[gps-talkusers] A Comparison of Mobile Geo and Wayfinder Access

A Comparison of Mobile Geo and Wayfinder Access


1/15/2009

Mobile Geo <http://www.senderogroup.com/shopmgeo.htm>  and Wayfinder Access
<http://www.wayfinderaccess.com/>  are two GPS applications that blind and
low vision users can obtain to get wayfinding guidance using mobile phones.
I have tried both applications and will provide some comparisons below.

Wayfinder Access is produced by Wayfinder <http://www.wayfinder.com/>  of
Europe, and runs on Symbian based phones.  It is a mainstream GPS
application that has been adapted to work with screen access software
already available for Symbian phones, Talks and Mobile Speak.  It retails
for $300.  To be effectively utilized, a separate screen access package for
the phone will need to be purchased for $295.  Talks is the recommended
software and can be found at www.nuance.com/talks.  Code Factory also
produces a screen reader called Mobile Speak, which you can obtain at
www.codefactory.es.

Mobile Geo is produced by Code Factory <http://www.codefactory.es/en/>  of
Spain.  It is designed to run on phones using the Windows Mobile operating
system.  It does not matter which "flavor" of the operating system is being
used; the product can be made to work with Windows Mobile 5 and 6
professional or Smartphone editions.  Mobile Geo has been specifically
geared to work with Mobile Speak, Code Factory's screen reader, so either
the Pocket or Smartphone version of MS will need to be purchased.  The
program retails for $895.

GPS reception and mapping data are the most important elements of any GPS
system.  For either Mobile Geo or Wayfinder Access, a Bluetooth GPS receiver
will work best for receiving the GPS data from the earth-orbiting
satellites.  On some phones, Wayfinder and Mobile Geo will allow you to use
the built-in internal receiver.  However, its accuracy will not be as good
as that of an external Bluetooth receiver.  When you purchase Mobile Geo,
you are granted access to the gosendero.com web site, which provides you the
capability to access and download maps for your country.  These maps must be
stored on your device when you want to use them; a memory card is
recommended for storage of the software and map data.  Wayfinder Access does
not store its map data on the phone itself.  Instead, as you need map
information, it downloads this data from an offsite server through the data
services provided by your cell phone.  For this reason, it is necessary to
carry a data plan on your cellular account in order to use Wayfinder.  

The user interfaces for the two programs are strikingly different.  Mobile
Geo has a main screen with data about location, nearby POI's (Points of
Interest), phone date and time, battery status, and intersections.  More
detailed information about where you are located and the type of
intersection can be accessed from this screen.  Any item on the main info
screen can be clicked on to expand information about it.  What's more,
up-to-date information can be accessed through mobile Geo's keypad commands.
Each key on the telephone keypad will access a different piece of
information.  Pressing the key once reports the information whereas holding
down the key either causes more detailed information to appear or allows you
to modify information.  Menus and other functions can be accessed through
lists that appear when either of the phone's soft keys is pressed.  If the
user wishes, Mobile Geo can be run in the background so that they can use
other applications on their phone and hear pertinent announcements as they
navigate.  When in the background state, the user switches their phone
keypad to the "Mobile Geo" layout in Code Factory's Mobile Speak screen
reader.  Then, with the home key plus a key on the Smartphone, or
combinations of modifier keys and touch screen commands on the Pocket PC,
they can obtain information as if the program was in the foreground.  Either
with the program open or running in the background, the user can virtually
explore the map by setting a virtual origin position and moving around the
map to hear streets and points of interest near the virtual position.

Wayfinder Access is a much simpler application.  Panels or tabs are
available to learn about the maps being used, "nearby" points of interest,
and searching for destinations.  There is no way to virtually explore the
map or to see what is around without actually moving physically with GPS
active.  There is not as much information announced automatically with
Wayfinder as with Mobile Geo.  If you have created a route, and leave the
focus in this window, Wayfinder will announce upcoming turns and distances
to these points.  If you are exploring on the street and want to find a
point of interest or hear repeated the next upcoming intersection, you can
arrow around Wayfinder's application window to attempt to find this
information.  I found Wayfinder to be very sluggish at times, and when
trying to concentrate on navigating and using my cane to travel, I found it
to be difficult to glean the information I wanted.  I liked the keypad
approach on Mobile Geo because I could usually obtain information I desired
with one key press.  There was also a command to repeat the last thing that
Mobile Geo said without changing any settings or moving around the screen.

Both programs allow route navigation.  Mobile Geo will allow you to either
create a route to a destination or use what it calls "Getting Warmer" to
alert you when you are getting close to the destination and in which
direction the destination lies from you.  For both programs, you can choose
to create routes in pedestrian or vehicle mode.  Wayfinder lets you
customize things a bit further as you can decide whether the program should
consider toll roads or highways.  Because it is a live program using live
data, you can ask it to optimize the route based on traffic conditions.
Wayfinder also gives you the option to create a taxi route so that you can
be assured that you are following the shortest route possible between origin
and destination.

 Either of these products would be a good solution for way finding with GPS
technology.  Unfortunately, the user is forced to choose one of these
products based on the type of phone he or she has (Symbian for Wayfinder,
Windows Mobile for Mobile Geo); unless they would like to switch phone
operating systems.  To learn more about Mobile Geo and Wayfinder Access,
please visit their manufacturers' web sites.  There you can find
documentation, audio demonstrations, and local dealers from whom you can
purchase the software.  Information about Mobile Geo can be found at
www.codefactory.es.  Wayfinder Access's web site is located at
www.wayfinder.com/access.  Happy traveling!

Wesley Majerus

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