Damm! I just retired my TMobile MDA (it was an awful device with a lot of good features that unfortunately did not work well together) to go to the Tmobile SideKick III - except the SideKick III does not support the new "Live" Google Maps Mobile version - but the TMobile MDA did. Ugh! How come choices have to be so difficult? Can’t I just have all the features I want in one phone - do I really need to own three of them?
OK, here’s the deal with Google Mobile Live - it’s only for 30 cities and Danny Sullivan has a pretty good writeup of what Google Maps Mobile can and can’t do for you over at SearchEngineWatch.
Google Maps has rolled out a new mobile version offering real-time traffic information in 30 US cities. The service also offers directions designed for those who are walking, in addition to driving. [note: That's Fantastic!!!!!]
The mobile version is explained more here from Google. It requires downloading Java-based software which works with many mobile phones but certainly not all of them. Count me among the ones out of luck. It also won’t work on Palm devices nor, from what I can tell, Windows Mobile/Pocket PCs. The FAQ explains more. All supported devices are here.
Well, Danny is not right about the Windows Mobile/Pocket PC’s as the TMobile MDA is Windows based (again, the device had wonderful features they just did not work well - but if you looked at all the MDA was supposed to do - had it all worked it would have been the phone to own).
Danny Sullivan mentioned a lot of other places you can go to get live traffic data - if your accessing it on a laptop or desktop computer - the problem is the place you most need the the traffic data is on your cell - because your mobile…right? A traffic Jam happens all of a sudden - as I pointed out in SmartMobs today. Now, as Google can give walking directions the only thing left is to give public transit delays and make it mobile and you’d have tons of eyeballs looking at that application - especially if it worked on all cellphones as well as every laptop/desktop.
