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Google Introduces Free GPS Navigation for Android 2.0
- Thread starter edesignuk
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Does it have built-in maps?
So... Does et work when you are outside cell phone and WIFI range? My biggest frustration with using Google Maps on the iphone is that it doesn't work when I am away from freeways and major cities. That is because it pulls the maps off the internet rather than having the maps stored in memory.
So... Does et work when you are outside cell phone and WIFI range? My biggest frustration with using Google Maps on the iphone is that it doesn't work when I am away from freeways and major cities. That is because it pulls the maps off the internet rather than having the maps stored in memory.
No I'm pretty sure no ONE device is an iPhone killer. No one should claim ONE device to be an iPhone killer because NO ONE ELSE makes both hardware/software/and 1 phone.
I don't understand why people throw this term onto every new smartphone manufactured. Android could be an OS that gains marketshare and takes away from the iPhone's market, but no one device will come out and outsell the iphone. No one device also gets upgraded like the iPhone does. You won't see an HTC Hero 3GS or any other version, HTC will simply move on to another hardware with another name.
Well then how have all the other GPS apps made it through? What would be awesome: since Maps is based on Google technology anyway, simply roll the turn-by-turn function into the current default app.
The question is, are the maps stored on the phone or does it require a constant internet connection? Cellular reception can be spotty and data transmission slow or nonexistent in many locations. For that type of GPS to work well, you would not only need a decently strong satellite signal but also a strong cellular data signal.
The problem would be solved if basic maps are always stored directly in the phone's memory. The extra features (real time traffic data, 3D view or satellite detail view, etc) would require an internet connection. If everything, even the basic maps, required a constant internet connection, this Google GPS wouldn't be very good.
Though, if it's free, I guess you can't really complain.
The problem would be solved if basic maps are always stored directly in the phone's memory. The extra features (real time traffic data, 3D view or satellite detail view, etc) would require an internet connection. If everything, even the basic maps, required a constant internet connection, this Google GPS wouldn't be very good.
Though, if it's free, I guess you can't really complain.
This isn't about an iPhone killer. It isn't about the HTC Hero. This isn't even about a single phone.
What it is about is a new service coming to Android 2.0 and any handsets that run Android 2.0.
This looks interesting and I would absolutely grab it for free. Needing an internet connection is a problem as I live in a city where connections can/are spotty when downtown. Further text-to-speach is nice to have but not necessary as long as the application announces up coming turns. I did not see that in the video, does it at least announce turns, etc.? If not it would have very limited use for me as traffic here in Chicago is intense enough where I do not want to take my eyes off the road unless it is absolutely necessary.
You couldn't have said it any better. Companies with the majority of market share have no reason to innovate. Or at least it seems that way.
Android 2 looks really interesting and hopefully its the iPhone OS competition that the market needs.
haha so much for competition...
thanks engadget
Ouch!
(Thanks for sharing that one!)After reading about the Droid phone, and watching the GPS video, I must say I am getting pretty impressed. It will be very interesting to see the first set of hands on reviews next week. In the GPS video, the Droid looks pretty fast and responsive. GPS looks great, if it really works that well.
I have held off getting an iPhone for two years because of ATT's poor service/reception in the rural areas of my state. Whereas, Verizon is everywhere. I may finally make a dive into the world of smart phones if the Droid pans out. Yes it seems a bit.. ugly. Yes, the operating system is still in it's infancy. But, what I have seen I like. The Droid and other advanced smart phones would not exist if Apple had not pushed innovation in the iPhone. So, thanks to Apple. No thanks to the death star... Pity.
I have held off getting an iPhone for two years because of ATT's poor service/reception in the rural areas of my state. Whereas, Verizon is everywhere. I may finally make a dive into the world of smart phones if the Droid pans out. Yes it seems a bit.. ugly. Yes, the operating system is still in it's infancy. But, what I have seen I like. The Droid and other advanced smart phones would not exist if Apple had not pushed innovation in the iPhone. So, thanks to Apple. No thanks to the death star... Pity.
I don't think so. There will always be a big advantage to apps which store all their maps offline, for those people who frequently drive in areas without good 3G coverage. For those who live in the USA, just look at AT&T's 3G coverage map; the majority of the USA isn't covered.
There are certainly also some great advantages to GPS apps which store all their data in the cloud, and the Google video did a good job of highlighting those advantages, mainly having to do with access to up-to-date information. However those advantages all evaporate if you drive out of 3G coverage, and then you'll wish you had a GPS app like Navigon, which continues to work just fine.
I assumed that's how it would be, that's sort of what the quote implies (the process is different because it's a built-in app). I hope it does come, looks awesome.
The key difference for the other turn-by-turn apps though will be local map data vs fetching it off 3G. The maps are so big it seems unlikely Apple would make everyone install them. And there are situations where I'm out of the AT&T coverage area but GPS still works, where it would be nice to have maps.
It would be a mistake if Google didnot bring this to the iPhone. I look forward to this apps. This is the apps I have been waiting for my whole iPhone life for.
Google today announced a free, turn-by-turn GPS navigation application for the new Android 2.0 smart phone platform.Among the features included in the application:
- Up-to-date map data: Automatically includes latest map data from Google, which is constantly being refined by Google and by users submitting corrections
- Plain English search: Locate destinations by entering business business name or landmark; no address needed
- Voice search: Speak destinations and Google Maps Navigation will automatically interpret and plot routes
- Live traffic data: Indicator warns of upcoming traffic issues
- Search along route: Find businesses along path of travel
- Satellite view: 3D view of route to aid in understanding directions
- Street View: first-person perspective of route and destination images
A video preview of Google Maps Navigation has also been posted.
CNET notes that Google and Apple are in fact working to bring the application to the iPhone, although no details of a launch timeframe have been released.
Article Link: Google Introduces Free GPS Navigation for Android 2.0
Looks good, but Apple is secretively working on similar for iPhone. Today, you can use the FREE Waze voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation. If you jailbreak, there are more free iPhone options...
Incredible. I hope it's ported to the iPhone OS.
and the chance of that happening is very minimal IMO
I agree.. if apple doesn't stop playing silly games, then google will not allow this feature to be run on the iphone..
and the company that apple bought was going bankrupt, so it's more about hiring one person then purchasing a whole new company. I don't think apple can compete with google when it comes to maps...
sucks for iphone..
From CNet:
This isn't the same case as Google Voice. I'm guessing Maps will be updated with this in either a more feature rich iDevice OS 3.x version or in OS 4.0.
Personally, I can't wait as my Garmin Streetpilot's touchscreen is going out and I live in a city where 3G is 5 bars just about everywhere and bloody fast.
I guess you missed the whole "FREE" part.
Google doesn't charge for its apps, Apple just blocks them.
Really there is no reason why this won't come to the iPhone. All of Google's apps are available to the popular OS's. The only think stopping any Google app from reaching the iPhone is Apple. But my next phone will be an Android device so I don't really care and since pirating apps for the iPhone is so popular I wonder how many people actually pay for those $99+ GPS apps anyway.