Cool, this loaded nice and easily, no worrying about downloading other Java applications or anything. But I can't get it to see my bluetooth GPS. Anyone know if this works with a GPS, and if so what com port, since there are no settings?
This is a great find, but the app needs improvement.
one problem i find very annoying is that if your connection stays dormant for too long or dies, while doing a search, the only option you are given is to exit the program.
if i am in an area that has very low signal strength and takes a while to kick out of dormant mode, i don't want Google Maps thinking i lost internet access altogether. There should be an option to try again (sadly there isn't).
In times when you are desperate for directions, this app can either save you or get you really frustrated
On question..if someone already has a GPS, what is the value or purpose of having this application? I used to have Earth for my i730, but got rid of it after I got a GPS software and reciever.
1. This software isn't dependant upon a GPS receiver to give you directions.
2. This app is small, and doesn't require GB's of maps.
3. This just needs an active internet connection and you can zoom in.
4. Satellite pictures.
5. Can overlay traffic on top of map, provided you are in an area that provides traffic information.
6. You can literally pull up anywhere without having to find the correct map, if your maps are broken down by region.
7. You can locate businesses, and search for businesses close to a certain vicinity.
8. You don't have to carry a GPS receiver.
9. You don't have to charge a GPS receiver...
So there are many advantages to this over a GPS receive and software. Drawbacks including that you MUST be online to pull the map.
Virtual Earth is also very similar to Google Maps, and both look like they will compete with each other, plus VE uses Microsoft's maps, while Google uses Google's Maps.
I am sure both of these software would help anyone that didn't want to carry around a GPS receiver.
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-Michael
Need help setting up your i730/i830 or other WM2003/WM5 Phone, as well as the other hacks I have done, check out the MRailing Guides and Links
I tried google maps extensively this weekend during a rare getaway in the wine country. It worked fantastically. It even did OK when I could not get a connection letting me wonder through what maps it did have.
The search features were great--trying to find a hotel, I just clicked the search button, found some places (which show up on the map), clicked on the icon for the hotel I was interested in and hit dial. It integrated with the phone beautifully!
IMHO, this program blows away Microsoft Live and Virtual Earth. The interface on Google Maps is much better than on Microsoft live (although the functionality seems pretty similar). I always found Microsoft live too modal--with too many windows open and to much fussing. Google is much more intuitive and easier to deal with. Virtual Earth is cool, but does not have the search and directions functions.
I used to have Microsoft Live and Virtual Earth on the beastie. Virtual Earth when I wanted a basic map quickly without the overhead and fuss of Microsoft Live; Microsoft Live when I wanted to track, search or get directions.
I got this working with my BT GPS (iBlue 737) - I didn't have any problems - just turned on the GPS and told Google I wanted to track location - it put a blue dot EXACTLY where I was on the satellite map - pretty cool.
On the commute this morning I tried it out and found that while the app is really neat, it is completely unsuitable for navigation while driving:
-It uses huge amounts of data to constantly download maps to show you where you are while driving. At highway speeds I found it dowloaded about 1MB/minute.
-Even with EVDO speed getting map data, if you drive over about 60mph the app has trouble keeping up downloading and panning the maps to show you where you are - you just drive right off the map! You can zoom out, but then its really hard to see exactly where you are.
-There is no way to orient the map to the direction you are driving - the map is always oriented North.
-When I fire up my usual navigation software (iGuidance 3.0), Google Maps only updates its maps sporadically (every few minutes). iGuidance also seems unhappy - while it does a good job of keeping up with my position on the map, the voice commands for navigation get REALLY SLOW, making them useless.
The GPS funtionality of Google Maps is cool, and if you use it while stopped to see where you are and what's around you it is very helpful (to augment the POI you have on your normal navigation software). The software is VERY accurate in showing where you are (at work it practically showed me what parking space I was in!). I like it, but not for navigation.
I got this working with my BT GPS (iBlue 737) - I didn't have any problems - just turned on the GPS and told Google I wanted to track location - it put a blue dot EXACTLY where I was on the satellite map - pretty cool.
On the commute this morning I tried it out and found that while the app is really neat, it is completely unsuitable for navigation while driving:
-It uses huge amounts of data to constantly download maps to show you where you are while driving. At highway speeds I found it dowloaded about 1MB/minute.
-Even with EVDO speed getting map data, if you drive over about 60mph the app has trouble keeping up downloading and panning the maps to show you where you are - you just drive right off the map! You can zoom out, but then its really hard to see exactly where you are.
-There is no way to orient the map to the direction you are driving - the map is always oriented North.
-When I fire up my usual navigation software (iGuidance 3.0), Google Maps only updates its maps sporadically (every few minutes). iGuidance also seems unhappy - while it does a good job of keeping up with my position on the map, the voice commands for navigation get REALLY SLOW, making them useless.
The GPS funtionality of Google Maps is cool, and if you use it while stopped to see where you are and what's around you it is very helpful (to augment the POI you have on your normal navigation software). The software is VERY accurate in showing where you are (at work it practically showed me what parking space I was in!). I like it, but not for navigation.
The really slow voice prompts from iGuidance is a bug in version 3. When you have any active data connection and iGuidance running the voice prompts become useless slow. They patched this in version 3.0.1 (don't quote me on the version number but there is a patch).
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Thanks - Andrew - PDAPhoneHome.com
Great application, however I find Live Search to be much more useful. They've got a few little things that I would love for them to fix, however it's one of the best made programs I've used for this phone.
What do you find in Live Search that you love so much? I've dropped it in favor of Google Maps, but maybe I have overlooked something...
I think that they have an almost identical feature set.
I really enjoy the navigation style a lot. I absolutely love the search capabilities, where I type in...say best buy...and then it gives me a list of all of them in the surrounding area. Google maps does this with the "push pin" style, I happen to like the list better on the phone. I then LOVE how it gives you the smart options after you select the search result - directions to/from, call, see on map, etc. Again, all of this is available in google, however I find their interface much more clunky.
Also, I really like their directions model, how you can switch between map/list. I don't see that as an option on google's.
My biggest beef with WLS is the startup time...but it's short enough that it doesn't stop me from using it. I don't use it for navigation, I've got tomtom for that (which I almost never use anymore after WLS).
My biggest beef with WLS is the startup time...but it's short enough that it doesn't stop me from using it. I don't use it for navigation, I've got tomtom for that (which I almost never use anymore after WLS).
My use of special purpose navigation programs has likewise dropped tremendously. I used to use DeLorme on my laptop all the time. Google Maps gives me pretty much the same results for real-time navigation, except the laptop has a bigger screen and has its maps stored locally.
This is exactly what I bought Streets and Trips for. I wanted to get driving directions using my phone. S&T did not let me do that. I have Virtual Earth, but I could not figure out how to get it to do that. So, now I have paid loads of money but the way I get what I want is a free app from Google. And it is really easy to use.
Best thing since sliced bread. Used it to search for a few contacts in New Orleans and Houston. On the button and quick; I can't get results that quick on my PC.
Also tried inputting our apartment address in Houston and it came up correctly within 15 secs. I then tried getting directions from one of my contacts in New Orleans to our apartment in Houston. I was pleasantly surprised that it remembered all the addresses in the To and From drop down boxes. It calculated the route correctly, producing almost exactly the route I use to within a few blocks. (It was a correct alternate and simply a matter of personal preference.)
I suppose Google is storing all the addresses I look up, so I don't suppose I'll look up my mistress's address.
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