Google blocks hacked Navigation from international use

We were sort of hoping Google would turn a blind eye to the Android hackers who'd enabled Google Maps Navigation for use internationally, but it appears we're just hopelessly optimistic: El Goog's shut Navigation down outside the States. The changes are apparently "anticipated," and the hackers in charge are hard at work getting around it, so there's hope yet -- and at some point Mountain View is going to have to actually launch Navigation abroad for real, so this all just seems a bit petty.

[Thanks, Ace of Spades]

[grindboy Posted Dec 8th 2009 3:38PM]

Maybe they are doing it because an official one is coming out shortly?

I think I'm being a bit optimistic! :-(

Come on Google the rest of the world wants awesome nav as well.

[Wwhat Posted Dec 8th 2009 6:05PM]

@grindboy
Do they? perhaps some people like some privacy and think a nice normal GPS device is fine.
And in many countries the average person either has no or a very very expensive data plan, meaning internet stuff on phones is too pricey to consider.
And I wonder if the EU laws even allow it, there's the monopolizing, the privacy, and I'm sure some other technicalities that need to be covered, patents too maybe? Right now (being worked on but will take years) when you want to patent something in europe you have to apply and pay for each country separately, and each country has its own system and rules, and if someone patented maps on phones, well then google is out of luck too.
And it's the same in non-EU countries, and getting data to a phone in africa, well I don't think they have an extensive modern system, middle east probably is better equipped, and india I bet it's dependent on the region, and which layer of society you belong to

[dalex7777 Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:16PM]

don't be evil

[outZider Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:52PM]

I'm sure it has to do with licensing and liability. But, hey, feel free to just pour on the hate anyway.

[Wwhat Posted Dec 8th 2009 7:33PM]

@(Unverified)
The device is set to not allow it, only hacked versions can, now since when is a company responsible for hackers? I think they would only be is they made it obviously trivial to bypass, but apart from that they would not and then doing an effort to disable it is 'above and beyond' their liability, and thus described by the word petty.

[GameRate Posted Dec 8th 2009 6:29PM]

It's seems Google become more and more evil =(
what a waste...

[pixelwhip Posted Dec 8th 2009 7:18PM]

'open source' FAIL.. geeze who would have thunk it.!

[flipflop Posted Dec 8th 2009 10:50PM]

i want that nav on my iphone

[Frankenstein Black Posted Dec 8th 2009 11:31PM]

@flipflop - It aint gonna happen for quite some time and even when it does you will probably have to pay (i.e. "Android competitive advantage and all")...

[Frankenstein Black Posted Dec 8th 2009 11:31PM]

@flipflop - It aint gonna happen for quite some time and even when it does you will probably have to pay....

[bigshape Posted Dec 11th 2009 8:57AM]

working again ;)