Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video)
By Ross Miller 
posted October 28th 2009 10:00AM
posted October 28th 2009 10:00AM
In addition to demonstrating the basic navigational functions, Gundotra also showcased a new user interface that appears when the device hooked up into a car dock, one that is intended for use "at an arm's length away." Essentially, it means much larger iconography and a convenient "voice search" option front and center. We later got confirmation from a Google product manager that car dock detection was definitively a hardware-based feature, which we take to mean Android devices currently on the market won't necessarily have the same convenience. If Android 2.0 takes off how Google (and Verizon!) hope it does, companies like TomTom and Garmin are going to seriously need to worry about their bottom line. Watch Gundotra demonstrate the app after the break.
Update: Navigation for the iPhone? Gundotra said the ball's in Apple's court, so no telling if / when that'll happen. Remember how well Latitude integrated?
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Can't wait to see this for iPhone's and Blackberrys too because anything Google produces comes out on iPhone and Blackberry eventually.
I wonder if this will make the $100 GPS iPhone apps come down in price. ;)
Not necessarily: where is the ability to use the compass to navigate street view now that the 3GS has a compass? Android has had that since day one. Apple worked with Google to have the native maps application on the iPhone back when their relationship seemed more mutually beneficial. It seems to me that Google is more of a competitor with Apple today than ever, and given Apple's rejection of the native Google Voice app, I don't necessarily see this coming to the iPhone. As a 3GS user, I certainly hope it does (I have been less than thrilled with the TomTom app), but I wouldn't hold my breath in anticipation.
Yeah...like Latitude and Google Voice...wait.
....aaaaaand we have even MORE of a reason to make the Droid our next phone!
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
This seems like the perfect way to draw people away from competing systems, and turn us all into googleminions. My guess: this is not coming any system other than Android.
@Aaron Brown I for one think Google wants to look like a good company (not evil) and I expect to see this on iPhone at least after Android 2.0 devices have come out if not sooner.
pal :)
And WinMo too, hopefully.
@Aaron Brown
"Not necessarily: where is the ability to use the compass to navigate street view now that the 3GS has a compass?"
The G1 has the ability to use the compass to navigate street view. It's right in the options menu.
@George
Read the rest of Aaron's comment...
@everyone
i don't see it going to the iphone, especially with Google and Apple's recent falling out. And Apple announcing over rolling out their own mapping engine.
google do not care which phone you use, as long as you use their services. the point of android is to have a platform where they're in control of whether they get turfed off or not. i'd imagine this has already been submitted to apple. the ball's in their court. a killer app like free brilliantly functional turn-by-turn satnav may very well cause apple to reconsider pulling google maps and if so that's the result goog are after.
I think there is still a chance this could come out for iPhone, blackberry, etc. Google's main source of income is not Android. Its Advertising, and that is how they can afford to give this away free. So what would be more profitable? Android being the only one with free turn by turn software and a little ad income from there, or most Smartphones on the planet with free turn by turn software providing a significant amount of income?
Simply amazing.
Viva la Android, WinMo is becoming more and more irrelevant by the minute.
Purchase a GPS app? With Droid, I don't need an app for that.
I can't imagine apple being too thrilled with this - think of all the lost revenue from tom tom (they get ~$30 for each copy sold, slightly less for navigon etc). But it would be a killer feature.
I can't imagine apple wanting to miss out on this though. I can see the big poster dedicated to 'free innovative turn by turn' hanging in an apple store already
@Kamokazi: Well, Microsoft has Bing. You don't think WinMo 7 will have an even better GPS app? You'd bet your ass it will.
I can see the down vote for adding iPhone but Blackberry's are still valid dammit...
Don't get too excited. There is a big FLAW with Google'a navigation! It
REQUIRES cellular network access at all time while using it. A GPS solution
TomTom and Garmin includes preinstalled maps that doesn't require cellular
network access. I wouldn't go to remote areas with Google's navigation.
Well so far Latitude does show up on Windows Mobile and while Google didn't make their own app for it there's a couple GV dialers for Windows Mobile (frankly I think it's all complicated by the fact that there's so many different phones) so I'm still hoping this will come to WM. If not then maybe this is the beginning of evil Google after all.
WTF is it with all the iPhone haters.
"Other platform support will be announced "by carriers and phone makers" when they're ready, but Google implied they are working closely with Apple now on it."
