Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video)

Those nat service providers’ fears were actually quite justified. Google today unveiled Maps Navigation (beta, of course), an extremely upgraded version of its current Maps software that’ll be free and, from what we understand, available by default on all Android 2.0 devices. All the usual Maps features are present, including the ability to search by name of business and have it suggest the closest matches, both semantically and geographically, and traffic data. We’re also now looking at turn-by-turn navigation, female robotic voice and all, and integration with satellite and street view, the latter of which will be able to show you what lane you need to be in when exiting the highway, for example. Instead of just searching nearby, it’ll also now search along the route for when you’re looking for upcoming gas stations or fast food joints that won’t take you too far off your beaten path. Select addresses can be added to the Android home screen as their own icons, and given the limits of living in the cloud, trips and their respective visual feeds will be cached just in case you hit dead spots along the way. Still no multitouch, but as VP of Engineering Vic Gundotra noted at a press conference, there’s nothing stopping a company like HTC from adding that feature à la Sense UI.

In addition to demonstrating the basic navigational functions, Gundotra also showcased a new user interface that appears when the device hooked up into a car dock, one that is intended for use “at an arm’s length away.” Essentially, it means much larger iconography and a convenient “voice search” option front and center. We later got confirmation from a Google product manager that car dock detection was definitively a hardware-based feature, which we take to mean Android devices currently on the market won’t necessarily have the same convenience. If Android 2.0 takes off how Google (and Verizon!) hope it does, companies like TomTom and Garmin are going to seriously need to worry about their bottom line. Watch Gundotra demonstrate the app after the break.

Update: Navigation for the iPhone? Gundotra said the ball’s in Apple’s court, so no telling if / when that’ll happen. Remember how well Latitude integrated?

Continue reading Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video)

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Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps Navigation: A Free, Ass-Kicking, Turn-by-Turn Mobile App

Google’s free turn-by-turn navigation for Maps is the news this morning, and even in Beta, they got a lot right. It has Google tech, like Street View and satellite imagery, and even voice-powered search. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s getting it: It’s Android OS 2.0 only for now. And will be available when devices like that ship. (Google demo’d the app to us on a Droid, FWIW.) Other platform support will be announced “by carriers and phone makers” when they’re ready, but Google implied they are working closely with Apple now on it.
How you tell it where to go: Addresses are input by either text or voice (using the same tech as in the iPhone’s Google mobile app). But the app can take things like business names and restaurant types as well as soft queries like “that museum that has the King Tut exhibit” and return a list of suggested locations
Traffic handling: The traffic data, as on Google Maps, is driven by multiple sources. Typically, this means data could be from local road authority services like the Bay Area’s Caltrans department’s highway cameras and services like Inrix, but also from cellphones using Google Maps.
Price: It’s free, and there are no ads. There’s nothing like it in Apple’s App Store that’s less than $25 bucks a year.
Turn-by-turn voice: There’s only one English-speaking voice at the moment, but it does to text-to-speech, reading street names out loud.
Does it work offline? Sort of. Maps cache along your intended route, so even if your connection dies along the way the route will still show you what you need to see, and text-to-speech voice synthesis of street names still works, too.
Maps that never age: Like most cloud map services, you’ll never need to update your map data, but you have to download route maps every time you head out (so you need cell service at the starting point).
Unique views: It has satellite view, which is super cool for context on the street, but also, it has Street View. When you’re supposed to turn, Street View images come up, overlaid with arrows. Same thing happens at your final destination. Since Street View images have metadata on direction faced and position, Google Maps Navigation intelligently draws the arrows where you’re supposed to go. Sort of.
Traffic UI: The traffic icon is simple—green, yellow and red according to flow of traffic, with your time of arrival next to the symbol. If you click on the traffic icon, the map zooms out to show congestion points along your route.
Multi-destination routing? There’s no way to setup multiple stops to help you plan a day’s drive to many locations. But you can search for locations (gas, eateries) along your route, and those results will show up on the map as long as they’re within a radius that moves long your path. You can also pre-determine your stops, and quickly queue up the next when you reach each destination.
Navigate to point on map: You can tell it to navigate to a location by spotting it on a map and holding your finger down on that point.
OS integration: You can bookmark locations as icons on your Android phone’s home page.
Layers? The data on the map, like traffic, satellite view and points of interest, are called layers. Google said it would be easy for them to add more layers, so its ostensibly possible to add things like Google Latitude support, and other neat tricks. Maybe they’ll open up an API for it.
Different UIs for different usage cases: There’s a landscape and portrait mode, as well as a big-icon UI for dashboard usage.
My fears on zero pricing, for the long term: If Google sells this in the App Store for zero dollars, those millions of bucks Apple makes off of GPS app sales will likely disappear. It’s not for us to worry about until there’s no more GPS competition except Google, and we’re dependent on their pace of progress, but no competition is a bad thing. And it’s a little strange that Google’s search money is going to pay for a free map app that is competitive with stuff that costs $100 a year from full-time GPS makers like TomTom. Unfair is the word that comes to mind. But I can’t say I don’t want this app.

