2022 - ExplorOz Product Updates NEWS

Submitted: Monday, Jan 17, 2022 at 16:01

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ExplorOz Traveller

The Traveller app features accurate high-resolution offline maps across the whole of Australia along with robust tracking and navigation features, so you can confidently find your way.

ExplorOz Team - Michelle

Happy new year to everyone. We've had a few queries regarding what updates we will be offering for 2022 so I thought I'd drop a little message here to clarify:-

For the past 4 months we've been working on a major update to the ExplorOz Traveller app. Once completed and rolled out this will be Version 7. We got a little excited when we first mentioned it was imminent - we just had a few great ideas that were easily implemented into the code in October but there was a flow on effect that meant we had to change much more than we first anticipated. We realised we had underestimated the time line required so our early ETA's were unrealistic. This is a MASSIVE update. Given that the current version 6.6.2 is bug free, and COVID issues are so influential at this time, we are taking our time to make this a very thorough update - taking on board absolutely every suggestion we've had. As usual, this is a free update available as a normal update via your app store account. We are still in development stage with Version 7 and haven't yet began a BETA testing phase but that is expected to commence very soon. We are currently using version 7 desktop and Android on our phones and Apple on our iPad for testing when out and about. ETA of store release is early to mid February 2022.

EOTopo - there is no plan for a 2022 edition but we do plan on releasing a 2023 edition.

I will release a newsletter with summary of what's coming later this week.

Michelle Martin
Marketing & Customer Support
I.T. Beyond Pty Ltd / ExplorOz

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Reply By: Member - Duncan2H - Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022 at 07:20

Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022 at 07:20

Superb.. I'm excited, take your time and make it right!

As to the map updates - not a priority at all for me, I really dont use the product for urban navigation where new streets would be critical to have and its not like interesting new remote tracks are being discovered in great numbers.

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Reply By: Member Kerry W (Qld) - Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022 at 09:55

Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022 at 09:55

Congratulations - That is great news - so impressed that this app just keeps on getting better. The sky is the limit with Davids' unique expertise, the capabilities of todays devices and the database that ExplorOz has. I can imagine that those amazing resources and data hiding in the background unique only to ExplorOz will eventually find their way into what already is the best app out there!
Thanks for the update Michelle...

Kerry W (Qld)
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Reply By: Rocket Rod - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 01:52

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 01:52

Before embarking on the map updates, ask the forum members what they're after and see if they can be implemented. There's been a lot of discussion recently about using colours and line types to distinguish different road types and my pet request, show every road, all the time. None of this zoom in stuff to find if there is a road there. Perhaps set up a menu option so users can set what they want to see and various zoom levels. Let the user decide how much detail is on their map.

Looking forward to the app update now.

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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 14:32

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 14:32

Hi Rod,
We have a Help Desk and one of the options is "Submit a Suggestion/Request" so this is how we've already been receiving that information. We have indeed implemented any relevant suggestions but are always listening.

In terms of zoom and road lines, you need to keep in mind that a map would be impossible to use if it showed every road at low zoom levels - they would overlap!! I would recommend watching this video tutorial about EOTopo Map Legend & Detail if you haven't seen it already as it very clearly shows how it works see EOTopo Map Legend & Detail Video Tutorial (YouTube)

Michelle Martin
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I.T. Beyond Pty Ltd / ExplorOz

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Reply By: Member - jacm - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 06:03

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 06:03

Any chance of the app becoming Android Auto compatible?

Cheers

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Follow Up By: Briste - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 10:10

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 10:10

This would be my one big request. I've been recommended another mapping app that is, which I'm yet to check out fully.

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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 13:31

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 13:31

There are many users of our app running it on Android headunits - such as T'eyes SPRO 10.1, T'eyes CC3, Polaris Universal MAAX, Polaris Universal LUXX, Kenwood DDX920WDABS, DigOptions, ECOffroad, and a growing list of many more brands.

Because these are all just standard Android tablets built into a dash kit to suit different vehicle makes/models you just need to find a unit that fits your vehicle and has the 2 key criteria: built in GPS receiver, & access to the Google Playstore to download any app directly.

The only reason Apple Car Play even exists is that Apple don't make head units ! Otherwise people could just download the app directly from the App Store.

The only reason for Android Auto, is an option for Android devices that have been "locked" out of the full Google Play store by the distributor of the hardware.

Apple Car Play and Android Auto are just a propriety system to get around the locked out app store issue - the system has no ability to "convert" an app, and neither does the developer have an option to run a conversion program. We would need to create a new app - Traveller does not meet the requirements of this system and we don't wisht to remove features to make another app that is compliant.
Hope this clarifies.

Michelle Martin
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Follow Up By: Member - jacm - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 22:39

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 22:39

Thanks Michelle, sadly understandable.

The android head units are good but the newer cars with their larger screens and more capable head units are probably the future with a phone and mapping.

My new car has a good head unit with very good street mapping built in, and if I could have off road mapping that I can trust through Android Auto that would be ideal.

I am not sure what the answer will be longer term.

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Follow Up By: Briste - Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 22:47

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2022 at 22:47

Pity. Like Jacm, I have a new car with a good quality and largish head unit, and I don't have plans to replace it any time soon. I think this will be an increasing issue over time - people won't want to ditch perfectly good head units just to run EOT, and will look to alternatives.

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