PREVIEW ROUTE FACILITY – A GOOD START FROM WHICH TO BUILD

[PONDEROUS]

Preview Route, which, as far as UK Copilot versions are concerned, appeared for the first time in v. 6.0.1.68, is a great improvement, but it is merely the first of several related similar steps that are necessary for it to measure up to the present version of a major competitor, not to mention any forthcoming new version.

As the name of the facility suggests, it is now possible quickly to obtain a view of the whole of the route on one screen, from which to zoom out as required. The facility also forces calculation of the route before the vehicle begins to move, which rarely happened previously.

Among other route review and planning facilities that are urgently needed are:

Selection of stops and waypoints by stylus on Preview Route screen.
Display of street and town names on Preview Route and other screens at practically useful degrees of magnification.
Display of POIs on Preview Route and other screens to enable their ready use as stops and destinations when working an area as, say, a delivery driver.
Centre screen on selected point on Preview Route and other screens
Jump-to-point-on-itinerary facility – from any point on the itinerary; i.e. and not just the stops.
A proper Favourites list and renaming of present Favourites as recent Stops and destinations.
Snap to present GPS location.

The above relate to route planning and screen management. There are many other areas to consider.
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Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[PONDEROUS]

I omitted a crucial point in the above list:

Route shown in View Itinerary Point On Map and Pick Stop On Map screens.
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Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[neil01]

It sounds as you want a Review route map screen, which would make route planning so much easier.

I know that I have mentioned it some time ago, but since it refers to route planning I think it appropriate to mention it again.

I (still) think that to be fully effective, not only should navigation software have the ability to direct you via a specific point, but it should recognise specific points to 'avoid'

There are locations which must be avoided, be they due to height, weight, or simply a road closure. But, currently, a suitable route can only be achieved by a messy use of waypoints. So much better to have points of disinterest which if selected (just like POI warnings) would not be used in any route. But these must be absolute avoids, not preferential ones, and if a route is not possible the program should warn that the route is not possible with the currently selected restrictions. After all, it is no consolation to find yourself approaching a bridge which is too low, or a ford too deep, simply because the system thinks that there is no viable alternative route.

The lack of a viable route may be quite true, but armed with the information, a more suitable vehicle could be chosen, or you simply wouldn't attempt it.

[PONDEROUS]

Neil01 writes:

[PONDEROUS]

I have now realised that nowhere on the Preview Route map screen or associated itinerary is a total distance stated.

On a similar note, it has been drawn to my attention that, in their wisdom, ALK have built the current speed of the vehicle into the Safety Camera visual warning. What possible use is that in a vehicle that has a speedometer and in a navigation programme that already has two current speed could displays? Where is the speed limit???? TomTom sounds a warning that tells the driver the speed limit. Nothing less is good enough in Copliot at this stage in the game.

No doubt despite the best of intentions, it seems that, the developers continue to be out of touch with drivers' needs.

I strongly recommend that they set up a panel of users to help with the design of the next version of this product. Having said that, if a user panel was to be established, then it would have to be thought through properly and run by someone in the organisation having the necessary commitment and power. For, to my certain knowledge, little, if anything, of what I say in this post is news to ALK.

If the above analysis is incorrect, then what is the reason why these things keep happening? If the above is not done, then how else is this product to be brought into the real world of drivers in 2006?

Ihave heard it suggested that this is just about the last chance to do something; otherwise the product may well fade away. If so, then that is a pity as a great deal of potential will be wasted.



Paul
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Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[neil01]

As for the user panel - I would be delighted to be considered.

[Bohica]

I fully agree with Mr P's statements.
The Safety Camera alert system is now just that,an alert,and frankly due to it frequently "missing" cameras,and no TTS(at least on my system since the patch) all but useless.

One only has to look a the competition to see that ALK have yet to catch up with features their competitors have been offering for a number of years.......

I'm fortunate to own in addition to my "Prime" system (HX4700-CP6 Europe) a HP3970 with NAVMAN Smartnav V3(Europe) installed.

And what do I get from the more "elderley" system?.....

Exelent TTS System.......
Drag box for aviod routing on screen....
Descent POI/Speed Cam alerts.....
Max Speed warning....
Textural overlays.......
Trip meter etc.......

The only downside is the use of TeleAtlas maps........

