[adamf]

As announced today at the Nokia World 2009 event, there is a new version of Ovi Maps.

http://betalabs.nokia.com/betas/view/ovi-maps

Note it is a beta and only works for:

• Nokia N97
• Nokia N97 mini
• Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition
• Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

"Online you can check out the weather forecasts and events around you. Explore premium travel content by Lonely Planet and Michelin for over 1000 destinations, and find thousands of listings for sights, restaurants, hotels, shops, nightlife, and more."

Message Edited by adamf on 02-Sep-2009 10:33 AM

[psychomania]

Impressed with the new start screen, it feels much more like a real sat nav system now.

[ravidavi]

It really is pretty cool.  Just a couple gripes:

1: STILL NO AUTO SCREEN ROTATION on the 5800.  What ... the ... they've had HOW long to do this?  It's there on the N97, and it's there on the 5800 Navigation Edition (you can see it on the promo video for the 5800NE).  Ridiculous.

2: There seems to be no more "go online" option.  I'm not talking about the Settings->Internet->Connection setting, I'm talking about what used to be in Menu->Tools->Go online.  I used this frequently to go online/offline manually, but can't find anything like it anymore.  I do know that selecting any of the online tools (weather, michelin, ...) will ask you to go online.

I do like the improved startup time, and the idea of the home screen (although the icons need to be bigger for in-car use).

Ravi

[rbbkv]

Map loader is not working with this version of maps for N97.

[ravidavi]

Apparently there's a new version of map loader out, you might want to check that out.

Ravi

[jonkeys]

Yeah, absolutley needs the option to switch to landscape mode without opening up the keyboard.

...and I can't seem to find a way to retrieve address information from my contacts anymore, i.e select from contacts.

I can't go anywhere without this feature, because I have to manually search for the contact in my contacts list, write down the address information and then input it back into Maps, which is just not practical.

Haven't tested it on the road yet though, but will report back once I have.

Cheers.

[adamf]

---

psychomania wrote:

Impressed with the new start screen, it feels much more like a real sat nav system now.

---

 

Agreed.

Also when you load the map data up, you can actually press a home button that will guide you home from your current location.

As for other comments here. This is still in beta phase, which means there are bugs and it is still a work in progress application.

I'm sure everything will be addressed and fixed.

[adamf]

Its also worth noting for people who may not have tried Ovi Maps, or Navigation on their device yet that you can receive a FREE 7 day navigation license.

Its worth giving it a go on this new version of Maps to see how you can really benefit from it.

7 day free navigation trial

[ravidavi]

Used the voice navigation with street names today.  I noticed that during navigation, you can actually swipe the screen left or right to move between the various navi options: Turn indicator, 2D map, 3D map, and route overview.  Pretty cool!

The street name reading is fairly accurate too.  I've just noticed that it doesn't say all the abbreviations.  eg. the street "N Capital of Texas" would be spoken as "En Capital of Texas".  In addition, in the USA we have the street type "Cove", abbreviated "Cv", which it clearly doesn't know about.  It correctly says "lane" for "ln" but just says "cee vee" for "cv".  I'll report this to nokia.

But the BEST bug BY FAR is during the street name navigation with imperial units of measurement.  Fairly often, it will say "In One point three six three six three six three six three six miles, ..."  The first time this happened I thought my phone was having a seizure, but it's completely intentional.  Just a precision issue.   Clearly this is early beta software.  Hopefully Nokia won't keep up with their track record of releasing Maps when it's beta!

Ravi

[ace02]

I cannot find a map mode. Is there a function so that you can have satellite view etc?

ta.

[ravidavi]

The betalabs site for ovi maps mobile clearly says that satellite & terrain maps are not supported in this beta release.

Ravi

[jonkeys]

Okay, I've tested it out today for a brief 20 minute journey through Birmingham city centre, UK.

It is much improved in terms of GPS stability and navigation. I never tested the previous Maps 3 versions without the charger in, so it's difficult to compare, but Maps 3 used to be completey unusable with the charger plugged in, as was Maps 2 on my N97. But with this new beta, Maps works perfectly without the charger and is much better with the charger plugged in as well at least when compared to Maps 3.00 and Maps 2. Maps 2 did work okay though, without the charger plugged in.

But I could still never use it with the charger in, the GPS connection becomes just too unstable.

To sum up:

• Maps 3 beta (3.03) works problem free (when not on charge). Navigation is smoother than Maps 2 and previous Maps 3 versions.
• The speed doesn't keep going back to zero, but it does keep dropping to a lower speed and back again when cruising steady. So an improvement, but this speed issue is certainly not fixed.
• Plugging the charger into my N97 still degrades GPS performance significantly. Less than with previous Maps 3 versions and Maps 2, but still to an unacceptable level. e.g. regular GPS drop outs etc.
• Interface is much better, very easy to use on the go.
• Main Menu icons need to be bigger.
• The ability to select addresses from you contacts is missing, which is a massive pain, even for a beta.

So for me, everything still points to my N97's ability, or rather lack of, to operate the GPS properly whilst on charge. The second I plug the charger in, my accuracy readings go from 50-20m to 300-120m.

My questions to Nokia in this instance then are, did you even test the GPS whilst on charge? Are you attempting to address this issue? Or is it just a hardware problem which can't be fixed by software updates? and in that case will you refund our money or exchange the N97 for a newer working revision? Because for long journey's, we'll run out of battery power before we safey reach our destination.

Here's the bigger questions though, as I'm slightly confused as to why Maps 3 has suddenly just gone back into Beta again after a final version of Maps 3 was released upon the N97's debut.

Is there now going to be two versions of Maps 3? One version for the N97 and Xpress Music, and another version for non-5th edition phones? If so, why wasn't this 5th edition exclusive version of Maps developed and ready for the N97's launch? Or are Nokia only just starting to realise that the original Maps 3 and their flagship phone (the N97) don't work together very well? and if that is the case, how did they not realise this before the release of the N97?

Forgive my frustration, but when advertised, Nokia didn't say anything about having to use Beta software on the phone to utilise the advertised functionality, if it had, I of course wouldn't have bought the phone, as I tend to prefer buying 'finish'ed products e.g. A car which actually has wheels or GPS Navigation that functions from Day 1.

Message Edited by jonkeys on 03-Sep-2009 06:16 PM

[axelj]

hey, does anybody know where i can use the voice navigation with street names?

cant find it

the new maps beta seems quite fine. i also have the feeling that its a bit quicker than maps3.

i miss my manual online/offline switch though. the options/setings and extras menu should still be

available during the map view, i liked that. 

cheers...

[ravidavi]

You have to change the navigation voice to "English UK - with voice navigation" (or something like that) in the navigation settings.

Ravi

[axelj]

thnx ravi,

ill try this

[cbidlake]

Hi all,

Just wanted to say that the best place for feedback for the Beta release is on the beta forums :

http://betalabs.nokia.com/forums/ovi-maps

The above forum is monitored by the development team so you are more likely to get direct feedback.

Cheers

[adamf]

Great advice cbidlake

New version added today too.

V 3.03(54)