There’s more to Google Maps than a place you double-check your directions. Google’s data-stuffed site offers a lot of helpful tools for vacationers, spreadsheet nerds, bikers, and others. Today we’re digging into Google’s data-rich geo-tool and pulling out some helpful lesser-known features. More »
Google – Google Map – Searching – Search Engines – Map
iPhone: If you’re an iPhone user who’s jealous of Android’s awesome free, turn-by-turn, voice-guided Google Maps Navigation GPS app, here’s some good news: MapQuest just released its own free voice navigation app for the iPhone. More »
Car mounts for GPS gadgets and smartphones are usually pretty costly, and they often only fit one device. DIY website Instructables features a simple guide for building your own that will fit virtually any—and for only about $2 in materials.
Especially now that smartphones are beginning to replace our dedicated GPS devices, you might need a new dock for your car—in fact, you may find yourself needing a new one every few years. Save yourself the cost by building one that will fit multiple devices, using just a few household materials.
The mount relies on a small nook or niche in your car to fit the base into, which shouldn't be hard for a lot of cars. All it requires is some PVC piping, sheet foam (preferably of the self-adhesive variety), and a little heavy-duty plastic-coated wire. Building it is a cinch—it shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes to hack one together, and doesn't require anything more than some scissors and pliers. And, you'll never have to plop down $30 for a mount again, no matter how many smartphones you go through in a year. Hit the link for the full instructions.
iPhone only: Mapquest Navigator is a new turn-by-turn application for the iPhone that brings GPS to your phone on a budget. The question is: When will Google Maps do the same?
The application costs $1 in the App Store, which buys you a 14-day trial. If you decide you like the app and want to continue using it once those 14 days are up, MapQuest Navigator requires you pay subscription pricing: $4/month, $10/quarter, or $30/year—which makes it a good deal less expensive than AT&T's $10/month subscription GPS app.
MapQuest Navigator is far from the first turn-by-turn GPS in the App Store, but it is one of the least expensive for the feature set it offers (though you can’t get any cheaper than previously mentioned Waze‘s free offering). All the maps and directions come over your data connection, which means it’s a light download and generally will have up-to-date points of interest, but if you’ve got a bad data connection you may be better off opting for one of the offline GPS apps like Navigon or TomTom.
Still, the most interesting thing about MapQuest releasing a GPS app: It makes one wonder just how long it’ll be before Google offers their own (presumably free) turn-by-turn GPS app. We know Google can do text-to-speech (hell, they’re even great at speech-to-text), and now that they’re tracking traffic conditions for freeways, highways, and major streets, it seems like a natural progression. On top of that, I’ve tested a lot of turn-by-turn GPS apps, and Google Maps is still the app that does the best job of locating me quickly and accurately on a map.
MapQuest Navigator is currently available for the iPhone only.
iPhone/Android/Windows Mobile: Waze turns your GPS-enabled phone into a node in a network of real-time traffic reporters. As you use Waze, you build maps, get traffic data, and alert other commuters to events on the road.
Waze is focused on bringing you live traffic information and maps via crowd sourcing. Each phone with Waze installed generates map data and, through user-interaction, also provides information about construction, traffic jams, and other road-related events important to drivers.
Waze also provides turn-by-turn driving directions, which are adopted in real time based on traffic conditions and other information in the Waze network—it should be noted, however, that Waze currently doesn't function as a long range navigation tool but instead analyzes the areas you regularly drive in and suggests optimal routes.
Check out the demo from Waze to get a better feel for how the system works:
In addition to the application on your phone, there is also a dashboard system on the Waze web site. There you can flag areas of the map that need to be edited or repaired, make changes to the map to correct errors, and add additional information to the maps to help other commuters. Even if you don’t use Waze on your phone, you can still visit the Waze site and view their live map of your area.
Waze is free and requires an iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, or Symbian phone.
