Tag: Navigon »

Navigon has released a great update to their GPS apps for iOS. Updates include integration with iOS 6 Maps for transit info, and great last mile support. From the update:

- iOS 6 and iPhone 5 support

- URBAN GUIDANCE considers public transportation options, such as subways, trams, busses and water taxis, when calculating pedestrian routes. You will be guided to a transit stop by foot and you're able to look up detailed information on what line to take and where to get off. The feature is available through In App Purchase.

- LAST MILE automatically offers a pedestrian navigation when you park your car near your destination. The parking position will be saved and the app switches into pedestrian mode to provide walking directions.

- We're celebrating the 3rd birthday of the NAVIGON app and give away a free map update to all users.

Those of us who have been paying attention know that Apple removed Google Maps from iOS 6, preferring an in-house solution for their native iOS Maps app. That also means that one of the best features of Maps, Google Street View, will soon be gone. What's a Street View fan to do? Well, NAVIGON thinks you should purchase or update to their own navigation app on the iPhone.

The free 2.1 update will include Google Street View as well as NAVIGON Cockpit, among other things. They're also available for reduced purchase until July 16th, so get cracking.

Google Street View helps users see what it looks like at their destination, and in NAVIGON, it's the default view when they get near the final location. Without this feature in iOS 6 app, users will likely love its inclusion in NAVIGON.

Cockpit, available as a $5.99 in-app purchase, displays real time driving data like speed, level, gForce, and an adjustable speed and altitude graph. There's also an off-road screen with a compass and altitude meter for those who like to travel off the beaten path.

NAVIGON 2.1 will also include a way for users to tap on a section of a planned route and block that section out, allowing the app to recalculate around the specified area, great for avoiding parts of town or freeways users don't want to drive through for any number of reasons.

The new update also touts performance enhancements like start up time and map rendering response, including zooming and panning. New retina graphics are also included for the iPad version, including an optimized map manager interface.

For even more Independence Day fun, the North American NAVIGON apps and in-app purchases are on sale until July 16, 2012. Here's a list of the prices and reductions.

The Main Apps on Sale:
[appsale: 384680007,29.99]
[appsale: 321506742,39.99]

In-App Purchases on Sale:

NAVIGON MyRegion: $19.99 instead of $29.99
NAVIGON FreshMaps USA: $14.99 instead of $39.99
NAVIGON FreshMaps North America: $9.99 instead of $19.99
NAVIGON FreshMaps MyRegion: $19.99 instead of $49.99
NAVIGON Cockpit: $3.99 instead of $5.99

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At this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Garmin has announced that it will be adding Google Street View to all Navigon apps later this Spring. This new addition will allow users to get a close-up view of their destinations before they depart, letting them zoom in on target buildings or cross streets so they can more easily spot a previously unvisited locale.A specific launch date for the update was not given, but it should be arriving soon.

This upgrade is a godsend to people like me who really want a street-level view of unvisited locations. It's just so much easier, in my opinion, to find the place you're looking for when you've seen the building, know what side of the street it is on and can see what other buildings and landmarks are nearby. This addition makes an already impressive GPS app even better, and it's getting really hard for just about everyone else out there to compete with Garmin's Navigon offerings.

NAVIGON AG, one of the big navigation companies out there, announced this past THursday not just an update, but a full re-definition of their smartphone navigation software, available for the iPhone and other smartphone platforms, including Android (now) and Windows Phone 7 (later this year).

“Over the last two years, we’ve continuously added new features to our navigation apps, transforming them into the most feature-rich smartphone GPS apps available,” said Gerhard Mayr, NAVIGON vice-president of worldwide mobile phones and new markets. “For our new generation of apps, we went back to the drawing board to see how we could elevate smartphone navigation to the next level. Feedback from our users suggests that a better way to manage and update maps and a more intuitive user interface are top priorities.”

Sounds good, right? What does it boil down to? Here's what we're seeing:

New map management and update abilities are in the update, allowing users to download regional maps on the fly. This could allow users to have, say, only the maps of the states they travel in most, rather than an entire United States or pre-defined region sitting on their iPhone taking up space better spent on new ringtones. The maps themselves will be updated from NAVTEQ on a quarterly basis, ensuring the freshest maps available to users for a one-time fee, good for the lifetime of the software. The user interface has also been updated to more easily match the iOS environment in which it is running (or the platform on which it is running, if not iOS). In addition, NAVIGON includes a speed camera warning feature and a cockpit function that displays real-time driving data, allowing those enthusiasts to monitor their driving behaviors right from the app.

