Wonderful weekend

Jörgen · 12 Jun 2023, 08:07

I had a wonderful long weekend with about 1500km in Frankenwald and Thüringen.
I drove all km with my Outkitel Android outdoor tablet and the latest Next version. And I am so happy, with that combination. You can forgett TomTom and Garmin.
Everything worked fine, some little things I mentioned already.
Recentering of the arrow can be done by opening and close the menu, that's all.

What I would like to see on the/my wish list is.

Change of route option, like highway on/off during the tour.
Change of route option, like curves or quick.
Change of route if there is an unknown closure. (e.g. road works)
Gas stations along the route and/or quick find gas stations.
Add or remove single waypoints.

(Tell me if it is already build in and I have overseen it)

To 1. If you change your mind, if there is a traffic jam, or you want to get back home quicker.
To 2. Same here.
To 3. If you need a detour.
To 4. For better planing a stop.
To 5. Like 1., if you want to shorten or extend your tour.

I think, if there is nothing in the background, this nice piece of App can go live.

It is unbelievable what Joost and Corjan made in this short timeframe.

My respect for this, well done.

I hope this App will be THE navigation App for the future.

Con Hennekens · 12 Jun 2023, 11:02

@Jörgen, Nice positive review, thanks! I agree and I actually think that this:

I hope this App will be THE navigation App for the future.

already is reality

for A2B routes (where your destination is the only WP. That could be handy indeed. For most other scenarios it will lead to very strange results if you change navigation parameters on a predetermined route. Most people are already frantic as it is, if the calculation does not comply to their pre planned route. So in that regards, a "dangerous" suggestion
likewise
It is difficult to lead a route around an unknown closure I think... (or I am missing your intention )
Already being worked on
does the "skip waypoint" function not do that for you?

Jörgen · 12 Jun 2023, 11:25

All functions are in the TomTom Rider4xx/5xx and work fine.

Changing the route options (highway on/off, curves, quick etc,) is just a function for in between the WP and lead to a different calculation. It is very handy to use this on your tour.

Road closure, how to get around if there are no signs. A new calculation to get to your next WP on a different/new street than the closed one, would be nice.

The skip WP, does not always shorten your tour. Let's say you have planned a tour, but time is running, so the next route around a hill should be skipped in advance.
You are at WP15, but you want to delete WP25 to WP30 to save time or shorten your route. Delete some WP could help.
Same for extension, you have a lot of time and want to add an extra turn.

Ok all of that changes need then a new calculation, but it should be possible.

Con Hennekens · 12 Jun 2023, 11:39

@Jörgen, I think your methods are largely shaped by the way a TomTom works. I don't think MRA should mimic TomTom persé. That would unsatisfy many Zumo users possibly . Anyway, for the time being a route will not be editable inside the navigation modules. I simply drive to the WP from where I want to shorten my trip, and then skip WPs to where I want to stop shortening. I think most of your desires can already be fulfilled, but your method might need to be adapted slightly. Every program needs some getting used to

At 3. are you suggesting a new route to an existing WP explicitly NOT by the roads of the predetermined route? Like "Avoid currently planned road"? Interesting...

Jörgen · 12 Jun 2023, 19:03

It is not about copying or imitating anything, it is about using or implementing methods that make sense. But I think we should end the discussion here, we may have different philosophies. Let's see what others have to say.

Dave J 0 · 12 Jun 2023, 19:38

@Con-Hennekens @Jörgen I have used TomTom and Garmin devices over the last number of years and I can see both points of view. Moreover, I have been in the situation that Jörgen speaks of with the new Next app and would have liked to have been able to delete points and/or add new points 'on the fly'. As a user request, I would definitely support such an ability to add and change WPs within a navigation session downstream as the app evolves after the formal release. It would be also useful to understand from the MRA Team how they envisage the app evolving in line with (or not) with the current roadmap and whether user/tester feedback has had any part to play - I know @Corjan-Meijerink has mentioned a list of user requests.
From my perspective and given my experience with Garmin and TomTom devices, app flexibility for route change and additions when 'on the go' would be a big requirement for me. Too many apps I have tried are cumbersome but I like the way the MRA Team want to keep functionality simple and straightforward. They have a vision that appears to be working for me and I would be intrigued about the apps next steps after release.

