Google Maps on Your Cell Phone


It seems like only yesterday the classic cliché of men refusing to stop and ask a stranger for directions was a reality for many motoring couples. A tired joke to say the least, but it's true that the average guy has too much faith in his sense of direction, which has gotten all of us into trouble at one point or another. We men think the trusty fold up Rand McNally state map would be our savior in times of misdirection, but I know I'm not the only one that avoids opening one just so I don't have to solve the puzzle of how it folds back up again. Maybe I'm more boneheaded than the next guy, but I still don't want to ask a stranger for directions...ever.

Luckily, technology is solving the problem of getting lost at a rapid pace. A few years back, online mapping tools provided by popular sites like MapQuest and Rand McNally offered free and easy to follow driving directions that could be printed out before you go on your trip. Online directions have dramatically improved over the years, and now getting point-to-point exact directions has become so easy and convenient; it now gets taken for granted.

Obviously a problem with online directions is that you have to plan ahead. You need to know where you'll be coming from, and where you'll going to, before you hit the road. Plus, there are those times you take the wrong exit or miss a turn, and those pre-printed directions won't help you then. In response to this, in-car GPS systems, the next evolution of mobile control, are finding it's way into the dashboard of many new vehicles. These awesome devices plot your driving course on the fly, and tell you when and where to turn. Stray off course, and it recalculates the route to your destination.

With all this cool navigation technology, why is something like Google Maps on your cell phone so cool?

Google, the company with more money than focus, has been dipping its hands into everything the past few years. Not only do they run the web's most popular search engine, but also have online mail, a photo-editing program, instant messaging, etc. All of these things are nice, but where Google has really shined is in location-based services with their Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Local programs.

Google's new Local Mobile application makes it impossible to get lost. Sure an in car GPS navigation system is the height of coolness, but they are expensive and only help if you are in the car. Local Mobile is free, easy to use, and is accessible from anywhere, even if you're just walking around town.

What is Google Local Mobile?

Google Local Mobile is a small application that is downloaded through your cellular phone's Internet connection. Google supports many different makes and models of handsets (most Java enabled phones are compatible), but the service is currently limited to Cingular and Sprint customers. It's unknown when it will be available for other cellular providers like T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless. I'm still using the Sony Ericsson S710a that I purchased in June, which was listed as a compatible handset for the Local Mobile Application. If your handset is compatible, point your phone's browser to google.com/glm to download the application.

Local Mobile packs a ton of punch is such a small package. With it, not only can you get directions from one point to another, but also find restaurants, movie theaters, flower shops, and other places by using the integrated search feature. Just about everything can be done from your cellular handset's keypad, depending on the model phone you're using.

Using the phone's main menu, you can flip between the 3 major modes the phone offers.

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Map Mode

The default mode for the phone is map mode, which allows you to browse Google Maps from all views starting with nation as a whole, city level, down to street level, and all points in-between. Even cooler is the ability to switch to satellite view, which allows you to check everything out from a bird's eye view. The maps are movable, so you can easily move around and explore by using your phone's directional pad.

Satellite view is cool, but the true usefulness lies in map mode. By zooming in on the great city of Chicago, I was treated to detailed, street-level maps of the city. Major landmarks like the Sears Tower and Millennium Park were labeled at city view, making it easy to quickly recognize the area and better find what you're looking for. Street level maps are fantastic, going as far as telling you which way traffic flows on one-way streets.

Directions

A quick selection in the main menu, and you can get directions to anywhere you want to go. Choosing your starting and ending points can be done by entering an address on your phone's keypad, or by selecting a point on the map in either map or satellite mode. Once your points have been chosen, a route to your destination is calculated.

Directions appear as multicolored dots on the map, each representing a step in the directions. You can see the step by moving your cursor over the dot, or pressing the "next" button on your phone's keypad.

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Search

Say you're standing in the middle of the Chicago, and want to know where to get a slice of pizza. Local Mobile can save the day! From the main menu, select search, and the power of Google is at your fingertips. Type "pizza in Chicago" in the search box, and hit accept.

In moments, Local Mobile will give you several options. My search brought back several pizza options in the city, including the tasty Uno Chicago Grill on Ohio St. You can also get important information, like address and telephone number. You can easily set the result as a starting or ending point for directions, and, since the program is running on a phone, give you the ability to dial the telephone number by pressing call. How convenient is that.

Conclusion

It's hoped that Google will continue to make improvements to the Local Mobile application. Don't get me wrong, it truly is a fantastic and useful application, but it's not perfect either. It may be a bit premature to complain since Local Mobile is still in its beta stages.

I'll be the first to admit that cellular phones are not processing powerhouses (yet), but I'd like to see more optimization to improve performance in zooming and navigation on the map. It should not take 10 - 15 seconds to load a map using Cingular's EDGE network. I'd also like to have easy access to obvious points of interest like restaurants and hotels based on the location of the cursor rather than have to do a search every time. Typing in search terms on the phone's number pad is a real pain.

The one thing nobody can complain about is the price...FREE. It costs nothing to download and run the application. It's important to note that most cellular providers charge you per kilobyte for Internet access, and Google Local Mobile makes heavy use of the web during operation. Heavy use of the program could add up to serious data charges on your cellular bill. If you plan on using it a lot, most providers offer 5 to 10 MB of data per month for a reasonable fee.

Ladies, this is the perfect tool for you to have at the ready. The next time your man is "taking a shortcut", you can quickly get directions to where you want to go, all without forcing him to swallow his pride by asking a stranger at the next gas station. Thanks to Google, you'll still be talking to each other when you get there.

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