The article contains a list with free (not necessairily open source) software[1][2] for a range of devices (PC, laptop, tablet PC, mobile phone, handheld PC (Pocket Pc, Palm). Some of the free software mentioned here does not have detailed maps (or maps at all) nor the ability to follow streets or type in street names (no geocoding). However, in many cases, it is also that which makes the program free (and sometimes open source[3]), avoid the need of an internet connection[4][5][6], and make it very lightweight (allowing use on small portable devices as Palm or PocketPC). Very basic programs like this may not be suitable for road navigation in cars, but serve their purpose for navigation while walking/trekking, and for use at sea. To determine the GPS coordinates of your destination, you can use sites like GPScoordinates.eu and GPS visualizer
Note that some software presented here is free (ie OruxMaps, Maverick), but maps need to be payed for. In this instance, and in the instance that some maps (of specific countries) are not standardly available, Mobile Atlas Creator (MOBAC) can be used.
It should also be noted that some of the software mentioned can also be run on different devices than what they are intented for. A particular case-in-point is the Android software which can often be run on laptops/PC (running linux, windows or mac os x) as well .This can be done using emulators.
Also notable is that some of the software mentioned here may run only on devices that are no longer commercially sold. However, these devices are often still obtainable via 2nd-hand websites.
Name | Company | Type of device[7] | Operating system | 3rdP GPS-able ?[8] | software with maps ? follows streets ? | Open-source ? | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MapDroyd[9] | CloudMade Deutschland GmbH | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
OsmAnd[10] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
OruxMaps[11] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
MapFactor[12] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
NavFree[13][14] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Skobbler GPS Navigation 2[15][16] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Program is free and can be used without limitations online, offline maps need to be payed for |
AFTrack[17] | ? | Tablet PC, handheld PC (Symbian) | Android, Symbian OS series 60 | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
AlpineQuest GPS Hiking (Lite)[18] | ? | Tablet PC, | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
AndNav 2[19] | ? | Tablet PC, | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Big Planet Tracks[20] | ? | Tablet PC, | Android | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
CacheBox[21] | ? | Tablet PC, PC, handheld PC (pocket PC) | Android, Windows Mobile, Windows for PC | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | initially intented for geocaching |
CacheWolf[22] | ? | Laptop, PC | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Glopus[23] | ? | Laptop, PC, handheld PC (Pocket PC) | Windows, ? | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
OpenCPN[24] | ? | Laptop, PC | Windows XP SP3, Vista, 7, 8, IntelMac, Linux (Fedora, Ubuntu, CentOS) | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
Maverick[25][26] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
gvSIG Mini[27][28] | Prodevelop | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Navionics Boating App[29] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
OpenSatNav[30] | Kieran Fleming et al. | Tablet PC | Android, OpenMoko | ? | yes (OpenStreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Minimap[31] | ? | Tablet PC | Android | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Osmarender[32] | ? | laptop, PC | Windows, OS X, Linux | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Not intuitive |
Mappero | ? | Nokia N810 | Maemo[33] | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
gpsVP[34] | ? | handheld PC, certain smartphones | Windows Mobile 5,6, 2003 | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
