Nokia Map Loader alternative a bit more up to date with dozens of new countries

It's been a long time since I used Nokia Maps, Ovi Maps, or whatever it's called now. I haven't thought about it in ages, until I got an email from Gv786g (how do you pronounce that?) who asked me which map files work with Ovi Maps 3.06 on an N97.

Looks like Nokia Maps for Symbian is still alive. Since my last visit (a long time ago) Nokia added dozens of countries, mainly in Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean. Nokia also split the maps for Brazil, India, and Russia into parts so you don't have to cram everything on your memory card if you only need a little piece of the country.

Countries added: Angola, Aruba, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei, Burundi, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Maldives, Montenegro (no longer with Serbia), Nepal, Panama, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthélemy, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Not all these maps are very good, though. Many maps outside Europe, USA, and Japan don't have more than the main roads on them. But hey, they're free and they work offline, which can save you from instant bankrupcy when you're traveling out where international data roaming costs a fortune.

Are you still using Nokia Maps, Ovi Maps, or whatever it's called on Symbian? Then maybe the new maps are useful for you. Google may make better maps, but free offline navigation on Android could use a bit of Nokia.

The old maps are updated too, and so are the index files that tell your phone what's where on the map.

Let me know if the maps and index files work for you or if there's anything wrong with the collection of links on the Nokia Map Loader alternative pages.

• Nokia/Ovi Map Loader alternative

What to do if maps make Nokia Maps crash?

I got an email from christian who pointed out a problem with his version of Nokia Maps. It may bite other versions too.

If you run Nokia Maps v3.04 and you download the latest maps through nokiamaps.site666.info, the maps app may crash. It may be because of maps/app combo, or because the latest maps are not compatible with the old Symbian S60v3.

Workaround: use one of the other map versions for Nokia Maps 3.x.


Hi,
thanks for this great site that makes downloading maps to mobile very easy.

I have a small remark:
I own a Nokia E52 which runs Symbian S60v3. On this platform the latest available Ovi Maps version is v3.04 10wk17 b07 (this is not the latest version, but Nokia offers only this version for download if you choose E52). This maps version will crash when accessing cards downloaded from your "Maps for Ovi Maps 3.0" page (maps00_02_42_122.html), but work just fine with Maps from "older maps for version 3.0 (also work with some newer versions, and with test version 3.0 beta)" (maps00_01_22_103.html). This had me scratching my head for several days (and reformatting my SD card ;)) until I finally figured out what was wrong.

I think it would be cool if you can put a remark on the page that says that the "Maps for 3.0" do not work with 3.04 maps version, this would help other people not making the same mistake that I did.

thanks and best regards,
christian!


Thanks christian for pointing this out.

Do you have some problems or solutions? Please share them by commenting on this blog post or clicking the email link on the bottom of this page.

• Nokia Map Loader alternative

Nokia Maps on Android, sort of

Android would be much better if it would run Nokia Maps. It doesn't, but maybe that will change?

If your phone runs Froyo or newer, fire up any Android web browser that supports HTML5 (stock browser, Dolphin, etc.) and go to http://maps.nokia.com to get a preview of what Nokia Maps on Android could be like. It also works on iPhones.

If you allow your browser to access your location it will show your position on the map. It can calculate and display routes, together with a rough estimate of how long it will take you to walk or drive from A to B. It also shows public transport lines, and you can search for tourist attractions, bars, restaurants, banks, brothels, etc.

It doesn't do voice navigation (yet?), and you'll need to be online to search for places, calculate routes, and see the map. In its present state you're better off with Google Maps for online navigation or a real (but usually expensive) offline navigation app like Navigon or CoPilot.

But that might change. Maybe we're lucky and the future will bring us a true Android port of one of the few apps that makes me keep my old Nokia as a backup phone. A Symbian emulator might also do the job.