NAVIGON AG was founded in 1991, and operates out of Hamburg, Germany. They were recently acquired by Garmin, and current offer smartphone apps for on-board navigation utility. The new update will be available free to current NAVIGON app users sometime this fall.

Navigon, the company behind the extremely useful MobileNavigator app, has announced that they will be releasing a series of free, single-purpose apps in 2011. The first up is help2park, which is available right now.

Help2park does exactly what its name implies, specifically it allows users to find all available parking lots and structures within a preset radius. Users first set the radius in which they'd like to search and with a simple tap help2park will track down and display every potential parking place within that radius. Results can be displayed in either list or map form, so you can find your place either by looking for the specific address or checking your current location against the map. Those who also have MobileNavigator installed can set the GPS to take them directly to the parking location of their choice, circumventing any potential navigation issues.

Of course what the app can't do is tell you if any spots are available in the lot you've chosen, so it might be a bit more useful for day-to-day errands and shopping than trying to find a spot at a major sporting event or concert. Yes, the stadium does indeed have several parking lots, but unless you're there early they're likely all full, so you'll have to keep looking. The app might also be helpful for those who are traveling in a new city and don't really know where to park their car in a strange metropolis. As someone who lives near Washington, DC I can tell you that this app will be a godsend next time I try and drive downtown. The city's already confusing enough as it is, but when you factor in trying to find a parking space it becomes a downright nightmare.

We're looking forward to seeing what other apps Navigon comes up with over the next several months to make our travels a bit easier. If help2park is any indication then we're in for some real treats.

NAVIGON has announced today that its MobileNavigator app is receiving a major update, most important among them the fact that MobileNavigator will feature native iPad support. The update also includes numerous other new features including Zagat ratings and reviews, a map reporter to update new road information and in-app user notifications and newsletters.

One other new feature deserves special mention because it's particularly cool. MobileNavigator's new Active Lane Assist feature will help users more fluidly navigate the roadways by providing optional directions on which lane to merge into at any given time. The feature creates a map of the road ahead and demonstrates when and where users should merge so as to have the safest and easiest trip possible. No more having to dive across five lanes of traffic to make an exit or work through multiple lanes of congestion just to find out that the lane you're in will die out in a quarter mile and now you have to merge back into the mess you just got yourself out of. For those who prefer to not be told what to do the lane assist is an optional feature which can be turned on or off whenever you please.

We're also excited about the Zagat integration which offers over reviews 40,000 restaurants, hotels, attractions, golf courses, nightspots and other leisure activities. All users have to do is tap on an applicable location to see its Zagat rating, and we assume more ratings will pop up for new locations in future updates.

The MobileNavigator update is currently available for all US MyRegion apps, and the new version should be hitting the USA and North America editions very soon. What is already one of the best GPS apps out there just got even better, so enjoy all the fancy new features aimed at making your life easier.

If you really want to start using your iPhone as a money saving gizmo, getting a solid GPS app is the way to go. Sure, they tend to cost more (a lot more) than your average app, but think about the alternative. There are plenty of people out there driving around like loons, taking directions from Sean Connery voice coming from a $150 box sitting on the dash. Come on people, use your iPhone's.

But don't get stuck using the Maps app that's included in your phone. It doesn't have any cool view options, seems to only find Circle K's and 7-Eleven's when you search for "gas station, and won't talk to you when you need a friend the most (when you're lost). Only the love of a good GPS app will stick with you through thick and thin. Well, unless your battery runs out... make sure you get a car charger.

MotionX GPS Drive

The original mother of all cheap GPS apps, MotionX GPS Drive only costs 99 cents. Less than one dollar! Included in the app has live GPS Navigation, all sorts of options to change your route preferences, and best of all, an amazingly well organized search function. Instead of leaving your fate to a Google search on your area, MotionX finds anything you want around you, from airports, to restaurants, to grocery stores, to hospitals.