A visual tour of Google Maps Navigation:

Motorola Droid Hits Verizon on November 6th for $200

It’d have been difficult to leak Motorola’s new Android piece any harder—we’ve already seen the hardware, the software, and even a review—but now we know for sure sure: It’s coming to Verizon on the 6th, for $200.

First off, Verizon’s just confirmed that Droid is a family of phones, and that while this phone is the cornerstone, we should expect more. (AHEM). This is the only one they’re announcing now, so anyway: $200 is iPhone 3GS money, so it’s good to hear that the specs are top-notch. It’s got a 3.7inch screen at 480×854 pixels, a Cortex A8 processor, a 16GB SD card included, Bluetooth, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera and of course, the slide-out keyboard with d-pad. Right, we mostly knew this, so what’s new? Well, there’s a dock! Ok!

But the software’s the real story here, and it’s even better than we expected. With a new contacts app, multi-resolution support, a better camera app, and SMS searching , Android 2.0 is front and center, and the Droid will wear it proudly; this is a “Google Experience” device, so don’t expect Motoblur here—which given the social networking integration in 2.0, and the refreshed interface, is probably for the best. Verizon wouldn’t say whether or not the Android 2.0 would be a Droid exclusive, refusing to confirm that it is, but also refusing to confirm that it isn’t. Given that the marketing push for this phone is apparently the biggest in Verizon history, and how weirdly opaque Google’s 2.0 release has been so far, I wouldn’t doubt that former, at least for a few months.

And remember that Google turn-by-turn nav app rumor? It’s totally true. The voice-activated navigation feature will be free, which means if its any good at all, it could conceivably vaporize the entire nav app industry in a matter of months. Google Maps will also have a few new layers on Droid, with Wikipedia, transit and traffic overlays. Google Maps With Navigation will replace the trenchant VZ Navigation, which won’t get an Android port. Verizon Visual Voicemail and MyVerizon services will hit Android eventually, but they’re gonna take a little time.

Preorders are open now at Verizon’s website, but just so you know—Verizon’s $200 price is after a mail-in rebate, and a particularly weird one:

Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

Seriously, guys, stop.

Verizon Wireless DROID By Motorola: World’s First Smartphone with Android™ 2.0

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – High-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of widgets and the best 3G mobile network in the country: DROID by Motorola arrives on Nov. 6.

Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest wireless 3G broadband network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID by Motorola, the first smartphone powered by Android™ 2.0. DROID by Motorola features the brainpower and breakneck speed of a modern smartphone, designed to outperform where other smartphones fall short.

“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer experience with warp-speed Web browsing, a mammoth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open, flexible graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”

“This is an exciting announcement for Verizon Wireless, as the DROID by Motorola is the first device that we are bringing to market under our ground-breaking strategic partnership with Google,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “DROID by Motorola gives customers a lifestyle device with access to more than 12,000 applications that will help them stay in touch, up to date and entertained, using the best 3G network in the country.”

DROID by Motorola has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It is a no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air updating, multi-tasking machine – and it is available just in time for holiday wish lists.

With DROID by Motorola, you can:

· Zip through the Web: Access the Internet at 3G speeds via the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network or from any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a massive processor delivers the Web the way you expect.

· See it all in cinema-style: View the Web, e-mail, Google Maps™, videos and more in widescreen on a brilliant 3.7″ high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor.

· Run multiple applications at once: Customize your DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™. Toggle back and forth between up to six applications at a time to juggle the universe and your apps.

· Perform Google Search™ at the speed of sound: Simply tell DROID what you’re looking for using voice-activated search, and it will serve up Google search results based on your location. If you want more, simply type what you’re looking for into the search bar on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone, such as apps and contacts, and the Web.

· Capture moments: Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5 megapixel camera loaded with the works, such as a dual-LED flash, AutoFocus and image stabilization, or capture your friend’s antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so you always have it on hand.

· Multi-task like a master: Keep tabs on all your messages with integrated Gmail™ and Exchange e-mail pushed directly to you, but don’t let them get in your way. With the handy Android notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and automatically includes your contacts.

· Get where you need to go with Google Maps Navigation (Beta): DROID is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. It’s powered by Google and connected to the Internet. Use voice shortcuts and simply say “Navigate to [your destination],” and you’ll be on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.

Pre-loaded Applications and Enhancements to Google Mobile Services:

· Google Maps: With layers in Google Maps, view geographic information, such as My Maps, Wikipedia, and transit lines, right on the map.

· Gmail: Multiple accounts support and undo for common operations.

· YouTube™: One-touch recording and playback from homescreen widget or app, one-touch sharing with friends, and the ability to view your own uploaded videos and high-resolution videos.

· Google Talk™: Easily switch between chats, search your chat history, and preview pictures and videos sent by links.

