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Jedi
Samba Member
Joined: October 23, 2007
Posts: 734
Location: Cool California
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 Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:36 pm Post subject: Best phone Apps for Droid & iPhone for the Vanagon owner |
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Hello I have a new droid phone. I was wondering what other Vanagon owners are using for phone Apps. Like GPS/- Road trip/--info/- cool stuff like that. Hoping that we can help each other find useful Apps that can better our lives on the road and off  I put "Google maps" on my phone and it works really good. Much better than a Garman on the dash.
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1961 Westfalia SO23 Mango Green/Seagull grey
1961 Westfalia SO34 T/BW
1961 Westfalia SO34 SWR
1964 Westfalia SO33 pearl white
1965 Westfalia SO42 Velvet green
1986 Syncro Wolfram grey with black int GL
1986 Syncro Doka
1987 Syncro Sevana beige Adventurewagen
1987 syncro Sevana beige GL
1973 Pumpkin orange Thing
2 1963 Rag top bug's
1965 Manx
1970 Single cab
1971 combi
1990 Vanagon GL
2007 Audi A4 3.2L quattro |
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Rocky Mountain Westy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2008
Posts: 1031
Location: Fort Collins Colorado
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yggdrasil
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2010
Posts: 240
Location: New Mexico
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 10:15 pm Post subject: Dont know about iphone |
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for android i always use the navigation (well not always just when i dont know where im going).
speedview is pretty useful too, to figure out how far off my speedo is. Nice hud at night time (reverses the number so it reflects off the windshield).
The music stuff works well.
My g1 fits nicely into the ashtray, even tilts up so I got a good view on it.
brute maps is able to run google maps without the data network.
Wireless tether to get online from the lappy.
Cyanogenmod and froyo all the way. |
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Orbitald
Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2004
Posts: 320
Location: Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:40 am Post subject: |
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I use GasBook. It tells you where to find gas stations in your area and the prices.
The best feature is for Diesel Van owners because it has a filter for Diesel Only stations which can be tricky to find.
http://gasbook.posterous.com/
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'87 Syncro Westfakia, 1.9TD ADE (AAZish), 068 Injection Pump, K03 turbo, 2.5" exhaust, Mercedes nozzles, SAAB Blackstone charge-cooler w/ 800cfm fan, Micro-1000 EGT sensor pre-turbo, boost at about 13psi, 235/70/16 with stock gearing |
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Volksaholic
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2005
Posts: 1771
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:56 am Post subject: |
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I'll have to try Speedview... never heard of it, but it sounds like it would be the stopwatch & calculator method I've been using!  I like the navigator except it doesn't shut up if you get a call. Maybe there's a preference setting for that. As stupid as it sounds, I like the compass apps. Sometimes that's all I'm looking for is the heading/orientation and maps is a little slow. How about Weatherbug (or one of the weather apps); my Outback has a weather radio but the Vanagon doesn't. Then there's Google Sky... maybe not so useful while driving unless you're into celestial navigation, but pretty cool for informing me what constellations and planets I'm looking at in the campground. I've also go the guitar tuner app... another one that's really only of value if you get to the campground and forgot the tuner for the guitar/mando/fiddle/banjo.
Paul
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251 |
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keving
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2010
Posts: 44
Location: Denver
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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On my android phone I use Google's My Tracks every now and then. It will track your progress on a map with speed, distance, elevation gain etc. Later you can upload to a google map. Really more for non-driving activities but still fun for hitting the road sometimes. Otherwise the phone is being used as a gps on the dash.
Mytracks URL, http://mytracks.appspot.com/
I've been thinking about approaching the forum owner(s)? about building a iphone app as it's what i do for a living. It would be great to be able to browse in a native app. For me it would be nice to give something back to this community that's been so helpful.
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84' Westy |
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candyman
Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003
Posts: 2694
Location: Missoula MT
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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| droid has a level, iphone too prolly. called spirit level, anyways i use it when rollin into camp to check my bed level. i hate sleeping off balance, can't dance straight the whole next day |
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6246
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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In Portland there is an i-phone app called Cocktail Compass. It takes your current location and lists all the happy hours from closest to farthest away, and how much time is left for each happy hour. I've found it most usefull.  It will even call you a cab if you want it too.
http://www.nightanddaystudios.com/iphone/cocktailcompass.html
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto
Last edited by PDXWesty on Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Williamtaylor33
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 1545
Location: Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| candyman wrote: |
| droid has a level, iphone too prolly. called spirit level, anyways i use it when rollin into camp to check my bed level. i hate sleeping off balance, can't dance straight the whole next day |
clinovinlite is a free level that even features a vanagon.
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89 Bostig powered syncro westy |
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Rhinoculips
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2005
Posts: 918
Location: Keystone, Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| keving wrote: |
| I've been thinking about approaching the forum owner(s)? about building a iphone app as it's what i do for a living. It would be great to be able to browse in a native app. For me it would be nice to give something back to this community that's been so helpful. |
That would be awesome. With the amount of time I spend on The Samba it would make my life easier. Heck I would pay for an app like that.
