Admittedly it's one of the most frustrating navigation systems I've ever used (and has made me want to snap my phone in half!) But it could be handy if you're lost and in the middle of nowhere. Free download here. Beware, it does use a LOT of data if you don't already have the maps on a memory card. Works with Windows Mobile 5, and Nokias from the 6110, E60, E91, N70, N73 etc through the N series to the N95. Update - you can loads maps onto your phone using Nokia Map Loader (run it on your PC - Nokia Maps Loader 1.3 doesn't work, use an earlier version).
Final Update (I promise) - none of the Nokia Maps Loaders I've tried have worked AT ALL - so I've gone with something else. But, if you can wait, the next version of Nokia Maps looks much better.
4 comments:
At the moment Google Maps Mobile is a far better option. I have a HTC TyTn II with integrated GPS, however, if you do not have GPS in your phone it can still pinpoint you reasonably using two different methods.
1. It has a database of WiFi locations and hot spots world wide.
2. It uses cell phone tower locations.
Using these two database sources it triangulates your location and it's pretty accurate - this will get better over time. The iPhone does this too. Obviously my GPS chip is pinpoint accurate to within centimetres but I have turned it off to see how good Google is at this, and on a clear day it has located me to a 25 metre accuracy scale which, considering it is still in Beta is absolutely marvelous.
All online mapping apps are obviously data intensive. I have a bundle through orange for data. They also have a pay as you go offer where you can buy unlimited data for £1 a day.
I think unlimited data tariffs will be ubiquitous by 2009 as the mobile world really takes off. Location based services will be the next big thing. M fiends think I am a right flash harry when I whip out my phone and find a curry house in the middle of nowhere!
GPS will probably be the killer feature in phones during 2009-11 because it adds so much value to a phone's functionality. I already use it to navigate, geotag photos, plan travel and holidays and for sports like hiking and cycling.
Google Maps is great because when you find what you want, i.e. pizza place it will give you all their info, telephone, website etc.
I might post a review of my TyTn II here now that I have had it a few months and really settled in to it.
Thanks for the info. I'm a bit limited in that I have a Nokia at the moment. Is google maps available for the N series?
Re Data intensive - on the N95 it's not really a problem because you can use the wifi to get all the data / maps through your wireless internet for free, but on the N73 (with no wifi) you're a bit stuck (unless you've got it on a memory card). I've used the map on the n73 for about 2 -3 minutes and it's already downloaded about 4mb. Pretty excessive if you're only allowed 512k a MONTH on your current tarriff!!! (Hopefully that will improve soon, apparently o2 are increasing it because of the iphone)
Ooh google maps is a java app so should work on any phone. seems ok on the n73 so far...
http://google.co.uk/gmm/index.html?utm_source=en-et-maps&utm_campaign=en_GB
Just point your phone browser to the url and it selects the right version for your OS - it works for windows mobile, palm, symbian et al.
I would seriously recommend you get an unlimited data plan though!
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