Simple question, Is Windows Phone 8 "Road" Ready?

[rob45]

I agree with berty6294. I too take frequent road trips. I use a true Garmin GPS for navigation and finding restaurants etc. My 8x does the rest nicely, mainly staying in contact.

 

[Huime]

If you really travel, travel means around the world. Google maps is no where near to be a desire navigator when it comes to travel.

 

[Guzzler3]

The one thing I wish Drive had is when it says "You have reached your destination." I would like it to say the address also.

I ride a motorcycle a lot, and use the voice prompts via earbuds, and leave the phone in my pocket. I don't always remember the exact address I'm going to.

 

[rob45]

Try Flight Aware app. I tracked my flight from Portland OR to Zurich last week. I also use Delta airlines app which offers all your flight info and changes.

 

[rider2040]

If you really travel, travel means around the world. Google maps is no where near to be a desire navigator when it comes to travel.

My wife will be happy to know that even though I spend 150 nights a year away from home, that I'm not really travelling. Thanks for clarifying that.

Despite that, for all of the non-travelling I do for my job in the US, mapping on WP8 is severely lacking compared to google maps. The experience I get on my 920 today is slightly worse than the experience I got on my iPhone 3gs four years ago.

 

[z33dev33l]

If you really travel, travel means around the world. Google maps is no where near to be a desire navigator when it comes to travel.

unnecessarily elitist, nice

 

[Jazmac]

I didn't intend to beat up on Nokia Drive or Here maps since all GPS / Mapping is subject to miss a turn or take you out of your way to get there. What I am hoping Nokia / Microsoft gets around to doing is getting those things that are glaring into this phone. We can get 3rd party to accomplish it but they will be limited by Microsoft to get at whatever API's they need to write the code. If they intend to limit us, they need to write for those missing traffic and air travel needs of us road warriors. I need this phone to get me information in a timely manor. If I can't get that, I got to make a case to get it. Notification is another necessary road warrior necessity. When I travel, I get hit from at least 8 people, not including my boss with information. Usually its in text but sometimes email. With a Unified Notification center, I can respond in a timely basis. Now I have to jump from tile to tile. Cool if I'm at home, but no so much when I'm on the road. I know other devices have recognized this need and filled it. Are we ever going to get beyond the kid stuff and include for us adults? Still no VPN. So with Windows Phone 8, I STILL cannot get company email as a result. MobileIron as implemented at my job can't be installed in my WIndows 8 device for company email because of limitations with WP8 api's. So I'm waiting for answers. What is Balmer waiting for?

 

[Huime]

unnecessarily elitist, nice

Oh, unnecessary off topic, nice

I didn't intend to beat up on Nokia Drive or Here maps since all GPS / Mapping is subject to miss a turn or take you out of your way to get there. What I am hoping Nokia / Microsoft gets around to doing is getting those things that are glaring into this phone. We can get 3rd party to accomplish it but they will be limited by Microsoft to get at whatever API's they need to write the code. If they intend to limit us, they need to write for those missing traffic and air travel needs of us road warriors. I need this phone to get me information in a timely manor. If I can't get that, I got to make a case to get it. Notification is another necessary road warrior necessity. When I travel, I get hit from at least 8 people, not including my boss with information. Usually its in text but sometimes email. With a Unified Notification center, I can respond in a timely basis. Now I have to jump from tile to tile. Cool if I'm at home, but no so much when I'm on the road. I know other devices have recognized this need and filled it. Are we ever going to get beyond the kid stuff and include for us adults? Still no VPN. So with Windows Phone 8, I STILL cannot get company email as a result. MobileIron as implemented at my job can't be installed in my WIndows 8 device for company email because of limitations with WP8 api's. So I'm waiting for answers. What is Balmer waiting for?

Oh, unnecessary off topic, nice

The APN thing should be added with no question asked, so does the notification.
But if you are limited to email and text, I really don't see the problem here. You can have mailbox linked and have one tile for all business affair and all text in message tile. After all pending messages is always shown on the lockscreen and tiles.

I am doing frequent travel too, and get more than 8 people at a time regardless if I am on a trip. I just dont see how is a difference jumping into an email, then out to notification center is no much more work than jumping back to app screen with live tiles also showing you pending calls.

 

[dwigfor]

Didn't they recently talk about 3rd party apps dealings with flying?

 

[dwigfor]

In Here Drive, how can you get a list of directions?

Occasionally I've noticed it giving voice directions a tad late... Wouldn't it be nice if it could say 2 streets down, or 3 lights up ahead, rather than 600 yards or in a quarter mile. Well, that and naming the location/side of the street, that others have mentioned.

 

[Jazmac]

Oh, unnecessary off topic, nice






The APN thing should be added with no question asked, so does the notification.
But if you are limited to email and text, I really don't see the problem here. You can have mailbox linked and have one tile for all business affair and all text in message tile. After all pending messages is always shown on the lockscreen and tiles.

