as being an included feature in our original App or at any time promote it as being included. In fact it was listed on the App description as a premium service 'coming soon'. We may offer similar trials for a limited period for other services in the future. The Live Services which we promote as 'included as standard' remain so, namely: LiveLink location sharing and Live Weather." The company apologizes for any confusion. CoPilot Live still remains a pretty good deal for a low-end navigation service. I found quite a few map errors and omissions, but the company has set up a mechanism for people to report any problems with the accuracy of the maps. I can understand users being upset at losing the feature, and ALK should have made it more clear that Live Local Search was just a temporary sampler of a future paid service.
Toshiba TG01 gets CoPilot GPS app, takes you to camp
What's there to say about the TG01? It's under ten millimeters thin, rocks a GPS and a 4.1-inch display, and with that 1GHz Snapdragon chip under the proverbial hood, we're counting on some serious multimedia action. Now that we're gearing up for MWC, ALK Technologies has just announced that it's making the CoPilot Live GPS nav system available for the guy. The app promises full-featured turn-by-turn navigation and both 3D and 2D widescreen map views, and real-time services like traffic alerts, fuel price info, and weather conditions. Additionally, this bad boy supports safety camera alerts, with free database updates available for download directly to the phone. Specifics -- such as price and release date -- to be announced.
