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Permalink Reply by Tom Z on November 23, 2013 at 8:57am

I use Google Navigator on my phone. The key is to keep the screen off and the battery is not effected that much. GPS receivers in today's smartphones are very efficient. It's the screen that kills the battery.

A perfect combination would be something like the Pebble Watch with an e-paper screen to display the turns, while still listening to the directions from the phone. But, for now I just listen to the phones navigation directions, and this has worked very well for me. 

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 23, 2013 at 10:51am

how do you turn off the screen and keep the app running? haven't figured that out.

Tom Z said:

I use Google Navigator on my phone. The key is to keep the screen off and the battery is not effected that much. GPS receivers in today's smartphones are very efficient. It's the screen that kills the battery.

A perfect combination would be something like the Pebble Watch with an e-paper screen to display the turns, while still listening to the directions from the phone. But, for now I just listen to the phones navigation directions, and this has worked very well for me. 

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Permalink Reply by Tom Z on November 23, 2013 at 5:45pm

I start Google Navigation and navigate to my destination.

All you do is press the power button, and your phone's screen will go off. As long as Google Navigation is running in the foreground, you don't need to enter your PIN, the power button is used to just turn the screen off / on.

Even with the screen off it will still announce the next turns like normal and keep the screen off.

I do have my phone on the stem so it is very easy to hear the navigation and access the screen if needed.

Duppie said:

how do you turn off the screen and keep the app running? haven't figured that out.

Tom Z said:

I use Google Navigator on my phone. The key is to keep the screen off and the battery is not effected that much. GPS receivers in today's smartphones are very efficient. It's the screen that kills the battery.

A perfect combination would be something like the Pebble Watch with an e-paper screen to display the turns, while still listening to the directions from the phone. But, for now I just listen to the phones navigation directions, and this has worked very well for me. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 23, 2013 at 5:48pm

I just figured that out. Have to try that on my next long ride. Thanks.

Tom Z said:

I start Google Navigation and navigate to my destination.

All you do is press the power button, and your phone's screen will go off. As long as Google Navigation is running in the foreground, you don't need to enter your PIN, the power button is used to just turn the screen off / on.

Even with the screen off it will still announce the next turns like normal and keep the screen off.

I do have my phone on the stem so it is very easy to hear the navigation and access the screen if needed.

Duppie said:

how do you turn off the screen and keep the app running? haven't figured that out.

Tom Z said:

I use Google Navigator on my phone. The key is to keep the screen off and the battery is not effected that much. GPS receivers in today's smartphones are very efficient. It's the screen that kills the battery.

A perfect combination would be something like the Pebble Watch with an e-paper screen to display the turns, while still listening to the directions from the phone. But, for now I just listen to the phones navigation directions, and this has worked very well for me. 

• ▶ Reply

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