Cue Sheet for Android Will Keep You on Course

Cue Sheet for Android is a very handy app that I recently came across and downloaded.  I have been waiting for an app that will display cue sheets and a map of a plotted out ride that I could follow and use to stay on course.  This one does it simply and with low battery consumption.

Set up is very simple.  Sign up for a RideWithGPS account, a free one will work fine.  Once your account is set up, use your mouse to hover over "Add Content" and select "Map Ride".  Start drawing out the route you would like to ride, when done save your route, name it and add the description.

Open the Cue Sheet app on your phone, press Menu and then Account to link your RideWithGPS account to the app.  Enter your RideWithGPS login information and then select Save Account Information.

You are now ready to go.  Download the map/cue sheets you created on RideWithGPS under the My Rides tab by selecting the ride you would like to do.  You can also select other RideWithGPS user's rides on the Rides Nearby tab.

Once downloaded, load the map/cue sheet by selecting it.  Make sure GPS is enabled on your smartphone.  Your created map will open up and you have the choice of  using the Cue Sheet mode by selecting Menu and Show Cue Sheet.  Switch back to Map mode by selecting Show on Map or using the Android Back button.

At this time you will need to advance the cue sheet instructions and map view instructions by manually selecting Next.  According to the Cue Sheet app developer, a paid version that will announce turns and advance the instructions automatically is in the works and will be available this spring.

With GPS enabled, the app in Map mode will show your position and direction of travel with a green circle and also show your speed and the distance to the next turn.  Your current position and next turn will remain on the screen at the same time and will zoom in as you approach the next turn.  When you have reached the turn you can select Next and the new instructions will be updated.  Take one step back by selecting Previous.  To extend battery life, use the traditional Cue Sheet mode instead of the Map mode. 

The Cue Sheet app can be used in either Portrait or Landscape view for the Map mode by selecting Menu and then Preferences.  Select Map Rotation Lock then select the Screen Rotation Lock of your choice.

I create a lot of different map routes for my rides on RideWithGPS and I have a feeling I will be using this app a lot for complex, new and unfamiliar rides in the future.  I definitely plan on upgrading to the paid version with the auto-advance feature when it becomes available.  Overall, this is a good start for a ride direction navigation app and I look forward to the improvements the developer makes to it in the future.