• http://maps.nokia.com

crossposted from android underground

Nokia Map Loader Alternative: links fixed, countries added

The latest version of Ovi Maps 3.x lets you download maps to your memory card straight from the app itself, so there's no need anymore to use Nokia's clunky Ovi Suite that won't run on Mac and Linux.

But if downloading maps straight from your phone doesn't work, there's a manual method: the Nokia Map Loader Alternative, which works with any web browser on any operating system.

Nokia changed the location of their map files, and the map loader alternative changed so that it points the right way again.

New countries added to the list: Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Iran, Kenya, Lebanon, Moçambique, Nigeria, Peru, Réunion, and the Virgin Islands

If the links stop working in the future, feel free to post a comment on this blog or click the email link on the bottom of this page.

• Nokia Map Loader and Nokia Maps Updater Alternative


Ovi Maps 3 doesn't work on older Symbian phones. Check the Ovi Maps site to see if your phone will run Ovi Maps 3. If it doesn't, try Nokia Maps 2.0 instead.

• Ovi Maps and Nokia Maps Updater from nokia.com
• archived copy of Nokia Maps 2.0 (with free voice navigation) on Mobile Castle UPDATE: This link is dead. And so is Symbian.

Nokia Map Loader Alternative updated: new maps for Ovi Maps, new Ovi Suite-free downloads

Ovi Maps is a great navigation program if you don't want to rack up expensive data roaming bills, because Nokia's voice navigation app lets you store all maps on your phone, unlike competing programs like Google Maps which require a live data connection all the time.

The stripped version of Ovi Maps (without guides and voice navigation) is free. Voice navigation and guides are free on all new Nokia phones, and on a few older Nokias (free on Nokia 5800 XM, 6710, 6730, C5, C6, E5, E52, E55, E66, E71, E72, N8, N86, N97 (mini), and X6 as of October 3, 2010). Older Nokias don't get voice navigation for free because Nokia wants you to ditch your old phone and buy a new Nokia. But at 10 euros a year for older phones a license for Ovi Maps is not that expensive. According to Nokia, the 10 euro fee is for covering the costs of giving you a license (read: you pay 10 euros so Nokia can process your €10 payment). You can save Nokia and yourself the €10 processing cost by using one of the unofficial free versions of the program instead.

Map coverage is not as good as for Google Maps, but Ovi Maps works well in Europe, the USA, and Japan, and it's usable in the major cities of India unless you're looking for the Taj Mahal. There are many spots of terra incognito in the rest of the world. The city and country travel guides in Ovi Maps are so incomplete that they border on being useless, even though they come from companies like Michelin and Lonely Planet. On the bright side, you can use your own voice for voice navigation if you're willing to spend time on recording the instructions, and recently Nokia added cell tower triangulation for faster positioning.

Unfortunately Nokia made downloading maps impossible for Linux and Mac users and anyone else who can't install Ovi Suite or Maps Updater on a PC with Windows, .NET, and a set of rather heavy system requirements (try it on a netbook if you're of the masochistic type). That's where the Nokia Map Loader Alternative proves its usefulness. It points to the map files on Nokia's own server. With the Nokia Map Loader Alternative you can download Nokia's maps with any web browser on any operating system. You can even use a browser on your phone, so you can preload maps without having to touch a computer at all.

The Nokia Map Loader Alternative is updated with maps for the latest version of Ovi Maps 3.x. The most recent map version is 00_02_41_123 (this is the version of the map data, not of the program itself). Of course you can also download maps for older versions of Ovi Maps and Nokia Maps, including Nokia Maps 2.0 if your phone won't run Ovi Maps 3.

Load maps on your phone without Nokia Maps Updater:

• Nokia Map Loader and Nokia Maps Updater Alternative


The following links may be useful for you:

Ovi Maps 3 doesn't work on older Symbian phones. Check the Ovi Maps site to see if your phone will run Ovi Maps 3. If it doesn't, try Nokia Maps 2.0 instead.

• Ovi Maps and Nokia Maps Updater from nokia.com

• archived copy of Nokia Maps 2.0 (with free voice navigation) on Mobile Castle UPDATE: This link is dead. And so is Symbian.

