This is probably old to most of you, but I’ve just found out that my love for Google Maps can now extend from beyond my desktop PC and to my mobile.
What’s more, this version is a small free download file that supports GPS capabilities found in some newer handsets or any phone that can connect to a cheap bluetooth GPS receiver.
The software runs on the mobile by connecting to the net to download map data, but this is not much data so shouldn’t take long or cost much.
Hint, if you can use Google Maps without giving it special privileges then you may well be wide open to being speared as part of a bot-net. Do take care out there…
But I suspect most lurkers here wouldn’t have any such prophylactics.
Just a suggestion to folk giving map references, both multi-map and google-maps may not work for a large proportion of people with the new defaults as advised.
streetmap.co.uk probably will, even if all adverts (that’s their only sin it seems) are blocked.
I’m running Google maps for Windows Mobile and these devices don’t contain the security capabilities of desktop Windows so quite intrigued how you are giving / denying mobile applications privileges.
Or are you talking about the desktop app and missing that this thread is on about a mobile one?
Well after two days use of this application, I’ve found it to be useful, but no way near as effective as TomTom and any other Sat Nav software that stores the map data on the device rather than download it.
When travelling up to Silverstone and in the small villages around the track, 3G (UMTS) or even GSM mobile network coverage is sporadic meaning that sometimes the software cannot connect to the mobile network to download map data and you’re left stranded or if you get just a GSM connection, map data is downloaded pretty slowly.
Also, I found it difficult to work out the exact direction I was being advised to take as the map doesn’t rotate in the direction of travel (had to flip the phone upside down like you would a traditional map), and sometimes the directional information text obscured the names of towns so you couldn’t always determine if you were going the right way by checking the towns you pass.
The main problem of network coverage is not the fault of the application however, and I suppose its something you must keep in mind if you use any sat nav software that relies on constantly downloaded map data.
