Pros: Works on any Android phone with GPS capability; exports tracks to Google Maps or Google Earth; lots of features
Cons: GPS via phone is not as accurate as a handheld model; running GPS drains your phone battery quickly
Bottom line: If you have an Android phone with GPS and want to be able to record tracks, open them in Google Maps or Earth, and share them with friends, this is a great app. Not perfect, but very good.
MSRP: Free from Android Market.
If you're like me, your smartphone makes most trips into the backcountry with you. Often, though, I want to be able to record the data of a given outing: location, distance, speed, etc., but don't want to bring a full GPS unit with me.
Welcome "My Tracks", an Android-based app that turns your smartphone into a full-fledged GPS.
Free from the Android Market, My Tracks can be downloaded and used on any Android phone with GPS capability. Once installed, the app is very user-friendly and intuitive. Simply hit "Record track" from the menu, wait for the GPS to find your position, and start your adventure. En route, you can check your distance, elevation gain, speed, and, if you have data coverage, see real-time views of your location via Google Maps.
When your trip is over, you simply stop recording, save the track to your phone's memory, and can then share it with friends, share it with the Google community, or export it as a link, GPX, KML, or CSV file.
I use My Tracks on bike rides, hikes, climbs, and most any outdoor adventure where I'm hoping to track my movements and record data. Most recently, I used My Tracks to record my Grizzly Peak to Lenawee Mountain traverse. While not 100% accurate, My Tracks got 98% of the 17 mile, 5 hour loop correct. Check out the screenshot from Google Earth below, and also download the KML file of the trip here.