If you want to download Ovi Maps without Ovi Suite:

• Ovi Maps v3.03.246 at GizmoGates UPDATE: This link is dead. And so is Symbian.
• Ovi Maps 3.04 10wk17 b07 at Ziddu (modified to install on your memory card, useful if you're short on internal phone memory) UPDATE: This link is dead. And so is Symbian.
• Nokia Ovi Maps v.3.04.278 at Ziddu (signed, so you don't have to hunt for certificates or hack your phone) UPDATE: This link is dead. And so is Symbian.
• Ovi Maps Beta v3.06(78) at GizmoGates (beta test version, only for very new Nokias) UPDATE: This link is dead. And so is Symbian.

Google Maps chases americans through traffic, Ovi Maps easier to touch

Google Maps

Google Maps (with maps, satellite and aerial images, and street view) still doesn't do voice navigation. It has text navigation, but if you don't have someone to read the instructions for you then using text navigation while driving is a very effective way to smash your car into something.

Google Maps can overlay its maps and aerial pictures with Wikipedia entries, public transport lines, and traffic information.

That traffic information has to come from somewhere, and if you happen to drive around in the USA then the traffic info comes from you. If you're outside the USA, traffic info in Google Maps is still useless, if it exists at all.

When you're stuck in a traffic jam your GPS knows that you're not moving, and this allows Google Maps to send your lack of movement to Google Maps HQ. This may help other people to avoid the traffic jam that you got yourself stuck into.

If you're speeding along an empty highway your GPS tells Google Maps that the road is clear, so sharing this information will send more cars your way.

You may feel this invades your privacy, so if you don't want Google Maps to track your movements just keep "My Location" in Google Maps switched off, or use another navigation program. If you want to contribute to Google's traffic analysis, then keep Google Maps with "My Location" running.

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



Ovi Maps

Ovi Maps is the successor of the old Nokia Maps. The beta test version for touchscreen Nokias works a little better now. It starts a bit faster, search is improved, and the menu features one touch access to content and services like Lonely Planet guides (which cost extra, and which are of much lesser quality than the Lonely Planet books).

But it's still a beta test version, and there are still plenty of bugs. If you just want a version that works you're better off with the old version.

• Ovi Maps beta for Symbian S60 5th ed. touchscreen Nokia phones
• Ovi Maps
• free one week navigation trial
• archived copy of the old Nokia Maps 2.0 which lets you try navigation and guides without limits
• get Ovi Maps without having to use Nokia Maps Updater
• Nokia Map Loader Alternative: get maps for Nokia Maps and Ovi Maps directly, works on Mac and Linux too

Nokia Maps and Ovi Maps free navigation trial

Browsing maps with Nokia Maps and Ovi Maps is free, but route calculation, voice navigation, and city guides are quite expensive. For obvious reasons you'd want to try 'em before you buy 'em.

Nokia used to offer a one week free trial. And then the web page with the free trial disappeared.

But the free trial is available again. You can try voice navigation on Nokia Maps 2.0 or Ovi Maps 3.0 for a week with the trial navigation license that Nokia sends by SMS if you give 'em your phone number.

• Nokia Maps 2.0 and Ovi Maps 3.0 navigation, one week free trial from Nokia

The free trial comes with limitations that may be too limiting for some. It's available in many countries, but not in all. It won't let you try the city guides sold through the maps application, probably because no one in their right mind would pay for them if they could see how bad these guides are before handing over their money. And what if you need to check if navigation works OK for you in different countries that you won't be able to visit in one single week?

Fortunately there's an unofficial extended trial for Nokia Maps 2.0. It's unsigned, so you'll have to get a certificate and sign it yourself, or set your phone free to avoid the draconian restrictions of Symbian Signed. This unofficial trial may also help you out if your license stops working and you have trouble repairing it, for example when you swap SIM cards often to avoid roaming charges.

