If you listen carefully enough I’m sure you’ll be able to hear the portable navigation industry cursing already.
Google is about to announce a new Android application called Google Maps Navigation, and when combined with a GPS equipped mobile phone running Android 2.0 it will be able to provide turn by turn directions provided by Google Maps.
It will also have a very slick interface, that mixes features such as voice recognition and Google Street View. And what’s more Google Maps Navigation as with most other things that emerge from Google will be free. Source - news.cnet.com
I am convinced that Android is the way to go for smart phones. I wont use the navigation tool often, but this just adds to the coolness Android operating system.
Having a smart phone without a data plan is like having a computer without the Internet. Which is like having a car without wheels.
But will it be only available on line, as with Google maps, or will the maps be downloadable, so that it can compete with the likes of TomTom?
I have found the on-line ones pretty useless in many part of the world, and they are expensive on data time, especially away from ones home country.