Google Maps Navigation: a TomTom competitor?

Thu 29 October 2009 09:00, Editors

Yesterday Google announced the beta version of their Turn by Turn navigation software for the Android 2.0 platform, the Google Maps Navigation ( in Beta).

This navigation software is potentially a "Tom Tom -killer". Its a full navigation system turn-by-turn voice guidance and automatic rerouting. The navigation system makes use of the internet possibilities of phones to update maps. That makes it more flexible than the regular navigation systems.

Google named seven features which directly connect to the web:

Search in plain English: search for a business or address, press navigate and you're off.
Search by Voice: "Navigate to" will set up an immediate travel plan
Traffic view: traffic indicators indicate whether or not you can expect a traffic jam.
Search along route: different layers like gas stations, restaurants and parking can highlight business around.
Satellite view: A 3D view of an upcoming route.
Street View: yes, the much discussed Streetview is there. See where you are and going, in Streetview mode.

Google Maps navigation is free, what makes it a huge competitor to paid products like TomTom. However, Google Maps Navigation for starters will only be on the Droid phone, from Verizon, which means: US only.

So we'll have to wait a while to see how it really works. For now we'll have to do with the video...

<Microsoft monopoly or Google bow...

New German government fights Goo...>

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