Need A Nerd - Ask us anything techie

Google Maps for Mobile

Everyone has experienced that sinking feeling when you realise you are lost and don’t have a map with you. Asking for directions can be a problem for us males and what do you do if no-one is around?

So if you are always on the go - a salesperson visiting new customers or even just going on a holiday - having access to an electronic navigation device will come in very handy and ensure you are not wasting your time driving around aimlessly.

Now there is another options to purchasing a costly specialist electronic navigation device such as Navman (www.navman.co.nz), especially if it is only for occasional use.

You also may only want to carry around one device and want to use it anywhere – anytime, so that you can use it walking down the street or for cruising in your car.

Nearly all of us carry a mobile phone these days and it is becoming increasing popular to have mobile internet on same phone.

So with a well specced mobile phone with a good sized screen, mobile internet connection (via Vodafone or Telecom), and the mobile phone version of Google Maps, you have a readymade navigation device at the fraction of the cost.

Many of you would have used some sort of online mapping internet site to find an address.  Having this on your phone provides you with a basic “on the go” navigation service.

So what functionality will you receive from the mobile phone version of Google Maps:
•    You can load bookmarks (common addresses you will always use e.g. home or work) as start / end points to quickly navigation from these to your desired location.  Google Maps will create a route between these 2 locations by tracing them on the map.
•    Street view will allow you to view an actual photo of your destination and the surrounding area right from your phone.
•    It can provide your current location by retrieving your coordinates from the nearest mobile phone towers. This is great if you have no idea where you are.  However, it does not accurately find your exact location and can be a number of streets off.
•    If you have GPS built in to your phone, Google Maps can use it to give an even more accurate location.
•    You can search business listing in your local area easily and quickly.
•    Some areas in NZ will soon have real time traffic updates available.
•    Sometime soon Google will be adding Navigation features such as verbal driving instructions and 3D mapping.

You can download the mobile phone version Google Maps at www.google.com/gmm

Best of all, it’s free! You only pay for the internet data it uses while browsing.