Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

We've seen the Google URL for maps used by Maemo Mapper change a number of times. Clearly Google prefers we access maps in their cloud and that's OK with me -- they are their maps and in my area Openstreet maps are good. But now perhaps the real reason has surfaced. Free turn by turn directions direct from Google in Android and for that matter your GPS equipped laptop.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/g...ui-to-android/

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

This would be a perfect app for the N810, given how navicore/wayfinder has been left to wither, let alone the N900.

I'll not hold my breath though....

Gaz

google nav. why pay ovi?
 

http://engadget.com/2009/10/28/googl...you-want-this/ when will we get this. PLus tom tom and garmin stocks plumit.

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

I'm wondering if all those people who seem to love Google Maps so much have ever tried to use it in a foreign country? :confused: For me, who actually uses navigation while travelling to different countries, the idea that I would need to be constantly on-line to download map data and thus forcing me to pay the extremely expensive data roaming charges, would be very undesirable.

At least on the Symbian version of Ovi Maps I can download all the needed maps before hand with my regular Internet connection. And yes, I think that about €7/month (when I need it) for voice navigation is much, MUCH more economical than a "free" version that forces me to pay several euros per megabyte of data roaming charges. ;)

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

not a fan of google at all but i have unlimited data and i live in the usa. So thats no problem for me.

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

and just maybe this will push companies like garmin and tom tom to make their services available and cheaper on more platforms.

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

You're probably not the first target audience for Google Maps widening their customer base, then, if you travel a lot across country borders in Europe. Most people move most of the time in their own areas without data roaming so this certainly will save them the cost of the license.

There's no real reason why Google couldn't solve that data roaming issue later, though, if it doesn't get solved by reasonable data fees by itself, by letting devices cache maps if they wanted to. There's been several news stories about Google making their own maps now in the USA and elsewhere, so they're not really (or won't be for long) tied to map licensing agreements either, I think that used to be the reason why the maps were "online only" (correct me if I'm wrong, I might be). So they might offer that option eventually, too.

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

John "gnuite" Costigan, the primary developer of Maemo Mapper now works as a Software Engineer for Google in Mountain View, CA. I wonder if he has had a hand in that?

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

That's really interesting. Thanks for the tidbit.

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

Haha hopefully he didn't stop MaemoMapper development. Maybe he can get Google to make a Google Maps for Maemo. >.>

And before somebody says "why would Google do that, they want you to use Android". True they do want you to use Android, but they also want you to use their services no matter what platform your on.

Re: Maemo Mapper & Google Maps
 

Again besides Android Apps on Maemo: Any chance that we gonna see Google Navigation on Maemo soon...?