Google Maps for Mobile was updated Wednesday to include popular website features Streetview and walking directions.
The new features allow you to be distracted just long enough while gazing endlessly into your Blackberry to run into the nearest pole, newspaper rack or fire hydrant.
Err, rather, Streetview allows you to see pictures of your destinations and spots along the direction route from street level. Walking directions does as the name implies; show you where to walk instead of drive to your destination.
The features are available to Java-based phones – basically Blackberrys. Other phones, like Windows Mobile devices, may have a Java virtual machine installed to allow Java-based applications to run. Running Maps through a Java-based client is good enough, but not exactly as good as an app native to the operating system. Windows Mobile just happens to have a native version available too – one lacking these cool new features.
No word on when these features will hit Symbian, iPhone, Windows Mobile and other native versions of the application.
Such is the nature of Google Maps product cycle. Each version of Maps seems to include cool new features derived from the Maps website, and each new release has features not included in the previous release on another device. The cycle goes round, and eventually all applications catch up. It gives every device a chance to be on top for a while.
However, with Android coming out soon, there's no knowing if the product cycle will originate with Google phones first, then trickle down to the rest of us. Android just happens to run Java out of the box. In fact, we may be seeing a slightly modified version of what we'll see in Android next week.
The announcement came with a live action video demonstrating how mobile Maps works, complete with a little animated Street View mascot. What is it with Google and comics lately?
https://www.youtube.com/w
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