How to get helps when You Go Off Road (GPS Tuner)

If the cabin you're planning to retreat to is off the beaten path or you're looking for a place to take your truck or bike off-roading but don't want to leave the gadgets behind in exchange for a pack of maps, GPS Tuner is a new iPhone application that can help. The app helps you find the best off-road paths for biking, hiking, or driving, and help you avoid rough terrain or obstacles at the same time.

The utility takes hundreds of terrain maps and puts them in the palm of your hand, marks your position on the map via GPS, and even stores the maps on your device for offline access in case you lose signal when you're out in the wilderness.

GPS Tuner is designed for people who like to spend time hiking, biking, or off-roading in their trucks or ATVs. The app gives you a number of tools to use to plan your route without running into a mountain or a body of water without expecting it, and tools to help you determine how long it will take you to get from point to point on your outdoor trip. The app lets you draw on-screen to estimate distance and time to your destination, and has a virtual compass to help you make sure you're going the right way.

The app includes a host of terrain and satellite maps that give you a full top-down perspective on the area you're planning to visit. Whether you're looking for a secluded place in the wilderness to go camping or you just want a day-hike, GPS Tuner can guide you to your destination. If you're ever worried you've gotten yourself lost, you can always look at a top-down map with your origin and destination on it, and GPS Tuner will show you where you are in relation to your destination.

If all GPS Tuner did was help you get around when the roads end and the wilderness begins, that would be enough, but the app also has social features to help you share your trip with friends. The app lets you take snapshots with your iPhone's camera, and then geo-tag them with your current GPS coordinates. You can update Twitter and Facebook through the app with photos and notes about where you are, the points of interest you've seen, or where you're going.


You can see a video of some of the app's features here.