• Nokia Maps 2.0 navigation and city guides extended trial edition

Ovi Maps 3.0 (the former Nokia Maps) finished beta testing, and you can get it without using Nokia Maps Updater

After a long time of beta testing, Ovi Maps 3.0 is now ready for the masses. Ovi Maps is the new name of Nokia Maps, and the old Nokia Map Loader is replaced by Nokia Maps Updater.

The good news is that Ovi Maps 3.0 works. Many of the bugs that made the older beta test versions unusable have been killed. There are still plenty of bugs left, but on most phones these won't be worse than the bugs that remain in the old Nokia Maps 2.0.

Reasons to switch to Ovi Maps 3.0: weather, events, and movie info, faster zooming and panning, newer maps, and traffic info for North America. And the maps for India in Ovi Maps 3.0 are better than those of the old Nokia Maps (but still not good enough if you're outside the major cities).

The bad news is that Nokia managed to do something incredibly stupid: they won't let you download Ovi Maps directly. Instead, you'll have to get it through Nokia Maps Updater, and this program only works on PCs with Windows XP or Vista. There's no Mac version, and nobody knows how long it will take before one gets available. If you run Linux, if your computer specs are below the requirements of Nokia Maps Updater, or if you want to download and install Ovi Maps 3.0 straight on your phone, Nokia won't let you.

Fortunately Ovi Maps has been liberated from Nokia Maps Updater, and you can download the maps for Ovi Maps 3.0 with the Map Loader Alternative. Just check the links below.

Ovi Maps 3.0 won't work on older Symbian S60 phones. Check the Ovi Maps site to see if your phone model will run Ovi aps 3.0 or if you'll have to stick with Nokia Maps 2.0.

• Ovi Maps and Nokia Maps Updater from nokia.com

Ovi Maps without Nokia Maps Updater at MediaFire:

• Ovi Maps 3.0 for S60 3rd ed. Feature Pack 1 (N82, N95, etc., check this list of FP1 phones)
• Ovi Maps 3.0 for S60 3rd ed. Feature Pack 2 (N78, N79, etc., check this list of FP2 phones)
• Ovi Maps 3.0 for S60 5th ed. (Nokia 5800XM, N97)

Load maps on your phone without Nokia Maps Updater:

• Nokia Map Loader and Nokia Maps Updater Alternative

If you've installed Ovi Maps 3.0 and you want to go back to Nokia Maps 2.0:

• archived copy of Nokia Maps 2.0

Nokia Map Loader Alternative points to new maps for Nokia Maps (Ovi Maps) 3.0 beta (and to the old maps too, of course)

Getting maps for Nokia Maps/Ovi Maps on your phone without using a PC with Windows Vista or XP is much harder than it should be because Nokia thinks that they can ignore Mac and Linux users. They don't even have a Symbian version of their map download application! If you use Linux, if you have a Mac, if you want to load maps on your memory card straight from within Symbian, or if you can't install software without fighting with a system administrator (work, school, hotel, internet cafe, ...) Nokia Map Loader and Nokia Maps Updater are useless.

The Nokia Map Loader Alternative is a collection of links to all the maps and voice files on Nokia's very own Nokia Maps server. It works with any web browser, with any computer, with any operating system. It even works with your phone's web browser. Just download the maps you want and unzip 'em to the map folder on your phone's memory card. You don't need to install anything.

Nokia has new maps for Nokia Maps 3.0 beta, and now you can get them with the Nokia Map Loader Alternative too. Of course you can also get maps for Nokia Maps 2 (the latest non-beta version) and even for the old Nokia Maps 1.

• Nokia Map Loader Alternative

• Nokia Maps and Nokia Map Loader/Nokia Maps Updater
• Nokia Maps 3.0 Beta from Nokia (requires Nokia Maps Updater)
• Nokia Maps 3.0 Beta at E71Blog.com (does not require Nokia Maps Updater)

UPDATE: Nokia Maps 3.0 is out of beta testing, and is now called Ovi Maps 3.0.