Google can make a killer GPS application as well. One has to feel bad for GPS companies that are taking a beating from their mobile counterparts. In a move that has shaken the mobile and GPS industries, Google has announced that Android phone owners will get Google Maps Navigation (a fancy name for a GPS) with a host of premium navigation features. Unlike TomTom GPS for iPhone or other top GPS apps, you don’t need to pay Google to take advantage of this feature. Yet, you get a host of features that are available on those fancy apps.

The app allows you to search for your favorite POI on your Android phone fast. It also supports Voice Search, which could be useful if you want to run a hands free system. Traffic and satellite views are both useful in helping you find you way around. Did I say the app is offered for free to Android phone owners?

Google Maps Navigation is currently being offered on Android, but Google hasn’t closed the door on bringing the app to iPhone. Instead of bickering and complaining a bit more about how unfair Apple has been, Google has decided to introduce a must have service to build a case for having more of its services offered on iPhone. Apple has a difficult decision to make. On the one hand, iPhone owners can really use such a killer application. On the other hand, Apple has burned some bridges with Google, and while it should not beg for Google’s service, these two companies should find an amicable way to put the Google Voice issue behind them.

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If you asked me a few years ago that standalone GPS devices would fall on hard times in the short future, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But those days, you  couldn’t predict the rise of smart-phones such as the iPhone. Nowadays, the age of mobile GPS is finally upon us. As Steve Jobs would say, people are not into one trick pony devices anymore. Carrying a GPS around with you can be quite a hassle. It’s certainly more convenient to transform your smart phone into a mobile GPS and carry it with you on the go. That has put GPS makers such as Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan in a bind. These companies have spent years trying to build better, more capable stand alone GPS devices. All of a sudden, the game has changed. It’s no wonder some of these companies feel the rug has been pulled from under them.

GPS manufacturers really have three options at this point. They can either try to come up with a phone of their own to compete with the iPhone. Garmin has decided to take this approach with Nuvifone. While the company has partnered with ASUS to introduce a decent smart-phone, the strategy is still risky. For starters, most of Garmin’s competitors have either introduced or in the process of introducing their own iPhone apps. So that market is already becoming saturated but the top GPS maker in the world is not part of the field. Besides, Garmin is not in the phone business, and it’s not clear how Nuvifone would perform better than the iPhone when it comes to navigation.

The second option is to get out of the hardware business and focus only on software solutions for consumers. Navigon has done just that. The company introduced its own stand alone GPS devices a few years ago, and they generated quite a buzz. But Navigon couldn’t sustain its business when people started taking their business to Apple and other smart-phone makers. So Navigon decided to pull the plug and focus on its core competency. Let’s not forget that Mobile Navigator is one killer GPS with text to speech capability that is almost as powerful as stand alone Navigon devices. Read the rest of this entry »

We have been hearing about TomTom GPS for a while now. The emergence of iPhone as one of the best smartphones on the market has encouraged many GPS makers to try their hands in this market. The recession may have hit some of these GPS manufacturers hard, but in reality, many consumers prefer transforming their smartphones into mobile GPS devices instead of carrying another gadget with them on the go. So no wonder companies such as TomTom have worked hard to develop decent quality GPS solutions for iPhone.

There were  many rumors going around about TomTom for iPhone. But so far we had no clear idea how much this gadget will cost. Until now that is. TomTom for iPhone has now hit the Apple store and is going to cost you a cool $100. If you don’t happen to live in the U.S., you can get the version that applies to your region (you have a few options). TomTom has promised to bring its latest GPS technology to the iPhone platform, and it seems it has done just that. But is that app really worth $100? Read the rest of this entry »

Navigon GPS was my first real GPS, and I am always going to have a soft spot for the company. But Navigon is one of those companies that has been affected hard by the recession. A company that owned multiple killer GPS models had to pull out of the hardware business and focus on the software side of things as it no longer afforded to play with the big boys and lose money in the process. But software was always Navigon’s core competency, so by going back to what works, Navigon has gotten itself out of a tricky situation. And you can tell Navigon can make a killer software by taking a look at its navigation app for iPhone, MobileNavigator.

MobileNavigator is one killer GPS app for iPhone that turns your device into a good old Navigon GPS. If you have used Navigon GPS devices in the past, you probably know about the innovative software that is used on them. Navigon is known for making things so easy for drivers by helping you stay in the right lane and take the right exit. You get to do the same with MobileNavigator.

MobileNavigator comes with the latest maps from NAVTEQ and can be used without an Internet connection, so Navigon has got your back even when you don’t have access to the Internet. I was very impressed with MobileNavigator’s graphics. They are as good as the best I have seen on regular GPS devices. I also found the interface to be surprisingly easy to navigate (unlike good old Navigon GPS models). You can easily enter your address into this system and get on your way. The directions are easy to follow and the voice directions are clean enough to help you get to your destination without too much trouble.

My favorite features are Reality View, Lane Assistant Pro, and Speed Assistant. If you want to get a real-looking view of where you are on the map and choose the right lane or exit, you can’t go wrong with these features. You can also see the signposts on your phone, which is quite useful. And who can forget about Speed Assistant that will help you avoid tickets and is a big plus.

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It was always going to be the matter of time before GPS giants went after the iPhone market. The new changes introduced by Apple now makes it easier for GPS application developers to come up with GPS solutions that provide iPhone owners with turn by turn directions and accurate driver information. According to Information Week, TomTom and Navigon are working to introduce their own GPS solutions for iPhone soon. TomTom’s solution will be a software/hardware hybrid kit to let drivers get the best navigation experience with their phone while Navigon will focus solely on the software side of things.

There is no question that GPS makers have been struggling to grow and make profits in these tough economic times. They have also been hit by innovative devices such as iPhone and some have had to exit the market. Just a while ago, Navigon decided to get out of the personal GPS market completely to focus on software. So it’s no wonder the iPhone is attractive to these companies. iPhone 3G S provides these GPS companies with an avenue to reach out to a lot of new customers and maybe encourage them to buy the real thing. Focusing on the software side of things is much more affordable for a lot of these GPS makers, which means one shouldn’t be surprised to see more companies come up with their own GPS solutions for iPhone.

TomTom and Navigon have not shared too much information about their plans, but it’ll be interesting to see how they use the wealth of features available on iPhone (e.g. contacts, maps, …) to develop their GPS applications. And let’s not forget about the price. Will they offer somewhat affordable iPhone apps? We’ll have to wait and see on that.