Tech Shout!

Today, Nokia announced that it is making its smart2go mapping and navigation platform available as a free download from its Smart2Go Web site. This will enable people to use the most comprehensive map coverage to be offered on mobile devices till date.

The Smart2Go platform allows for mapping and routing in more than 150 countries, and even has support for full turn-by-turn satellite navigation in over 30 countries. The Nokia Smart2Go application allows users to view where they are on a map, search for points of interest around them. It even creates routes to get users there free of charge.

Smart2go is a hybrid map solution: Map data from Tele-Atlas and Navteq can be downloaded directly via wireless network (e.g. GPRS/3G/WLAN) and stored on the devices memory card as needed. If all the desired map data is stored, no network connection is needed for mapping, routing and navigation. For managing downloads of bigger sizes there is an additional PC desktop tool available.

Smart2go comes with the option to upgrade to full fledged turn-by-turn navigation. With just some clicks, customers can turn their device into a voice guided navigation system by purchasing a navigation license. There are various licenses available: from a one week to a three year term. When traveling to a new country for holiday one can download the relevant maps via PC in advance and subscribe to the navigation service for the duration of the holiday at an affordable cost.

Nokia plans to start offering the Smart2Go application free of charge from February 10, 2007 onwards for selected Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile 5.0 devices initially. In the future, Nokia has plans to roll out support for most of the major mobile OS platforms like Nokia S60, Series 40, PocketPC, Linux and other Windows Mobile devices. Nokia even plans to pre-install the Smart2Go mapping and navigation application son all Nokia’s Nseries multimedia computers under the name “Nokia Maps”.

Those who own Nokia devices can download Nokia maps onto their supported devices. Moreover, if one pairs their non-GPS enabled mobile device with a Nokia Wireless GPS Module LD-3W or any other compatible GPS module, they can also avail of Nokia’s Smart2Go Mapping and Navigation application.

The Smart2Go Mapping and Navigation platform contains more than 15 million points of interest, and this helps people explore the most interesting sights, cafes, restaurants and accommodations around them.

Besides, Smart2Go customers can also select their favorite locations, excerpts from maps and routes, and send them to friends by multimedia message, Bluetooth wireless technology, infrared or e-mail. Users can also save screenshots of maps in the gallery on their devices.

According to Ralph Eric Kunz, Vice President, Nokia, Multimedia, “People will trust and use maps if they have those maps with them when they need them, and smart2go allows consumers the full freedom of which maps they want to carry with them. By offering Nokia Maps and smart2go for free on your mobile device, cost is no longer a barrier for anyone to enjoy the convenience of maps and routing on-the-go. Nokia is on track to build the world’s most connected location based platform for mobile devices which also opens up interesting opportunities for future services.”