Nokia killed Symbian. Many links to Symbian apps on this site have expired. Check out Android Underground.



Wednesday 8 April 2009

Locify maps with extras, Google Maps with new looks

Locify maps
Locify

Locify is an open source mobile Java map program. Maps come from Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and OpenStreetMaps, and include aerial and satellite images.

The latest version of Locify can also read locally stored maps, but the process to add maps is quite complicated. Locify would improve a lot if downloading maps for local storage would be made easier. The easiest way to preload maps to your phone is through GoogleMaps 2 Trekbuddy.

Navigation with Locify is useless in its present state of development, but location based Wikipedia search, events, weather info, and pictures from Panoramio make Locify useful anyway.

If the Locify download page says the program won't work on your phone model, try it anyway. If you have a fairly recent phone model Locify will probably work, even if the Locify download page says no.

Locify
GoogleMaps 2 Trekbuddy (the easiest way to preload maps to your memory card)


Google Maps

Google Maps for Symbian comes with maps, satellite and aerial images, and street view. My house is on their street view pictures too. It can also calculate your location from your network details with pretty good precision, so Google Maps can be useful as a "poor man's GPS."

Google Maps still doesn't have voice navigation. Navigation is text only, so it's useless (and dangerous) when you drive. How many people already crashed their cars while reading Google's directions on their tiny phone screens?

The latest version of Google Maps comes with a few cosmetic user interface changes. If you press the central navigation button you'll get a menu that lets you choose directions, street view, search for nearby places, and save the current location to your list of favourites.

Google Maps (on the fly installer, only works from your phone's built-in web browser)


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