And why do I persist in buying time and time again the latest version of Copilot?....brand loyalty and the persistant promice of the traffic notification system

I'd really like to get involved as well,as a systems analyst,at least I could Beta test any more "fun" Patches that come our way,and point them(or should that be navigate?) in the right direction.
Come on ALK show us that you really care about your customer base....

[PONDEROUS]

Like Bohica, I keep using Copilot for reasons that don't really add up if you try to explain. One of them is that there is great potential in the product and I keep hoping that one day they will have listened and done what is necessary to realise that potential. Of course, that became an unrealistic expectation some time ago.

There are some nice people there at ALK - I know, because I've dealt with them - but there's someone or something that is preventing the changes that are necessary to realise the potential of a product that was designed for a time that has passed. Given the lesser expectations when Copilot was first designed, it was well thought out. It is the failure to keep up, improve and move on that is the problem.

Any user panel will benefit from ithe inclusion of professional computer people such as Bohica. They know what is achievable, whereas I and other non-computing users know only what is required. However, the panel also needs to include professional truck drivers, delivery operatives and transport managers - as well as leisure drivers. These users will have insights into the road conditions that the computing experts may not think of.
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Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[iankb]

I think that the problem may be that the program has already grown to a size and complexity that makes it difficult to enhance much further without leaving a lot of PDA users behind. Given ALK's priority in getting it on to mobile 'phones nowadays (to grab the corporate fleet market), there may be even more problems with resource limits.

Also, every user (and ALK employee) has different ideas of what are essential requirements, and no one user can expect their expectations and wishes to be seen by others as either essential, or even wanted.

I think that this release is significantly better than the initial release, is better than CP6, and just needs to be made more resilient for those that are having problems.

This release had improved functionality (for speed cameras), but I wouldn't expect any more than maintenance releases until CP7 comes out.

Maybe someone should start a new thread for a CP7 enhancement wishlist, and keep this thread for CP6 bugs. I suspect that ALK development staff would be more likely to monitor that thread (if at all), as opposed to any ALK support people who might monitor this thread (if at all).
_________________
Ian

iPaq 2210
Globalsat BT-338
Seidio G2500 Amplified Vent Mount
CoPilot 6, GPS Tuner 4.2, Navio 3.01
BMW 330ci Sport

[iankb]

Just realised what thread I was posting in. My objection is to the words 'urgently required' in the first post, which rather inferred that it had to be sorted out in CP6.

I've just seen the new thread for a user panel, which is obviously aimed at the more reasonable timescale for CP7.
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Ian

iPaq 2210
Globalsat BT-338
Seidio G2500 Amplified Vent Mount
CoPilot 6, GPS Tuner 4.2, Navio 3.01
BMW 330ci Sport

[PONDEROUS]

Well, iankb, I don't believe that whether we are talking about CP 6 or CP 7 matters. CP 6 is essentially CP 4 (or earlier) trotted out for the xth time, and the lack of the facilities to which I refer leaves Copilot seriously wanting. If you want to assert that that is a matter of opinion, then that is your privilege. It is mine to assert otherwise and, having too often sat in a layby struggling to plan a route and giving up because it is not worth the trouble, I shall assert otherwise.

As I said, attention to these matters is urgent.
_________________
Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[PONDEROUS]

I would add to my above post that the omission of the distance from the Preview Route screen suggests a lack of common sense, as does the failure to make street and town names visible at suitable level of magnification. That is why I suggested a user panel and some thought at ALK about commitment to change.

Once again, I say that whether these are common sense requirement is way beyond a matter of opinion. They are needs that are fundamental not only to the functions concerned, but, given the claims made for it, to the whole application .
_________________
Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[GregW]

I originally railed against the new safety camera feature not showing the limit the camera is set at. But upon reflection I actually have no problem with this. I really think it should be the responsibility of the driver to know the speed limit of the road he is travelling on. You could argue that anything less is driving without due care and attention - in fact, the police would successfully argue this.

I would not depend on it if it was displayed - it just need a slight typo somewhere and that's 3 points on my license.

So for me, simply knowing the location is just what I need. I'll decide what the correct speed is.

(Hope this is not famous last words and I get pinged tomorrow ! )

[PONDEROUS]

If GregW doesn't believe that it is proper for a navigator programme to give a reminder of the speed limit , then I really can't see how he can consider it right for it give a speed camera warning at all.


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Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

[neil01]

Additionally, things happen to distract the driver - such as obstructions in the road so you can quite understandably 'miss' the sign, or it simply does not register because you were dealing with the other issue.

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