New version of Gaia GPS released

[Comanche Scott]

I'm just going to stick with BCN it works great. Maybe if GAIA decides to do a trial version down the road, I'll look at it. But really no reason to switch currently.

 

[1Louder]

For clarification purposes per Gaia:
Android users can currently get "Pro" for $29.99 at gaiagps.com/premium - instead of buying it in the Android app for $39.99.

I will again say that if someone tries the software for the free 7 day period and feels they didn't get enough time to try it contact Gaia. While I CANNOT make any promises that they can/will extend the trial it doesn't hurt to ask. This would also give them valuable feedback on if 7 days is enough time.

Thanks for all of the questions and support from my fellow overlanders. Keep them coming.

 

[1Louder]

For all of us overlanding folks and anyone else Gaia is now offering a one month free trial of the Premium features. Just click the link below. This is for new users only or those that have never been Pro/Premium subscribers in the past. I think a month long trial is plenty long to see if the app is right for you. Thanks Gaia!

Here's the link:
https://www.gaiagps.com/premium/?PROMO=MVUMPROMO

 

[whitenoise]

Thanks a lot for making this happen (or posting the link at least) 1Louder. I just got a 2-year free membership since I paid for the old app and now a 1-month free trial. The MVUM layer is super useful of course..

One issue I've always experienced with Gaia is that map downloads of offline areas will not happen in the background. This is true of the new app as well. The speeds when it does continue to download are also abysmal. Wonder if this is a known issue already...

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

 

[1Louder]

Thanks a lot for making this happen (or posting the link at least) 1Louder. I just got a 2-year free membership since I paid for the old app and now a 1-month free trial. The MVUM layer is super useful of course..

One issue I've always experienced with Gaia is that map downloads of offline areas will not happen in the background. This is true of the new app as well. The speeds when it does continue to download are also abysmal. Wonder if this is a known issue already...

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

I understand what you are saying. If you have a lot of archived maps it takes an especially long time when switching from the old to the new app. After that it does get better. Not sure if downloading maps in the background can be done. I would post something up on the Reddit site. I think it really depends on which layer(s) you are trying to download. I went through and deleted a lot of my old maps. Kept the tracks and folders but figure if I do those routes again I should download the latest maps anyway. Hope the 1 month premium helps you see the extra features.

 

[whitenoise]

Funny you mention it, after I posted I realized all of my old maps might be downloading/updating as well along with the new ones, so I deleted those, and the problem got a lot better. The download speed isn't what you'd get with Google Maps offline use maps but still decent enough to be workable.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

 

[1Louder]

Gaia just posted up a great article on using Gaia GPS to find free camping. This is a great example of how the app can be used in the off-road and Overlanding community.

http://blog.gaiagps.com/using-gaia-gps-find-free-camping/

 

[SnoViking]

IOS Question: Is the Gaia app/subscription user or device based?

Do I need to pay/buy the subscription twice if I want to use the app on the iPad and iPhone? Or does one purchase work on both?

 

[Rando]

User based. I have one subscription that I run on at least 4 devices (2 iPhones, 1 Andriod tablet and an Apple Watch). They also sync up between devices.

IOS Question: Is the Gaia app/subscription user or device based?

Do I need to pay/buy the subscription twice if I want to use the app on the iPad and iPhone? Or does one purchase work on both?

 

[1Louder]

IOS Question: Is the Gaia app/subscription user or device based?

Do I need to pay/buy the subscription twice if I want to use the app on the iPad and iPhone? Or does one purchase work on both?

Rando is correct. It is per user. Although you can share it with family members as well.

 

[tbird911]

For you guys complaining about the subscription model--- that's the way the world turns. Almost every major computer application in the us (mainstream) is/will be changing to that model. The renewable cash flow allows for improvements and upgrades and additional feature requests. Come in guys, you guys that are complaining about "I just wanna buy it once!" You are part of the problem. You guys give these developers your money 1 time and then expect them to continue to support the product with improvements and updates etc. etc. etc. If they charge a reasonable amount on an on-going basis, they have finances to ensure that the product is top notch.

 

[Rando]

Would you pay $3000 for Gaia? That would be the nominal cost of buying all the NatGeo maps you get access to with Gaia Pro. I think you are overlooking the fact that Gaia really is an online service, it is not something you can download once and expect to work for ever as it is constantly downloading map data from the cloud. I am not sure where exactly that data is hosted, but I know I have downloaded tens if not hundreds of GB worth of data through Gaia, and that costs someone money. For me the $30/year to have all the NatGeo maps at my finger tips is more than worth it.

