News - Google Maps Navigation brings free GPS navigation to Android 2.0 handsets

[HEXUS]

Should the likes of TomTom and Garmin be worried?

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[Steve]

Yes, they should be. That's amazing. I want an Android phone now.

[dangel]

Do you need a dataplan to use this? That could be the achilles heel to it if so.. Although I have one there are times where you lose connectivity and that's not good when driving.

[Steve]

Yeah you would do, but I'd hope Google thought about that and do some prefetching.

[Hicks12]

Well, there are some free ones but this tops it because its GOOGLE and everyone knows google .
Tomtom etc should be worried, they will be under threat now since google is in play!.

[Biscuit]

i get free internet with O2 so i just need to get an android phone... waiting for snapdragon and tegra stuff to get more mainstream

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Bring it on

[dangel]

Originally Posted by Steve

Yeah you would do, but I'd hope Google thought about that and do some prefetching.

I'd want them to offer the ability to cache a LOT of data - network coverage isn't really strong enough to rely on navigating by t'internet alone. I currently use googlemaps for windows mobile and it's very useful when i've got signal (and it's fast enough - 3g support is very spotty) but I always resort to iGO8 when driving for reliability (and currently turn-by-turn nav).

[Flibb]

Might be of interest
http://www.waze.com/

[Stoo]

Yes, their share prices both took a significant tumble the moment the google app was announced..

http://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=...AQ:GRMN&ntsp=0

[Andehh]

sweet! Fingers crossed they roll it out for WinMo!

[j.o.s.h.1408]

thank god i can program in android. This set of skills alone could save me from struggling to find a new job in this recession!

Hopefuly android becomes more mainstream and more demand for my skills appear

[Brewster0101]

Originally Posted by dangel

I'd want them to offer the ability to cache a LOT of data - network coverage isn't really strong enough to rely on navigating by t'internet alone. I currently use googlemaps for windows mobile and it's very useful when i've got signal (and it's fast enough - 3g support is very spotty) but I always resort to iGO8 when driving for reliability (and currently turn-by-turn nav).

Same thoughts. Love google maps on my Nokia E71 but the fact it requires a connection all the time is annoying. Use Nokia Maps alot as maps are all saved on memory from online.

[MadduckUK]

satnav software that needs to pull down data is the work of the devil, and the speed it gets used up in google maps does NOT bode well for my 500 meg /month limit... can i cache the uk+ireland from wifi before leaving anywhere?

[this_is_gav]

Sounds good, but it is Google, so whatever roads you use are automatically owned by Google and it will collect data on the number of Spice Girls played songs you play per hour.

[Whiternoise]

I doubt they should be.

The whole reason you pay for satnavs is that they do a whole lot of things like update traffic camera (for all those law breakers) locations, remind you of the speed limit and have regular updates of both traffic and road changes. Google Maps doesn't have every single road in its database and so while it's probably good for general use, it won't replace a TomTom.

The upside is of course it's Google Maps and if you've got an unlimited dataplan that effectively means you have a very very good database of shops, attractions and so on. Plus it's satellite which most satnavs don't yet have.

One major downside besides the data plan aspect is battery. Try to run a phone as a satnav continually connected to the internet displaying maps is going to suck power like anything. Presumably this would only make sense with a cigarette lighter adaptor.


I don't know why Garmin tumbled.. most of their business is in serious GPS systems like avionics and nautical navigation. They shouldn't be worried.