For a long time, I have wanted to ditch my Garmin GPS that does not have Bluetooth and use my iPhone with Bluetooth to get turn prompts. I was pretty frustrated until I found this link on ADVRider.com that describes how to create routes on a PC and then get them loaded on your iPhone (or Android):
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=874100
I tried this and it works every time.
Step 1 is to install the Navigon app ($25 for 1/2 of USA) on your iPhone.
Step 2 is to create a route and export it it as a gpx file. (ITN Converter allows you to create a route by accessing Google Maps, but I prefer Garmin's Basecamp. Any mapping software that allows you to create a gpx file will do.)
Step 3 is to install Dropbox on your PC and the app on your iPhone (both free)
Step 4 is to install ITN Converter (also free) on your PC.
Step 5 is to open the saved gpx file and save it to your Dropbox folder as a Navigon MN 7 file. It will have a ".route" extension.
Step 6 is to change the file extension in Dropbox from ".route" to ".target"
Step 7 is to open the ".target" file in Dropbox on your phone, which will cause a "cannot open" error from Dropbox.
Step 8 is to use the "open with" and select the Navigon app when you get an error saying that Dropbox cannot open the file. (Note that the latest iOS is a bit different than described at the above link. You tap the box with the up arrow at the lower left to get to "open with" option.)
Step 9 is to tell the Navigon app to "calculate" and the route will be displayed
If this seems complicated, rest assured that once you have created your route, it's a couple of minutes to get it loaded on your phone.
I am asking myself for quite a while how somebody can mark a map (in my case Costa Rica) with the good roads and make them visible and downloadable for others.
It took me several hours to highlight an old map for a fotographer, but still he possibly will get lost.
Optimum would be to have that marking in the GPS or Smartphone.
Somebody has suggestions?
Sven
