believe or not, ridiculously low price is now how China take on the world, ethics not assure.Quote:
Originally Posted by CantDecide
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believe or not, ridiculously low price is now how China take on the world, ethics not assure.Quote:
Originally Posted by CantDecide
TD is right. You'll be blown away by the prices of a lot of stuff in Taobao. Bluetooth headsets are all selling for $200 or more in the US, but they are all made here in China. Why be surprised if they are selling for $40 in Taobao? Enjoy it while you are here...
cheers!
OK, one more post on this. If you'd like to read more about the Gigatron bluetooth headset that's selling for 268 RMB in Taobao, I've posted the user manual on my iDisk. You can download it from there, if you like. The file is called Motorcycle bluetooth-ok.doc.
Seems like the real deal, though I'm curious whether/how it would link to bluetooth headsets from other manufacturers.
cheers
Thanks for the post ChinaV.
I have a simple problem if anyone would care to help me:
I've made a small route for a little one day dash out to the mountains and back. Doing A to B and dragging points is not really appropriate here because its a circle so I add destination by destination. When I export to kml and open the file in another program (orux/google earth) I only get A to B and nothing on b,c,d... Has anybody solved this problem already? The thought of making each route (a-b, b-c, c-d...) individually and adding the coordinates to a master kml makes me feel sick even for a little 600km+ route, imagine for a serious route. There must be another way.
edit: there no breaks in the coordinate list, it just seems to be shortened to A-B
http://www.elsewhere.org/journal/gmaptogpx/
Convert to GPX, open in Google Earth, save track as KML
Cheers!
ChinaV
Quote:
Originally Posted by corporal_clegg
Hi Mr.V, haven't seem you for awhile, finished some good ride?
For some other reasons, I can't get a good bike for now, but a Volkswagen instead:eek2:.
Why not just make points A and B you start and finish and just drag points like normal? Works just as well for a loop!
Because that only gives you points A & B .. whereas your original route had multiple destinations, and driving directions all the way. If you export to kml, you only get driving directions upto your first destination.Quote:
Originally Posted by felix
Take for example this route >> Kunming>Deqen>Litang>Ordos>Beijing
Now to get a kml file, you append &output=kml to the url above. That works fine, but with multiple destinations you only get A and B.. Why? Good question, google??... Seems ok to create gpx file, need to test on my phone later..
Thanks ChinaV, gold as usual.
Looks promising. Another problem with exporting kml from gmaps is that you get only the points with driving directions, so you end up with a list of checkpoints instead of detail route to follow. Bookmark Mr. V provided exports all points, but somehow I can't get oruxmaps to load it. Tried with shorter routes, still getting a not so useful error message "Error loading route!" .. I guess I'd better take this up on oruxmaps
The point Felix is making is that instead of making destinations A B C D, just make A to B and use the drag/re-route feature to make destination points. That keeps everything in a single kml file just fine, but can be a bit difficult when you're making really large routes. There is a limit on how many re-route points you can make...I think it's like 15 or so.
If you have a valid kml or gpx file from using http://www.elsewhere.org/journal/gmaptogpx/ and it's not working in Orux, run it through http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/ that should clean up the xml.
Cheers!
ChinaV
P.S. Hi td_ref, I took a time out from the site for a while, needed to focus on business and other life matters. Still riding as much as I can.
thanks, i finally figured out that i need to use IE or firefox to use the link. It's pretty handy actually. I couldn't get the whole route to load from the kml's. I'm just thinking tho there must be another instruction that can be added to the code to correct the offset a bit. I don't really remember much from programming in school...
Thread bump!
With Apple preparing to boot Google maps from iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) this fall to roll out their own map systems, anyone have any thoughts about the implications for our GPS systems in China? OK, anyone using Android with Google Maps will see no change. But what about those of us using iPhone?
I hope there will be an option, whether in Apple's app store or in greater jailbreakdom, to keep Google maps on our devices.
Apple has purchased global maps from TomTom for its new system. Anyone know anything about the quality of TomTom maps in China?
I'm already totally flustered and baffled by kmls and oruxes and tracking, etc. I dread the prospect that it's all going to get even more complex.
Cheers!
I use a lot less google maps lately in favour of Gaode for turn-by-turn navigation. Apple ditched the google's, but I don't think google ditch the iOS. But google is slow at development. Now Apple is in the game, which is good news, pressure on google.Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
Well the good news is that Oruxmaps is much easier to use now, offline maps can be created right there on your phone. And you guys in China don't seem to have an offset issue anymore. So if you find it's time to come over from the dark side, things are looking good on the androids..
Thanks, Slabo. My Garmin is still going strong, but the maps are getting very outdated. I'm starting to think an Android device could be a good investment for GPS, if it's easy to use. Would not want to spend a lot, though. Any cheap Android models that would support an Oruxmaps setup?Quote:
Originally Posted by slabo
Oh, and I think I owe you an email.
cheers!