NaviPOWM[35] | ? | handheld PC, Laptop, PC | Windows for PC, Windows Mobile 5/6/2003 SE, Linux | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
NaVisu | ? | Laptop, PC | Windows, OS X, Linux | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Developed for marine applications, not intuitive, build around NASA WorldWind |
GpsPilot[36] | ? | handheld PC (Symbian One) | Symbian | ? | no (?), ? | ? | ? |
Mapopolis[37] | ? | Handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | yes (black and white maps), ? | ? | only has maps for USA |
SailPalm[38] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | yes (black and white maps), ? | ? | Free program, but maps need to be payed for (hence called "shareware" at Tucows) |
HandMap[39][40] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | yes (color maps, basic), ? | ? | May be a free program, but maps need to be payed for (hence called "shareware" at Tucows) ? |
Magellan Nav Companion[41] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Cetus GPS[42] | Cetus software | embedded system (Garmin) | OS 5 | ? | yes (?), ? | ? | ? |
FieldNote[43] | Mobile Computing | handheld PC (pocket PC) | Windows CE | ? | no, ? | ? | mainly intented to mark specific points without a map, not intented for actual navigation |
TZGPS[44] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | ? |
Trax[45][46] | Luke Klein-Berndt | handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | ? (?), ? | ? | ? |
SoaringPilot[47] | ? | handheld PC (Palm, some PocketPC/WinCE devices), | PalmOS | ? | yes (Openstreetmap maps), ? | ? | Originally intented for use in sailplanes |
CotoGPS[48] | ? | handheld PC (Palm) | PalmOS | ? | ? (?), ? | ? | Originally intented for geocaching |
GPS interpreter[49] | Marcel Durieux, Christian Tavernier[50][51] | Embedded system (purpose-build PCB)[52] | ? | ? | yes, ? | ? | ? |
Andrew Holme's GPS software | Andrew Holme[53] | Embedded system (several custom PCB's + Raspberry Pi)[54] | Raspbian Linux | ? | ?, ? | ? | ? |
See also
References
- ↑ cGPS mapper: open-source yet payed, not included
- ↑ Chaeron GPS: open-source yet payed, not included
- ↑ Having open-source GPS programs available for different devices also allows people to expand on this software for certain projects, like automated or semi-automated steering systems for vehicles
- ↑ Programs like Google maps require an internet connection as the maps are not available offline, in part because this would also make the program very large in terms of filesize
- ↑ GPS software without internet connection ref 1
- ↑ GPS software without internet connection ref 2
- ↑ Tablet PC's have touchscreen, laptops do not
- ↑ support of add-on GPS receiver, rather than say the imbedded GPS receiver of the device the software was initially designed for
- ↑ MapDroyd
- ↑ OsmAnd
- ↑ OruxMaps
- ↑ MapFactor
- ↑ NavFree
- ↑ NavFree download site
- ↑ Skobbler GPS download site
- ↑ Skobbler GPS main site
- ↑ AFTrack
- ↑ AlpineQuest
- ↑ AndNav2
- ↑ Big Planet Tracks
- ↑ CacheBox
- ↑ CacheWolf
- ↑ Glopus
- ↑ OpenCPN
- ↑ Maverick
- ↑ Maverick download site
- ↑ gvSIG Mini download site
- ↑ gvSIG Mini main site
- ↑ Navionics Boating App
- ↑ OpenSatNav
- ↑ Minimap main download site
- ↑ Osmarender
- ↑ Maemo
- ↑ gpsVP
- ↑ NaviPOWM
- ↑ GpsPilot
- ↑ Mapopolis
- ↑ SailPalm
- ↑ HandMap
- ↑ HandMap GPS plugin
- ↑ List of free GPS software for Palm
- ↑ Cetus GPS
- ↑ Mobile Computing
- ↑ TZGPS
- ↑ Trax main site
- ↑ Trax old Tucows site
- ↑ SoarPilot main page
- ↑ CotoGPS main site
- ↑ [article=18921&tx_elektorarticle_listissues[action]=show&cHash=15557dd0aaa057b844b945af27d6960d GPS interpreter download site]
- ↑ Original program from Marcel Durieux on Mikroelektronika Forum
- ↑ Modification by Christian Tavernier for the EM-406A GPS Receiver, mentioned in GPSElektorElektronicsWorldWide.txt file in 070309-11 zip file from http://www.elektor-magazine.com/en/magazine-contents/previous-issues.html?tx_elektorarticle_listissues[article]=18921&tx_elektorarticle_listissues[action]=show&cHash=15557dd0aaa057b844b945af27d6960d
- ↑ GPS receiver PCB
- ↑ A Holme's homemade GPS page
- ↑ Raspberry Pi's site on Holme's project