Rob Verhoeff · 12 Jun 2023, 19:46

@Jörgen said in Wonderful weekend:

Change of route option, like highway on/off during the tour.

I'm not sure if that's possible on the go, but beforehand, you can certainly do that using the "Segments" option from the toolkit menu in the OSM map.

Stefan Hummelink · 13 Jun 2023, 06:29

@Jörgen said in Wonderful weekend:

You are at WP15, but you want to delete WP25 to WP30 to save time or shorten your route. Delete some WP could help.

In that case what I would do is: ride up to WP 24, and stop alongside the road, longpress the compass, then longpress wp31 to skip all wp up to 31. Now the route is recalculated to wp31 and did the thing you wanted. Shortening the tour.

I get that this can also be accomplished by deleting 25 to 30 from the route in advance, or at a stop, but that cannot be done for now. So this workaround is decent enough right?

You may even want to do this while riding, but it takes some getting used to.

Con Hennekens · 13 Jun 2023, 07:06

@Dave-J-0 said in Wonderful weekend:

As a user request, I would definitely support such an ability to add and change WPs within a navigation session downstream as the app evolves after the formal release.

Oh make no mistake, me too is supportive of that feature! Concerning POI (at least gas and charging stations) it might even be available in the public release already. Fully editing a route however is another thing, and probably not for the near future.

whether user/tester feedback has had any part to play

I have NEVER seen ANY software in which users have such a big influence on development. The proof of that is in this forum. But surely not all (often contradicting) requests can be turned into reality. I think the dev-team is absolutely very responsive to user request. That was also the whole idea behind this extensive Beta-test.

Dave J 0 · 13 Jun 2023, 08:48

@Con-Hennekens I do not disagree with you as I love how the MRA Team have been dealing with users and testers. Just curious to see the roadmap going forward and how the team see new features developing after this release. POI and map layers being key for me.

Jörgen · 13 Jun 2023, 09:08

@StefanHummelink said in Wonderful weekend:

@Jörgen said in Wonderful weekend:

You are at WP15, but you want to delete WP25 to WP30 to save time or shorten your route. Delete some WP could help.

In that case what I would do is: ride up to WP 24, and stop alongside the road, longpress the compass, then longpress wp31 to skip all wp up to 31. Now the route is recalculated to wp31 and did the thing you wanted. Shortening the tour.

I get that this can also be accomplished by deleting 25 to 30 from the route in advance, or at a stop, but that cannot be done for now. So this workaround is decent enough right?

You may even want to do this while riding, but it takes some getting used to.

Yes, this is a workaround for now and works, I used it already.
Doing this in advance would be the cream on the cake.
Let´s see what Corjan and Joost will provide us in the future.

Con Hennekens · 13 Jun 2023, 09:24

@Dave-J-0, Yes I am curious too I know the team has a LARGE backlog with comments en requests. I am sure Corjan will come up with a sequel of the current roadmap, after release.

richtea999 · 13 Jun 2023, 10:47

As a naive user that never uses satnav (other than 'go here') until MRA, an opinion unbiased by TomTom/Garmin use:

adding waypoints is a stop-and-concentrate action. You can do this already in the route-planning side of the app. (If you think you can do it on the move, you're kidding yourself about your abilities to drive.) Maybe some 'Edit route in progress' option could get the user into the routing editor quickly (i.e one press to go into Route Lab --> copy the existing route --> present the copy positioned where the user is currently on the route, and one button back out: 'Use route now')
skipping multiple waypoints could be an on-the-move action, but it has to be very simple.
Something like a long press --> Navigate To... --> pick future waypoint / tapped point on map

Whether that's do-able under the covers, only the devs know.

Corjan Meijerink · 13 Jun 2023, 11:02

Just a quick comment:

Skipping multiple points can be achieved using the waypoint list. Other implementations can obviously be designed but is not scheduled (now or in the near future)
Different map layers within HERE is not scheduled but is on the backlog for the further future
POI's will be implemented rather soon after release

Con Hennekens · 13 Jun 2023, 12:53

@richtea999, I agree, but what is probably meant is to skip some waypoints or shorten the route while you are drinking coffee at a stop. Like you say, I think that is best done from the planner. It would already help a lot if there was a shortcut in the menu that brings you to the route editor, with the route you were driving loaded.

Somewhere in the future, maybe...