New Google Maps with GPS support

[Rafe]

Via Symbian Guru comes the news that Google has updated its Google Maps application for S60 3rd Edition phones. Google Maps is now a native Symbian application which gives better overall performance compared to Java ME version. As an added bonus the application now supports the use of the internal GPS in relevant phones; allowing you to see your current location. Read on for a quick run through of the features.

Read on in the full article.

My E61i with BT GPS worked perfectly

[neilhoskins]

Thanks, 'unregistered': you answered my question. It really is "magical" as Rafe puts it, on my N95, but I was wondering if it would work on the wife's E50 with BT GPS.

YES! Finally!

[ajck]

This is great news. Amazing - a bit of competition from Nokia Maps and Google gets a kick up the behind!

The only other thing to bear in mind is if you ain't got signal, you ain't got a map, whereas with Nokia's maps if you've pre-downloaded the data to your card as most people will, you won't be still lost - with Google Maps you will.

[viipottaja]

I've only used it for a few minutes now (and I don't have GPS), but there seem to be some (somewhat annoying) shortcomings compared to the Java app:

1) no possibility to "select point on the map" as starting/ending point; always have to enter an address manually
2) no possibility to just "find location"; always have to look for directions (at least I could not find just an option to just look for a spot)
3) no possibility to save a location/search as a "favorite"

Nokia Maps has categories of POIs, which Google Maps does not appear to have. But the search function seems to work pretty well (maybe better than on Maps, have not tried it too much on Maps).

Btw, if/when Nokia buys Naviteq, all this would be genarating revenue for Nokia too right? Or does Google use the other one (forget the name now)?

[Rafe]

viipottaja - agreed - the favourites stuff that is missing is annoying. You can do just a search though - use Options -> Search.

On directions - check the options menu - there's a recent searches list which is rather handy.

Yes in theory this earns Navteq money, though I think quite a lot of the mapping comes from TeleAtlas.

For the record Steve wrote the magical bit not - I'm usually more sober , Steve has a better way with words.

[viipottaja]

Oh ok, I can use "search" to find an address/spot on the map. Silly me.

[fernando20]

With this, and the acquisition of Jaiku, maybe google is starting to pay more attention to the S60 scene...

And one can always dream of a native gmail app

[simonjonknight]

sorry to sound stupid but where on the Google Mobile site is the S60Specific download? I can only find Blackberry and Yank Cingular phones. I've got the ordinary googlemaps already.
Thanks

Without pre-downloadable maps it worths shite.

I can't find it either from a normal web browser, but the link is visible from mobile.

google.com/gmm/GoogleMaps.sisx

mobile.google.co.uk from a N73 gets a pointer to the native maps app

[ChemicalBrother]

BT GPS works with both Google Maps and either Nokia Sports Tracker or Nokia Maps simultaneously. That's sweet!