Garmin maps don't get updated? Which android supports Oruxmaps? well any android. But keep in mind, Oruxmaps wouldn't tell where the nearest mixian shop or gas station is. It's map browser and you can download maps to view offline, also comes with a tonn of bells and whistles to pin places and sync online... I haven't been doing much navigation lately, im in a country too small to get lost in, so I haven't been using the software lately, but they're still updating and developing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
The Defy+ from motorolla is just perfect for us nomads 1330 rmb on ch999.. Waterproof and dustproof. the perfect thing to strap to your crashbars .. Though performance wise it's not as good as other phones on the market. And the camera is just ok.. But it's the only waterproof android I can find. Can anyone suggest something else?
Motorola Defy XT535, Samsung S5690, Sony Ericsson ST17I, NEC 909EQuote:
Originally Posted by slabo
Or anything with proper cover case:lol8:.
I have been using GaoDe on my iPhone for some time (高德导航). You need to pay for it - around 50RMB, I think. You can download some or all of the relevant maps from their server as you need them. I have found it very accurate, and really helpful for letting you know if that next turn is a slow bend or a sharp hairpin. All menus and maps are in Chinese, which is a challenge for me so for planning routes, I tend to use googlemaps more.
I am looking forward to seeing what Apple can do to improve things, particularly as googlemaps seems slow and sketchy here.
One app I can recommend for iOS, though, is My Maps Editor by NextBusinessSystems. The native googlemaps app on iOS is crap, but My Maps Editor allows you to sync with your saved maps on your gmail account, even drawing new routes and putting in points as you go. I have found that the maps load faster and are saved longer than with the googlemaps app.
Finally a goade user, is your iOS system language set in Chinese? While in android version gaode can switch to English interface and maps according to system language setting.Quote:
Originally Posted by lobotomous
My iOS is all in English.
I may be wrong, but the only language setting I can find in GaoDe is simplified/traditional Chinese.
This is very interesting -- I had no idea that Gaode was available in iOS. Questions:Quote:
Originally Posted by lobotomous
--Does Gaode work as a GPS, always showing your current location?
--Are you saying there is no offset? Your GPS position is accurate?
--Do they charge different rates for various map downloads? How much? Or does the 50 RMB include all downloads?
--How big are the map files?
Can't wait to give this a try!
cheers
Yes - I have found GaoDe to be very accurate - to the extent of helping you plan turns on blind corners.
The maps are free once you download the app. Originally I had the whole of China and then after a recent upgrade I lost them and needed to reload. I think they give you the option, as the full map set eats memory - around 2Gb, I think.
It has some useful features like telling you where speed cameras are and helping you find the nearest gas station. It will also give you traffic updates and colour the roads green or red accordingly.
The only drawback I have found is that zooming out loses a lot of detail, so it becomes hard to use it to plan routes. For that reason I would take a paper map or google map as well.
If you are using iOS, you should definitely check out My Maps Editor - way better than the built-in map app.
Jeff, gaode develops its functionality first for iPhone, android has always came second. I bought 2 licenses, one at first they made their android version available, the other when I upgrade my old Samsung to new one.
Strangely Android version has English. lobotomous, is your gaode up to date?
This is what you would see in android. But 1 thing I have to complain is "Avoid motorway" option is not provided. Rider be warned.
Gaode sure looks like an English app when I view it in the App Store, where it's called China Navigation, though the screenshots are in Chinese.
Attachment 7697
And the price is not unreasonable at US$15, that that's almost twice the 50 rmb that lobotomous cited. I look forward to purchasing this and playing around with it.
cheers!
Hi Euphonius, that's not the one I am using.
This is the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/gao-d...324101974?mt=8
The 50RMB is a limited offer, it seems. I remember paying a bit more for it.
That China Navigation looks OK, but reviews of GaoDe look much better.
Thanks for clarifying! These seem to be related, but the one I found -- by searching for pinyin "gaode" -- gives very little detail about its provenance. Maybe a knockoff? Perish the thought!Quote:
Originally Posted by lobotomous
I just purchased Auto Navi for $8. Surely a good investment!
cheers
I don't think so. "gaode" isn't used as official name, "China Navigation":confused1:??. There is brief description about the AutoNavi.Quote:
Maybe a knockoff?
"AutoNavi Software Co., Ltd.(高德软件有限公司) (NASDAQ: AMAP) is a corporation of digital map content and navigation and location-based solutions (LBS) in China, which was founded in 2001. One of its subsidiary company Beijing Mapabc Co.,Ltd(北京图盟科技有限公司, www.mapabc.com) is a map website in China Mainland.[1]"
-wikipedia
If carefully check google chinese map, is supplied by mapabc.com
Let us know how you get on. It took me about a day with a dictionary to work out all the menus!Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
Maybe little bit off the topic, but do you know anything like an online route planner. I'm planning a 2 months trip maybe and I'd like to put in many places first, notes, think about it and put it in a one trip eventually? More like a sketch? Something where I can log in and work on details longer. Don't u have problems with google maps and google earth since the governmen meeting? Mine is not really working on pc without vpn. Cheers
Hi all. Long time no post. A quick update in case it isn't mentioned elsewhere. 高德 GaoDe now includes English Menus. They added it about 6 months ago. Makes it much easier to use.
Filipu - this may be irrelevant as you are already on your trip, but I use an app called "My Maps" which continues to work with googlemaps and allows you to overlay your own routes and POI.