Nokia released their newest version of their popular Nokia Maps application today, bringing it to version 2.0. The application has been in beta for a while now working out all the kinks and getting feedback from users at Nokia Beta Labs. Hopefully it's not a premature release and the community is indeed happy with this version.Nokia says,
Downloaded over 240,000 times since announced in February, Nokia Maps 2.0 has improved its optional Car Navigation, enhanced its pedestrian navigation, added multimedia city guides, now offers satellite images, and is sporting a redesigned user interface. Nokia's mapping and navigation solutions give people navigation features, local content and world maps directly on their mobile device, in a way that only connected devices can.
A partial list of the updated features in Nokia Maps 2.0 includes:
DRIVE:
- Improved optional Car Navigation equals PND-level car navigation experience with faster routing.
- Easy-to-use, updated User Interface features including a new navigation carousel with pre-defined navigation views - i.e. navigation, arrow, bird-eye.
- Top-of-the-line navigation features: signposts, multi-stop route planner
WALK:
- Optional pedestrian navigation efficiently walks you from A to B with visual guidance. It helps you to locate yourself by giving information about the surrounding buildings, streets and parks and, if the device supports it, notifies the direction you are walking.
- Nokia Maps 2.0 includes public transportation information (station entrances) data in 17 cities with localized icons for stops.
- Advanced multi-sensor positioning using A-GPS, and pedestrian orientation using the compass feature (Nokia 6210 Navigator needed for built-in compass usage)
DISCOVER:
- Satellite images with hybrid rendering overlays for selected cities worldwide provide real aerial views on your mobile.
- Signature "one-box search" allows you to search through places, addresses, restaurants, nightlife, outdoor, accommodation.
- New premium multi-media city guides including features photos, video, audio streams.
Nokia Maps 2.0 uses vector maps provided by Navteq and TeleAtlas, Nokia Maps now has maps covering over 200 countries, with over 70 of them navigable. Maps can be downloaded over the air directly to selected devices or by using the Nokia Map Loader on a PC. A new beta version of the Nokia Map Loader is available on the Nokia Beta labs web site.
I personally have always been a huge fan of Google Maps and never use Nokia Maps, but today I'm going to give Nokia Maps 2.0 a try and post my thoughts on the new application. Nokia Maps is great for those who don't have an unlimited data plan, especially if you use the Maps Loader. Which do you prefer?
Visit http://www.maps.nokia.com/ to download the new Nokia Maps 2.0, and check out the Maps Loader while your at it.
Update! According to emails from a few users you won't lose your 6 month license. Try it at your own risk.
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i did not like nokia maps before but i now like them. bcoz the interace is now much sleek,loads fast and on top of that my country (new zealand) maps recently updated and i can find all friends addressess. quite happy there bcoz you dont need any data connection and all map data available offline.
by the way am currently using beta version of maps 2.
I've been playing around with it today as well RK and I must say it's a huge improvement over previous versions.
What's bugging me is there is no USA traffic conditions. I use Google Maps for this reason on a daily basis to navigate around Los Angeles traffic.
you are right Mike,google maps good too but unfortunately requires a data connection everytime.
cell phone charges quite expensive for us here.