 

[Rando]

Sounds like Gaia is not for you. However that doesn't mean those who do use are being 'taken advantage of'. For many of us that travel broadly the concept of download all the maps we may need in one go is impractical - the combination of 1:24000 quads, imagery, NatGeo maps etc for even just the Mountain West would be terabytes of data. Secondly the National Geographic maps are $10 - $12 each, and there are some 300 of them. I probably already own 30-40 of them (so $300 - $500), so $30 to have access to ALL of them for me is a bargain. I don't care about 'owning' software, I care about useful tools, and Gaia is a very useful tool, which is well worth the cost.

No, it's not an online service. Not by a long shot. Downloading maps for a region you're interested in is a simple, one-time process. No different from a software update, really. Even accounting for bandwidth costs (which, these days, are incredibly low), I'd bet that Gaia's breakpoint for profitability (per average user) would be well below $100. Those NatGeo (or whatever they use) maps would be licensed from the provider at a far lower, bulk price than what you'd get charged for a one-off purchase. Just like movies and TV episodes that end up on Netflix, Hulu, etc.

There are plenty of mapping solutions that allow you to download maps. Some are even free. Many have excellent maps, with incredible level of detail.

I'd be perfectly happy to download maps once and forego further (free) updates. Heck, they can include a physical, 128GB USB stick with every single map on it and it won't cost more than an extra $20. There are plenty of cost-effective solutions, but they won't explore those so long as people are happy to be taken advantage of.

 

[tbird911]

Not quite. When I buy something - anything - I expect it to be serviced during the warranty period, no more, no less. If a piece of software comes with a year of support and updates, that's great, and I wouldn't expect anything more. That's reasonable, and no different from the warranty on your car or toaster oven. What's more, and this is really the important bit, is that I can choose to disconnect said app from the world, not install updates, not have it talk to any home server, and simply... work.

Ensuring that the development company has finances does not benefit the consumer in any way. The company will either use that money to develop entirely new products (which will benefit the company way more than the consumer), or that money will end up in the top-management's pockets. That money will never be used to solely benefit the people shelling it out. Never. And if the company cannot stand behind their warranty (or whatever they promise) for the length of time they've committed to, well then that's no different from any other manufacturer not standing behind their claims, and is not the consumer's fault, but rather mismanagement at the company.

Subscription-based products always come with the internet tie-in. They require internet to phone home and regularly check the subscription status (which requires me to have said internet access, or at least regularly provide it), the manufacturer frequently gives themselves functionality to force updates (perhaps not the app itself - depending on Apple Store's policies - but definitely the data), to change or remove features at will. I don't want that. I don't want anyone to have control over the product I'm paying for except myself.

I paid around $60 or $70 for Navigon some 5-6 years ago, and guess what? It still works as it did, it's still an excellent piece of software, and is still one of the first apps I install on any new iOS device. In fact, for road-maps, it still can't be beat. And it's still getting updates (which I can choose to stop installing at any time). It was a large up-front cost, but clearly that business model is still working for that company, and they've got at least one very happy user. I don't believe that Gaia cannot profit from the same business model - they simply know that they'll profit more from a subscription. Just like every company that has ever tried to force people into contracts. It boils down to greed that's sold as a "this is for best you" lie. Same exact story as with Internet Service Providers, TV Providers, Cellphone Providers, Gyms, and all other companies that take advantage of their monopoly-like standing to force consumers into contracts they neither want, nor need.

Subscription-based models only benefit a sole party: the company selling the subscription.

I'm happy to subscribe to an online service (Netflix, Spotify, FreshBooks, GitHub, AWS, etc.), but as far as subscription-based, device-ran software goes, I view it same way I view heroin: not even once.

Brother-- read your rant--- How's the weather back there in the 90's? Your views are just that . . .your views. The subscription based model is the way that everything is going. We see it in software licensing, audio, video, books etc. Software development is no different. The residual influx of renewals and subscriptions allows the application to be a profit center-- profit centers stay alive and don't stagnate and fall by the wayside. No worries though, some people don't get it. It's your adventure . . .live it.

 

[Beowulf]

Is there a thread where we can talk about actually using this app?