Google anounce turn-by-turn navigation
There were already plenty of reasons to get an Android device. Now there is another reason. A big reason. There has been an official announcement regarding the release of Google Maps Navigation. This provides turn by turn navigation, traffic data and voice commands, basically all the stuff you’d expect of a high-end in-car GPS system. It irradiates the major downside of using Google Maps previously on mobile devices: it caches map data of the route you’re going to take. The big advantages are: It’s free. It utilities Street View, which is potentially very helpful and a service that no one else can realistically provide. Using Google Maps means it knows what ‘Maps knows. That is; everything. Local businesses, attractions and landmarks should all be easier to locate. It also has voice commands, which is something Google has done very well before and likewise, I think their UI is usually on pretty good form.
It’s only going to be available in the US initially, but the same goes for many of these big ‘Map-based projects.
This is one in the eye for Apple and friends, whose app store is currently full of £40+ turn-by-turn navigation apps. It’s bad news for GPS system makers as well, who rely on their proprietary software to shift their hardware. If you are particularly cruel, you can watch the stock of Garmin and Tom Tom fall on Google Finance or head to Engadget for further (typically excitable) coverage and videos.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
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October 29th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Tom Tom might have to reinvent itself to save its stock price. Garmin on the other hand came from a rugged non car based GPS background. Until Google marine maps and waterproof floating android devices come on the market Garmin will still have customer base.
October 30th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Does it come with regional accents/yoda voice?
November 10th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Irradiates? Really?
Also, turn by turn GPS is nice and all, but it’s not that accurate.
Especially inside York city limits. I think it’s the walls.
Ahem.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Not that accurate? That should come as a shock to the millions of consumer devices in cars and any Middle eastern country that has been hit by a Tomahawk cruise missile.