Google has updated its Maps app for
Android -- perhaps the most vital, central app in the platform outside of the dialer itself -- and fortunately for
G1,
Dream, and
Magic users around the world, they've made the update available through the Android Market. That's a really big deal and a major departure from basically every other mobile platform, because it means that folks won't be waiting for carriers and manufacturers to get off their rumps and release firmware updates -- instead, integrated components of the operating system can be pushed out through the Market just like any other app you'd install. The new version's a doozy, too, featuring voice search, more comprehensive support for
Latitude, detailed business information, and pedestrian / mass transit navigation, arguably making the Android version of Maps the most robust on any phone. Seeing how Android is Google's own, seems fitting, doesn't it?
[Thanks,
Justin]
posted Jun 15th 2009 10:15PM
My G1 just keeps getting sexier and sexier.
I take that back. Where's my Street View?!
haven't G1 users had street view since the phone first came out??
Long-press on the street to get Street View.
Yea.. they done away with streetview as an individual map type and switched it up to be included in all map types (which IMO is a better idea).. just long press the area you want streetview for or enter the address in search and then it will take you into streetview and from there you can enable the compass for the whole "like your really there" experience..
is anyone noticing that when you enter street view you get "invalid panorama"?
Does anybody know if there is a way to rotate the map according to the direction you are holding your phone?
It does have a compass so it makes no sence that they havent included this....
@phillip
yes it does make sense that they haven't included it. Making the g1 redraw the map every time it perceives any rotation would make battery life and other aspects of the phone's existence cry home to its mommy.
Do what I do: Be like a pirate, and switch use the compass app in conjunction with the maps app. :P
actually, better yet, add a little popup compass to the map app.
@Bren
Someone put the Spare Parts app up on the market again and you can actually enable a compass in the maps app by changing an option in there.
@philip
If you are in Street View, hit the Menu button again to enable Compass Mode.
This will move the map depending on the direction your phone is facing via the internal compass.
Has been in Google Maps Android since the beginning.
Transit and walking directions have been available for the Windows Mobile version of Google Maps for months now. I wonder why it took so long to port over to the beloved G1.
"and fortunately for G1, Dream, and Magic users around the world, they've made the update available through the Android Market..."
With the flipside being that while Android users do get the update sooner than others, it's now in RAM instead of ROM -- taking up a pretty good chunk of it too...
presumably when they get the carriers to stop being assholes and push it out they'll update the ROM and clear the RAM.
Not to nitpick, but it's not "in RAM" vs "in ROM", it's in userspace instead of systemspace. Before updating I had 42 MB free, now I have 40 MB free. I wouldn't call that a "pretty good chunk" but I would like that 2 MB back.
means UK people finally got Latitude on their G1 4 months after US and German G1 owners got it on their.
choose point on the map for route planning is way over due and very welcome addition.
Been waiting for google maps transit for a while. Finally!
Only a YEAR after the Windows Mobile and Blackberry (and J2ME!) versions could do transit, we finally get upgraded... I was running the J2ME ver for a while under J2ME Explorer, just for transit.. Hackish, but it worked.
It's about time.
@Mike H - How's streetview coming along on the blackberry?
It's not like they port the straight code - it takes time to recode for different operating systems.
@reuthermonkey1:
You realize that blackberry devices have had streetview (minus the compass feature) for a long time, right?
I definitely shuttered at the prioritization of latitude (why the zoom pill moved left), but I do like that it is permanent on the screen. I think that the biggest problem here is that they didn't document the changes or usage very well. They hid street view (long-press) and made re-routes a bit strange. That said, being able to re-route from the current location with a menu press is nice. Showing a direction arrow while traveling is also a nice plus. Now, if only I could get maps to hide my stupid latitude icon. I know it's me. It's the blue dot.
All in all, the update is worth it. I'm glad that they aren't just making a half-hearted stab at the platform and then walking away from it.
*goes to update this now*
I love my G1
I'm pickin up the HTC Dream on thursday. This phone just keeps getting better and better!