Voice settings are optional on the app, and unfortunately it does cost money. You can either purchase voice for $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year, depending on what you want. I know what you're thinking, "hey, that's not so cheap!", but it's still cheaper than most of the rest. The cheaper price may be due to the fact that there is no option to have Sean Connery guide you around town, but such is life.

Mapquest 4 Mobile

So when I said that Motion X was the original mother of all cheap GPS apps, Mapquest 4 Mobile took the crown by being free. Free voice, free navigation, free everything. It's definitely the cheapest of the bunch. It's a bit slow, though, and the search features really aren't that great. If you are looking for a big chain of something or another, like Sonic or McDonalds, you are in luck, but anything that is local is in the dark. I did a search for Liberty Market in Gilbert, AZ, a popular restaurant spot, and the app came up with nothing.

It's hard to beat free though. If you know where you are going, and you have an address if the place isn't a chain, this is the app to get.

NAVIGON Mobile Navigator

I always hear NAVIGON in people's lists of favorite GPS apps, and it's no wonder why. It's clean, it works without a data connection, and it offers more features than your average bear. It offers text-to-speech street names, Reality View, which shows you what lane you should be in to get off at the correct exit, real time traffic ($19.99 lifetime fee), live weather updates, and "Clever Parking" which shows you all of your parking options by your destination. At no point in using this app will you long for your standalone GPS box, and that my friends is a huge plus.

The app does take up quite a bit of real estate on your phone (1.52GB for the N. America version), but having the ability to use the app in the middle of the desert is well worth the plot. If you want to lower the land grab (and lessen the cost a bit, too), you can buy regional versions for only $29, making NAVIGON one of the less expensive options on the market.

CoPilot Live
My favorite GPS app of them all however is CoPilot Live. It's fairly affordable at only $19.99 ($4.99 if you only want the USA), and gives you the same premium feel that NAVIGON gives you. It has text to speech street names, Live Traffic (for an extra $9.99) that automatically re-routes you around traffic messes, and a live services package ($20/yr.) that gives you live updates on various gas station prices, among other things. It also has really big buttons, which come in handy when you're fumbling around with your phone while driving (which you're not supposed to do). Best of all is that CoPilot is fast. Faster than all the rest, and speed makes me happy.

In case you were wondering, CoPilot, like NAVIGON, downloads the entire app to your phone allowing for offline navigation. Also like NAVIGON, the file is huge. 1.33 GB huge to be exact.

NAVIGON Mobile Navigator, judging by our review of the app, as well as the reviews from many other app publications, is one of the top GPS apps in the App Store. Last night, it was updated to add some more great tweaks to its already impressive software.

The new update, version 1.6.0, includes "Live Weather, Clever Parking, updated NAVTEQ maps, Destination Information Display, Pedestrian Mode Voice Guidance, Enhanced Reality View™ Pro, and iOS4 integration / multitasking".

In order to get you where you want to go "stress-free and on time", the apps new "Live Weather" feature provides "temperature and weather condition icons (that) appear in the route overview screen before and during navigation". Also now with the "Clever Parking" feature. "When approaching the destination, a “P” icon appears in the map view. In one tap an easy to scroll list of all available parking options are available, including distance from location for easy decision-making."

With its new compatibility with iOS4 and the iPhone 4 (multitasking, retina display enhancement), as well as some other great new features, NAVIGON looks to be the go-to GPS app. Pick it up before July 22 and get it for only $49.99, $30.00 off the normal price.

With the launch of iOS4 (the new name for the iPhone’s latest operating system), Navigon is promoting how its GPS software will make use of the iPhone’s new multitasking features that allow apps to run in the background.

The video below sees Navigon’s head of iNavigation (great job title!), Bernd Hahn, showing how the MobileNavigator app doesn’t need to be quit when receiving a call or using other iPhone features and apps.

Navigon’s offering is one of many apps that will be making use of the new multitasking feature in iOS4 that is set to include music apps like Pandora among others.

Last week, I worked my way through all of the currently available iPhone on-board GPS applications. I stuck with just the applications that held all of the maps on-board -- meaning that you didn't need to have a network connection to use the maps or routing. CoPilot came out as our winner as it has the best features, though some very confusing, for it's price.

But we thought it would be a good idea to do a re-cap and compare all 5 of the GPS I looked at last week and include the first iPhone GPS application, G-Map.