VLC vs OsmAnd Maps & Navigation

VLC is licensed under the CC-SA v3.0+ and available on Windows, OSX, and Linux with source code available here.

VLC is an incredibly robust application but very simple on the surface. It makes playing music simple, yet still manages to give the user all the tools he/she wants in a music player.

Everything VLC needs to play media files is contained within which means no outside codecs are needed. This makes it one of the most hassle-free music players as it can play virtually anything as soon as it's installed.

Besides basic configurations, video player has an extensive amount of adjustable settings.

You organize your music into folders any way you want. Want to play an album? Drag and drop. No tags, no confusion, no fluff. Easy.

VLC includes keyboard shortcuts for most actions. The video player can be controlled with simple and customizable keyboard commands.

Yes. Lightest. Even better than the ones known to be light. Both when playing music, only a single song or when playing a video. Either in terms of Ram and Cpu. Compared with almost all, including the ones from Windows like mpc-hc .. or light ones from Linux like Alsa Player, Audacious, SmPlayer .

Blu-Ray playback support was added on July 13th, 2014. It allows playing back DRM-free Blu-Rays with the help of libbluray, libaacs and libbdplus.

Using sftp/ssh music (and videos) can be streamed from any server on the network to any device running VLC. VLC can also be used as a webcam for streaming and snapshots. Amazing all in one package

VLC has a large amount of extensions.

OSM provides a map editable by everyone; just like the web-based encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Using a community edited map allows one to correct isses they encounter. Combined with the monthly turn around, these edits are added for navigation quickly.

One can also utilize features to contribute back to OSM. This includes reporting a bug or adding a POI. This feature doesn't require an internet connection as the points can be uploaded latter upon request.

Lane guidance can assist in deciding if one should stay in the right or left lanes. OsmAnd provides detailed information on the number of lanes and which are valid for your chosen destination; based on the data available it may show too many or too few lanes.

Sometimes one needs more than just navigation, they have a need to view a map or specify a specific route. OsmAnd provides a very nice, detailed map. This can be good for seeing what is around you or showing a place you are talking about to a friend.

It also provides a means to add waypoints on the map which can be used to dictate a specific route (not simple enough to do routinely).

Utilizing the community driven OpenStreetMap data has allowed for monthly publishing of new maps that the user can use. Though that doesn't necessarily mean the map data has changed.

Through the use of an additional plugin OsmAnd Maps & Navigation is able to utilize contour lines on its maps which helps view the landscape and terrain.

This helps in optimizing route calculations based on vehicle's maximum speed or a country's maximum speed limits, typical driving speeds, width and height of the vehicle and so on.

This helps in avoiding often congested main roads and in casually discovering alternative routes, sometimes dirt roads as well, which are commonly far less-travelled in most places. Odd place for this option though, should be near the section where you can select which types of roads to avoid instead.