Google Maps Walk/Transit directions have been around on the WinMo version at least for a while now... Surprised to hear it wasn't on the Android version.
Transit function works great , used it all last week.
I like Google's way of doing business. No fancy press conferences, just slowly releasing updates for Android. Keep it up, guys!
Excellent. The farther and farther developers move from carrier-lockdown controls, the better we'll all be.
Awesome. Thanks so much Google. I am still running 1.0 release of the OS on the G1.
Uh.. why?
One of the core aspects of Android's application model is that almost everything is replaceable, down to basic things like the home screen and browser. You don't even need root access or a hacked phone.
And third party apps are treated no differently than first party ones, that's really the key. Even the core apps like the Dialer, Camera, Music Player, and Text Messager all go through the same public APIs that everyone has access to. The system doesn't really know the difference between the included apps and the third party ones so there are no special privileges granted to Google's apps, which is a big part of why Android's potential is more promising than its competitors.
Does anybody else think Latitude is a worthless piece of junk? I thought it sounded really cool at first, but everybody on my list is always showing locations that are multiple days old. What's the point of that? You should be able to set it to update every hour or something, as it is it's totally useless.
agreed. It always gets my wifi signal wrong and my friend's locations have never changed.
And that's why we have GPS
thats not a issue with the service, thats an issue with the endpoint not updating! My HTC Magic updates all the time, my location is only ever 20mins old at most and if I'm moving it updates more often!
Get a phone with GPS and turn it on!
I've had most of these features on the version of Google Maps I downloaded right from m.google.com on my WinMo phone all year. No voice search, but I'm sure it'll be there soon.
I don't understand what the big deal is putting it in an app store versus a regular web download.
Everyday I come to engadget hoping that the Magic will be released
Every day I keep hoping that it wouldn't be called the myTouch. It'd be kool if both of us got our wish.
The Magic is out here. I'm going on thursday to get my new phone and my choice is between the Dream and the Magic. They're the same price. I'm going to get the Dream though, cause I like the keyboard.
http://www.rogers.com/web/link/wirelessBuyFlow?forwardTo=PhoneThenPlan&productType=normal
Yup. Same here. Keep your iPhones and Pre's. I want the Magic, myTouch, Ion, or whatever the hell they decide to brand it :)
Awesome update, and thanks Chris for making note of how revolutionary it is for a core application of an OS to be updated permanently through it's App Store/Market.
This works great on the HTC Magic, especially with the 288MB memory boost.
It seems odd to me that Google put out most of these features on S60 a while ago, but it takes them longer to get it out on their own OS.
Also, the Latitude thing only updates when you have the app running in the background. A limitation, to be sure, but that's why the locations aren't what you want them to be. Give it time, it will get better.
Oops sorry did you see your post. It's true. I really wonder why they held off on their own platform for so long.
Android JUST got this? They gave S60 users this months ago, and I mean like almost a year ago. We've had business reviews, latitude and walking/transport directions since last year.
check out that sweet EDGE symbol.
Just honestly curious, does Bing Maps work on the G1 at all? Google makes some nice stuff, but I prefer using Bing Maps when I'm on the desktop, and the G1 would seem like a nice device to have if Bing Maps will work on it.
Where's Streetview for the Pre, Google?!?!?
Show me the love!
Your Pre-tender didn't sell enough units. No street view for you. LOL
That would be funny if it were funny.
@sweet greggo
LOL
Now that was funny.
Agreed. I'm loving my Pre but was surprised to see no Street View, nonetheless the trick G1 move-the-phone-move-the-street feature, transit/walking directions, or Latitude. I'm patient but I'd love to hear that these features are in some pipeline somewhere.
On a different note, the ability to update the Google Maps app directly from the App Catalog makes total sense to me and I'd love to see that come to webOS.
A great update and a great and subtle demonstration of the power of Android. Seems like the update went viral before Google even acknowledged it. I didn't even know Google Maps could be updated through the Android market.
However............still waiting for Android's Google map to deploy the "auto center" feature like the iPhone version. Flick scrolling to keep yourself centered while driving is almost as bad as texting. C'mon Google, get with it!!!