I am doing frequent travel too, and get more than 8 people at a time regardless if I am on a trip. I just dont see how is a difference jumping into an email, then out to notification center is no much more work than jumping back to app screen with live tiles also showing you pending calls.

Read up. I can't get company email on my phone. This is one of the major missteps the business side of Windows Phone is making. It is a major one.

 

[Jazmac]

In Here Drive, how can you get a list of directions?

Occasionally I've noticed it giving voice directions a tad late... Wouldn't it be nice if it could say 2 streets down, or 3 lights up ahead, rather than 600 yards or in a quarter mile. Well, that and naming the location/side of the street, that others have mentioned.

It was mentioned with Windows Phone 7. A presentation was done about flight when the phone was introduced. It was why I got in this ecosystem in the first place. I was sold by a feature that never existed. Still doesn't exist and probably won't happen until Windows Phone 9 or so since a kid corner option was more important than us business types. Anyway, I'm hooked on the phone for other reasons now but unless the business side of the product doesn't materialize, I'll end up with a second handset from my boss. Its that simple.

 

[jonathan sink]

My wife will be happy to know that even though I spend 150 nights a year away from home, that I'm not really travelling. Thanks for clarifying that.

Despite that, for all of the non-travelling I do for my job in the US, mapping on WP8 is severely lacking compared to google maps. The experience I get on my 920 today is slightly worse than the experience I got on my iPhone 3gs four years ago.

from what I have read from your post it sounds like you need a warranty claim. I have a 920 as well and have never had those problems from Nokia drive. Not to mention that my maps load faster and stay lag free more often then my brother and his iPhone 5. Which is usually when I say something like "should have bought the windows phone!"

 

[alaskanjackson]

from what I have read from your post it sounds like you need a warranty claim. I have a 920 as well and have never had those problems from Nokia drive. Not to mention that my maps load faster and stay lag free more often then my brother and his iPhone 5. Which is usually when I say something like "should have bought the windows phone!"

I have used Nokia Drive in Idaho, Washington (state), Nebraska (Omaha) Alaska ( Anchorage) and Montana and have not been let down once. I love/hate the auditory reminder that I am exceeding the speed limit. My experience is that it is similar too or better than competitors.

 

[jonathan sink]

I have used Nokia Drive in Idaho, Washington (state), Nebraska (Omaha) Alaska ( Anchorage) and Montana and have not been let down once. I love/hate the auditory reminder that I am exceeding the speed limit. My experience is that it is similar too or better than competitors.

I agree completely

 

[hary536]

You are one lazy person. All this can be done, but just requires couple of clicks.
I know, WP doesn't have anything yet like Google Now.(that's what you are talking about and it is built into latest android version on any phone).

It has maps, gps and local scout. All decent features. I has nothing for those of us who fly often.its 2013 for gods sake. Would be great to know things like, based on geographical location of where you are and your flight for your phone to calculate based on road conditions to make your flight. The thing that was touted to be in WP7 that never appeared. However, is currently built into the GS4. Still not in WP8.
My observation is this, Microsoft under Gates was one hungry company. They were always in the community asking what we wanted and did what they had to get it to us FIRST. Under Balmer, they seem to do only just enough to "qualify". Anyway, this is one of the many reasons why I don't feel its "road" ready, yet. But this isn't to bash my Lumia 920. I need it to do things it doesn't yet know how to do.

 

[rider2040]

You are one lazy person. All this can be done, but just requires couple of clicks.
I know, WP doesn't have anything yet like Google Now.(that's what you are talking about and it is built into latest android version on any phone).

I would love for you to tell me how to get an approximate travel time that takes current traffic conditions into consideration from Here Maps or Here Drive.

 

[Guzzler3]

. I love/hate the auditory reminder that I am exceeding the speed limit.

You can always turn it off, or adjust it. (Here Drive, Settings, Speed Limit, ...)

 

[Angry_Mushroom]

I've greatly enjoyed Here Maps and Drive+. Voice navigation with a vast array of voices to choose from, redirects pretty fast if I miss a turn. Helluva lot more accurate than my brother's GS3. It might lack street view, but that is something I've never found to be an issue. Especially since by last view the street view of my house is about 4 years out of date.

The ability to download maps for off-line viewing is brilliant, and the built in GPS chip is damn nice to have when one is not within range of a tower. It's happened enough in New Mexico to make this a must have.

 

[Jazmac]

You are one lazy person All this can be done, but just requires couple of clicks.
I know, WP doesn't have anything yet like Google Now.(that's what you are talking about and it is built into latest android version on any phone).

Not lazy. Just a busy person and in pursuit of automation and its not about google now. Raise your awareness and quit looking to simpleton anecdotes as reasoned thought. This ain't android. Its about Windows Phone for the super busy business persons who would rather offload mundane but important tasks to the computer on his hip.