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5391408/google-maps-navigation-a-free-ass+kicking-turn+by+turn-mobile-app
So fanboys calm down a little business 101:
1) Google makes $ from selling advertising (repeat this point a number of times)
2) Google need to make sure no one OS dominates the mobile space and could then lock them out of the platform
3) It is in Googles interest to see multiple mobile OS platforms Symbian/iPhone/Palm/Android.
4) It would be natural to beta test/release applications on Android first
a) Because they control the platform
b) They want to give their platform 'a leg up'
5) Read point 1 again.
Thanks Google!
I wonder, are these maps downloaded on the fly through data, or is it like your traditional GPS where the maps are pre-loaded?
in terms of loading maps...it's no different than the current Google Maps on cell phones. Which is to say it loads maps from online on the fly. There is no preloaded map like a traditional stand alone GPS unit.
in terms of loading maps...it's no different than the current Google Maps on cell phones. Which is to say it loads maps from online on the fly. There is no preloaded map like a traditional stand alone GPS unit.
Sounds cool. I would like if it could save maps in my area though. I can see bad reception and dead zones being a huge problem if I were to try using this.
I think that's the one real weakness of this system-there isn't always good data reception everywhere. And by everywhere I mean when you get lost in bumf*ck nowhere on some road trip on unfamiliar roads and you whip out your GPS only to realize that while you have satellite signals you have no data and thus no maps. Hopefully they come out with some local storage setup because while this is ok for Google Maps as it is (since nobody expects it to function as a full GPS nav package).
I hardly ever use my GPS on a day to day basis anyway since I generally know the local roads, so it's mostly only whipped out when I'm going somewhere new. And even then if I'd probably just read the routing first (whether on GPS or Google Maps) then just drive it. If I'm using the GPS it's only because I think I might get lost (or am already lost, lol) or because I want to monitor how far along I am.
ZOMG its come true!!! FINALLY TURN-BY-TURN GPS FOR GOOGLE/ANDROID!! The interface is actually nice, you've sold me motto/google/android/VZ, I'm getting this baby come Nov. 6th!!! Who's with me!?!?
So I wonder if this will work on an iPhone....
Seeing as Apple reserve the right to "review" Googles apps forever, I doubt Google will be in a rush to get this out for them.
We'll probably see it in Cydia shortly, just like GV...
PS, yeah Brookline Ave! That's my neighborhood.
So now google will know where you go, and what you do on your way there. I love the google services, and have a g1, but it is getting a little scary how much data google has on me.
Google now knows that you are afraid of them.
...and they can sense fear.
unless your a terrorist or a pedo you should have nothing to worry about.
Even if I get downranked, somehow I agree with you. It is a bit scary how much knowledge google has now. It is indeed now the Big Brother.
Seriously doubt the G1 gets Android 2.0 unless they make modifications to allow a lot more use of sdcards.
(unless you have your G1 rooted of course, than anything goes.)
@jay jay - The only thing that worries me is things like online banking, or my information being sold to telemarketers. I don't mind the US government knowing my stuff - it is like having a parent - but I do mind Google - it is not quiet regulated to what I know from it.
@tikiteko
And to think, how many of our founding fathers originally thought of the federal government more as a glorified security guard. How far we've come...
You guys need to read the book 1984. The complacency for losing your privacy is scary. While I think they see most of these features as ways of gaining revenue, it scares me because at some point its going to be used for more malacious intent.
If you're scared about them having data on you, STOP USING THEIR SERVICES. Problem solved.
Take off the tin foil hat. You aren't interesting enough for Google to care about you.
"What is the Google? Control. The Google is a computer-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this."
[holds up a Dollar Bill]
"If you're scared about them having data on you, STOP USING THEIR SERVICES. Problem solved."
seriously, i hate conspiracy theorists and these tin hat people. stop using it if it bothers you. It'd be like complaining that mcdonalds big mac has too much fat, and its gonna make u fatter. stop eating it. same damn thing
http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/?Page=8
Video doesn't work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXK4jKN_jY&feature=player_embedded
It is working now.
unless that GPS is screwed up, but Boston does not have those street names with the exeption of Brookline Ave.
Those street names are all correct, Landsdowne street is also known as Ted Williams Way, not sure if the name change is official or not.
Sat nav companies have nothing to fear unless google let u download maps on your phone to use offline (PLEASE DO THIS ASAP) how much data must u down load to use google maps never mind using it with turn by turn option. What we want is the ability to download maps just like Nokia Maps come on most phone can support a 32gb card so space is not an issue.