NDrive USA (link) is a surprisingly good and full-featured GPS app that gives you 2.5 GB of offline maps for only $2.99. The catch? There isn’t one other than a below average user interface. It’s quite a bargain, we think.
NDrive USA is a not a slick or polished app. Its biggest flaw is probably its clunky interface. Those who own a Garmin might find the menu system and method for entering addresses familiar: you don’t simply enter in the entire address on one screen, you narrow it down from big to small, going from state, to city, to street name, to house number—all with separate screens. I’m sure there’s a logic to doing it this way, but I found it quit the chore until I had some practice.
The maps are clear, detailed, and easy to read, and are comparable to those in much more expensive apps. The maps can be viewed in both portrait and landscape (landscape being our preference).
One of the app’s missing features is that the voice navigation does not say street names. Instead of saying “Turn left onto Lake Shore Drive,” it only says “Turn left.” This invites more glances at the maps than we’d like for safety reasons, but better than having no voice instructions at all.
Supports both portrait and landscape modes.
Read the rest of this entry »
