Sports Tracker for Nokia mobile phones

[Wobbly John]

I got a new phone for Christmas. A Nokia 5230 - a basic smart-phone with GPS enabled.

I found a app that, theoretically, allows you to use the phone as a GPS device to log your routes - Sports Tracker.

Has anybody else tried it?

I'm not impressed at the moment.

I used it to log last night's 10 mile dash across the fens and :

The start is 2 miles into the ride, even thought the position was correct when I set the phone to start.  

The altitude ranges from 80 - 220ft. It's the Fens! I probably didn't go more than 20ft above sea level.  

Files can only be uploaded to the Sports Tracker site via Mobile phone - not uploaded to PC.  

You are supposed to be able to export the data as a GPX file. Phone says it's done it but no GPX files visible from my PC.  

40 minute ride flattened the battery (was 'half full').  


Also:
I tried it for a 30sec walk to the shops and it said I had covered just over 5 miles.  

Edit: OK. I can get GPX files from my phone and then upload to Sports-Tracker, but Sports-Tracker will not upload, or even show GPX files from my phone when used as an external drive (USB linked).

[Adam]

I think at some point you'll be able to get a phone which will let you do everything that a phone + Sat Nav + MP3 player + camera + Blackberry can do now.

Just that it'll be in about 5 years time.

[Wobbly John]

The ViewRanger looks a better GPS app, but doesn't get good reviews. 

[plum]

Nokia ran that as a Nokia branded Beta for about 2 years. I used it in its trial form but they eventually abandoned the project due to a) inability to make the software work properly throughout the range of phones and b) problems with the Sports Tracker website backend.

They then sold the beta, site, software the lot, to the company running the site you see now. Didn't work for Nokia even after two years of trialling so I can't see an outside company getting it to work properly.

I think the original Nokia Sports Tracker forum is still about somewhere, but it was never much use.

[frankly frankie]

The GPS by standard is set to assisted GPS which I think means it uses GSM mast triangulation to supplement the GPS. I've switched this off ...

a-GPS is good though.  If ordinary GPS's's's were able to offer this feature, people would probably pay for it.

[Wobbly John]

Used Sports Tracker to track my commute home yesterday. It does take ages to lock on to satellites - I think that probably was why I had problems before.

It worked much better than my first, disappointing results. 

Exporting as GPX file and then uploading it to Bikeroutetoaster gives a better plot of altitude then the  SportsTracker website.

The 'nightlight' setting of monochrome red;black looks cool! 

I emailed Nokia about importing GPX data into their OVI maps, and got the following reply:

Thank you for contacting Nokia Care.

With regard to your email, please be advised that currently, Ovi maps does not support the GPX files to import or transfer other created routes to your phone. However, we will forward your concern to our research and  development team to explore the possibility of having this feature on future Nokia phones.

Searching the net, several people have asked the same question - there seems to be a way by converting the GPX to KML and importing as POI points, but that seems waaaaaay to complicated.

[Dinamo]

l've downloaded 'TrailTrek' for my Nokia 5230.
Will use it on my commute home this afternoon and let you know the results.
Also have the Nokia OviMaps installed, work relatively well as a SatNav, also for calculating distances on the Route Planner.

[Kevina9]

Here's another option : Endomondo | Community based on free GPS tracking of sports

A mate recommended this to me, he has it running on a Windows 7 phone, but they support Nokia (and others) as well. He rated it highly, and it's free ...

[Dinamo]

Here's another option : Endomondo | Community based on free GPS tracking of sports

A mate recommended this to me, he has it running on a Windows 7 phone, but they support Nokia (and others) as well. He rated it highly, and it's free ...

Downloaded this to my Nokia 5230 earlier, and have just used it, works very well and starts up much quicker than TrailTrek and gives a far superior display and mapping.