Howdy!

Someone recently gave me a second-hand Samsung Galaxy Ace and I was wondering what I could do with the various Android software available?

Any suggestions/reviews of software?

Apparently, the phone has GPS, but I don't use the data feature, as I just have an inexpensive prepaid SIM card. I assume that most rides would start at a Wi-Fi point (home/work) and end at a Wi-Fi point (home/work/café/bar/restaurant).

Perhaps something free that could be "turned on" via Wi-Fi at the start, use GPS throughout the ride, and upload via Wi-Fi at the end?

Suggestions are very welcome.

Hi,

For tracking your rides, I recommend MyTracks from Google. You don't need maps to record your track and you can either plug the phone in or email yourself the GPX track and then do whatever you want with it (Garmin, Strava, RideWitgGps)...

Google maps itself lets you cache chunks of the map so you can still use the phone to figure out how to get where you want to go (although I've never tried to navigate without internet, so that may or may not work). There are other programs out there that I do believe navigate without internet.

Cheers,
Charles

Cool, I'll check it out!

I just want to get the most out of it with least amount of expense. I'd rather spend the money on the bike and parts than data changes.

Endomondo, simple and works

Ive been using Move! and it seems to work OK. I am going to try something new to see if there is anything better.

+1 Endomondo.

You have lots of choices: Strava Cycling, Endomondo, MayMyRide, GPSies, BikeMateGPS, My Tracks (Google), OsmAnd, Sports Tracker, Ulysse Speedometer (and it's companion Gizmos app), and so on...

Take your time and try several of them out to see which one suits your needs the best.

Thanks! / Tak!

Keep the ideas coming and I want to get some riding in this week (after the ice melts today.)

endomondo. but make sure your GPS is ready to go before you set off. When I had an Android, it would miss the first few km of my rides while the GPS got locked in or whatever.

I use Strava on my iPhone now.

another +1 for Endomondo, and every now and again they'll have the pro version for $.99.

I use Strava Cycling to map rides; it seems to work pretty well overall. I'm not 100% sure as to whether or not the phone service provider of your prepaid card will charge data usage for the GPS portion (some do)...but if the GPS aspect doesn't count against your charges, you should be "good to go" so far as uploading your ride info when you get to a second WiFi hotspot.

The GPS works with the network data services deactivated, which is nice. But, we'll have to see which software will work with the network services deactiavted.

Also, can I just keep the phone in a small pocket of my backpack (near the top surface of the bag ... just through a thin piece of material) or does the phone need line of slight to the sats?

Whenever I use Strava, my phone is usually inside of my Topeak trunk bag...so at least in my case (Samsung Rugby Smart; close in build to your phone) it doesn't need line-of-sight.

I keep my phone in my trunkbag under stuff so it won't get wet if it rains.

ouch ... i didn't realize that the phone still had value (was looking to see what i could install on it and saw that people are getting over €100 for them) ... perhaps I should give it back or at least give her some money for it

My man!

Does using the wifi affect the accuracy? I just got an android phone and tried the google map program when we were out on the interstate. The wifi was turned off, and it showed we were out in the fields by the road, that doesn't look accurate enough to use when you're out on the trails away from wifi.

Give her a bike tune-up?

Wifi shouldn't affect position at all (except that it might help your initial location while GPS is getting acquired).

Different phones have better/worse GPS chips (my old HTC did better than my new one), but once locked on, they should be good to go.

Except for tall buildings or trees with wet leaves, you should be golden.

I have been using Runtastic, since it integrates with MyFitnessPal. It has a lot of features, but you can view you entire ride via how fast on each section, or watch it in Google Maps after the fact.

I have a secondhand HTC mytouch that a friend gave me, I've had it almost a year now and it's still collecting dust. Keep meaning to take it to a T-mobile shop and see if I can get a simcard in it and get it up on the wifi (I don't wants no phone plan! I just want an android minitablet!).

Is it generally true that devices with GPS can use it even without network? (at this point I don't even know if that device has GPS tho)

As far as I know, every HTC Android phone has GPS and Wifi. You don't need to take it to T-Mobile, just charge it up and turn it on. You'll need a gmail account (free).

Without cached maps (easy to do), you won't see where you are, but you can still record the track and see it later.

Cheers,
Charles

This is going to quickly go off-topic into smartphone talk, but I did power it up; there's no sim card in there, and I can't get to a point where I can hook it up to any wifi or do anything at all really. I tried temporarily slipping in the sim from my $10 tracfone pay-as-you-go I bought from 7-11 to keep in my seatbag for emergencies, but didn't get much further.

I'm thinking my best option is to go to a T-mobile shop and get the cheapest pay-as-you-go activation possible, never make a single call, and let it expire, just so I can use the wifi. I'm hoping that would be $20 or under.

Anyways, people probably don't want to read this sidetrack here on BF, if you have advice I'd welcome it, you can PM me or email me (gmail name same as BF name)

I don't have that problem with MyTracks

I have used Endomondo, MyTracks, Strava and Mapmyride. All work well. All but one of them, and I forget which one, uploaded the data immediately when you stop recording. The bandwidth was killing me, so I got a Garmin Edge 500, and upload via USB on my desk top, and have gone back to a lower data plan on my cell service. Unless you are unlike me, a data whale that would have unlimited data anyway, the Garmin will pay for itself in a few months of tracking daily commutes. If you are not recording daily, Strava and MyTraks were my favorites. I save all my Garmin stuff to Strava.