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“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” - Edward Abbey
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squeegee_boy
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2008
Posts: 762
Location: Langley, BC, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Rhinoculips wrote: |
| keving wrote: |
| I've been thinking about approaching the forum owner(s)? about building a iphone app as it's what i do for a living. It would be great to be able to browse in a native app. For me it would be nice to give something back to this community that's been so helpful. |
That would be awesome. With the amount of time I spend on The Samba it would make my life easier. Heck I would pay for an app like that. |
It seems to exist already:
http://www.tapatalk.com/
It's $3 for the iphone app, and the script for the server end is free-as-in-beer for forum owners.
Robyn
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1984 FrankenSyncro Westy. EJ25 RMW kit
1971 Super Beetle with an EJ22. Oh yes. Daily driver |
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pnwkayaker
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2008
Posts: 920
Location: Sammamish, WA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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| squeegee_boy wrote: |
It seems to exist already:
http://www.tapatalk.com/
It's $3 for the iphone app, and the script for the server end is free-as-in-beer for forum owners.
Robyn |
I don't think it works. The Samba uses PhpBB 2.0, and TapaTalk requires phpBB 3.0 if I remember correctly
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87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")
Seattle Meetup at Marymoor (link)
A collection of Simple Useful Mods (SUM) (link) |
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scottjk
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2006
Posts: 485
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:24 pm Post subject: TomTom |
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I'm using an unlock Iphone 2G on T-Mobile. The 2G doesn't have a true GPS receiver so I found the TomTom Car Kit that mounts to the windshield or dash and is powered through the cigarette lighter. The Iphone easily hooks in and the mount is fully adjustable. Very nice design and the TomTom software is amazing turn by turn.
The cool thing about having the Iphone tethered is you can do google searches for what you are looking for and it integrates with TomTom. It also can be used as a hands free speaker phone.
It apprently makes the 3G/GS even better for turn by turn nagivation and keeps your Iphone charged up. I love well designed gadgets!!!
http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/mobile-navigation/
Scott
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1985 Westfalia 2.5L EJ |
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whafalia
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009
Posts: 685
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| PDXWesty wrote: |
snip It will even call you a cab if you want it too.
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You're a cab. |
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1621
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2006
Posts: 2174
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Check out RV Companion for the iPhone (maybe available for the Android as well). It allows you to store information about your van, maintenance history and schedule, looks up campgrounds with ratings and location/contact information, RV leveler, packing lists, to do lists, all kinds of stuff. A nice app to supplement a good road/trail map if you're traveling in parts unknown.
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'85 Westy |
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jetpoweredmonkey
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2004
Posts: 194
Location: Sacramento, CA
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vannygun
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2006
Posts: 316
Location: Portland,or
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:45 am Post subject: |
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Pocket dyno and g-tac free for Iphone. These will give you tons of performance info,1/8,1/4 mile times. Also breaking g force and many more.
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definition-Vanagon, "a ideal breeding ground for gremlins"
2000 jeep Cherokee sport (DD)
1990 vanagon gl 2.2 subaru(sold)
2006 jeep commander |
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Vanaman
Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2010
Posts: 131
Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 7:04 am Post subject: |
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I use Yelp. Type in any store or what your looking for and it will take your current location and give you maps, addresses and phone numbers to all in the area. Even tells you if the store is open. You can also upload photos and write reviews for the next guy or gal.
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'80 Westy "The Hummingbird Messanger" |
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Volksaholic
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2005
Posts: 1771
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 7:40 am Post subject: Re: Dont know about iphone |
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| yggdrasil wrote: |
| speedview is pretty useful too, to figure out how far off my speedo is. Nice hud at night time (reverses the number so it reflects off the windshield). |
I was away from my computer and couldn't remember the name of Speedview, but I ended up with Speed HUD and used it on the drive home. I know my speedometer reads high and I had the ScanGaugeII dialed in pretty close, reading the speed from the ECU/VSS. Speed Hud tracked very closely with the ScanGauge. It's a nice speedometer app and can display the compass and some other useless stats like G-forces. It also has the reverse image like Speedview so you can view it in the windshield. I guess it burns through the battery so you pretty much need to stay plugged in. I've loaded Speedview and will compare the two.
These would be especially nice for folks with stock engines or older conversions that don't support the OBD-II computers like ScanGauge II. Since I've got the computer on top of the instrument cluster housing the GPS speed is not as important... but they're very cool apps.
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| froyo all the way. |
I want Froyo...  I wish they'd release it for my myTouch 3G. I think they announced that it was coming in June or July, but last I checked it still wasn't there.
Paul
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251 |
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James 93SLC
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2009
Posts: 937
Location: NE Ohio
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 7:59 am Post subject: |
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A nice Droid app for tracking vehicle maintenance is "aCar". You can track multiple vehicle repairs, maintenance records, fill-ups, and set reminders for filter and oil changes. Very slick (and FREE!).
It even generates graphs and charts if you want to depress yourself on how much you spend 
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91 Vanagon Carat
93 Corrado SLC
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tencentlife "Sometimes a pooka is a problem and sometimes it's just a pooka" |
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