Google Maps Mobile Update With GPS
My 2005 Honda has a built-in navigational system. That thing has saved my you-know-what more times than I can count. It’s the first car I’ve ever owned with a GPS, and I know I’ll never own another vehicle without it. There is no end to the gizmos, gadgets and add-ons you can buy for figuring out where you are so you can figure out where you want to go.
The latest version of Google Maps Mobile (version 1.5.1) has GPS support! Press “0″ and the application will quickly pin-point your location with a blue dot. Google originally promoted this feature as being exclusive for the Helio Drift. Now they’ve quietly released an update that supports Blackberry OS 4.2+ and non-Helio Windows Mobile devices. I can happily report that it works just fine with the integrated GPS of the Blackberry 8800 and will likely work just as well with the built-in or Bluetooth GPS receivers on other mobile platforms.
No more sitting in someone else’s car as they aimlessly drive around lost, wishing I had volunteered to drive. Imagine…you’ll never worry again over where the closest Starbucks is…establish the blue dot and then “Find Business” to locate the nearest java fix.
Visit Google Maps Mobile from your phone’s browser to download.
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Does the phone need to have built in GPS? I’m assuming yes but wanted to be sure…
I believe it works with bluetooth GPS solutions as well as built-in.
Unfortunately it does not work with my Blackberry 7100i :( The yahoo one does, but it is not as good and you have to pay for it. :(
Doesn’t work on the Nokia N95, which has integrated GPS support.
One problem. If you tell it to go from any place in the U.S. to any place overseas (eg London) it will tell you to jump in the Atlantic Ocean and swim 3000+ miles. That may not work well in a vehicle and may get your GPS wet.
Works great with the built in GPS on a HTC P3300
Thank you, Frank! I was beginning to wonder if it only worked on the Blackberry 8800! ;-)
The Windows Mobile version of Google Maps for Mobile has always had GPS support. I still haven’t heard of any Java-based device other than the BlackBerry 8800 being able to take advantage of the new GPS support.
As Dameon already reported, it does not yet work on the N95. I updated the install today and it’s still a point release behind…
Well, the updated install on my E61 says it’s at version 1.5.1 (#1025), and there doesn’t seem to be any way to get it to talk with my external Bluetooth GPS device. I suspect only the Helio / WinMo / BB specific releases have the functionality for now, and the unwashed masses using the generic J2ME version are being left out in the cold for now :).