· Android Market: Browse and download applications created by third-party developers.

· Calendar: Ability to see who has R.S.V.P.’d to your meeting invitations.

· Amazon MP3 Store: Download the latest tracks over the air.

· Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail: Delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions.

Pricing and Availability:

· DROID by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on Friday, Nov. 6, for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

Taste Android 2.0 ‘Eclair’ From Your Own Computer

800px-ecler

If you’d like to explore the latest version of Android, aka Eclair, you can wait until Verizon starts selling the Motorola Droid, which is scheduled to be unveiled Wednesday. Or you can download the free Android 2.0 software development kit, which includes a spiffy emulator.

Google made available its latest software development kit for Eclair on Tuesday and the emulator bundled inside allows anyone to explore the upcoming features of Android.

The emulator mimics the Android OS. Developers use it to test their applications so they don’t have to use a handset to see every single change. But you can use it to get an idea of what’s inside Eclair. (Hint: It’s not a creamy filling.)

Every phone is different, so the emulator is a general representation. You can explore the entire OS, from browsing the web to making a mock phone call.

There are also quite a few updates and added features found in Eclair, including:

• Microsoft Exchange support
• An inbox allowing multiple email accounts
• HTML5 support
• Double-tap zooming in the browser
• Digital zoom for the camera
• Improved dictionary for your keyboard (it learns words you frequently use and suggests contact names)
• Improved graphics architecture for better hardware acceleration

The nice folks at Android and Me have posted step-by-step directions on how to install the SDK on your computer and run the emulator.

Whether you’re interested in buying an Android or a curious iPhone diehard, you can taste a sample of Eclair from the comfort of your own computer.

[via Android and Me]

See Also:

Photo: Azh7/Wikimedia Commons, with Android logo added by Wired.com


Droid Eris turns up in Verizon training course

Again, we have no idea why Verizon is burying the launch of the HTC Droid Eris alongside the Motorola Droid tomorrow (well, apart from the slow CPU and older Android build) but if you had any doubts that Big Red was going to launch this riff on the Hero, well, these screenshots of the employee training course should put those to rest. Interestingly, the buttons and logo placement are slightly different from the pic that was leaked to gdgt, but this version certainly looks like what Eric Schmidt was holding the other day, so we’re thinking this is the final iteration. We’ll see what’s what tomorrow, we suppose.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Droid Eris turns up in Verizon training course originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris to run Android 1.5 on a 528MHz CPU

We can certainly understand why Verizon wants to brand all of its Android devices under the “Droid” label, but at this point we can’t say we understand why it’s launching the HTC Droid Eris alongside the Motorola Droid at all — BGR says it’s going to run Android 1.5 on a 528MHz Qualcomm CPU, which means it’ll be instantly obsoleted by Android 2.0 on the Moto’s OMAP3 at launch. What’s more, it sure seems like Verizon knows it’s mismanaging this situation, as we haven’t heard a single peep about the Eris in the runup to the Droid launch tomorrow, even though Eric Schmidt and Lowell McAdam were waving both devices around a few weeks ago. We’ll see how this all plays out — HTC certainly has Android 2.0 phones of its own in the works, so the Eris might not be long for this world.

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Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris to run Android 1.5 on a 528MHz CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google developing free navigation app?

We already know plenty of people who’ve eschewed traditional turn-by-turn GPS systems in favor of plotting it out for free on Google Maps, and now there’s whispers that Mountain View is coming after the rest of the market with a free nav app. That’s at least what nav services providers are saying to Forbes, who think El Goog is gearing up to release a free ad-supported navigation app after making moves to use its own US maps instead licensing data from Tele Atlas and putting ads on the iPhone Maps app. Obviously that would shake things up a ton — and make Android devices a huge bargain — but we’ll see where this all leads over the next few months.

[Via Fierce Mobile Content; thanks Elad]

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Google developing free navigation app? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3GS bested by Android Archos 5 tablet in browsing benchmarks

We’ve already seen the iPhone 3GS handily win an ARM Cortex A8-powered browsing bakeoff against the Palm Pre, but now that a few more devices have hit the scene with the processor it’s time for another round, don’t you think? Pocketables certainly does, and they’ve pitted the 3GS against a pretty eclectic group of devices, including the Sharp NetWalker Android “smartbook,” the Archos 5 IMT, and the Archos 5 Android PMP. That’s two Android devices, one funky proprietary OS, and the iPhone, all running different browsers on different variants of the same chip design, so there are obviously a lot of variables at play here, but the results are still interesting: the 800MHz Android Archos 5’s WebKit browser was just a tick faster than the 600MHz iPhone 3GS, turning in an average page-load time of 9.0 seconds as opposed to 9.6, while the 800MHz NetWalker and 600MHz Archos 5 IMT trailed at 10.3 and 11.6 seconds. All we’re taking away from that is that WebKit-based mobile browsers still seem to be the speed champs, but we’re sure you have a different opinion.

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iPhone 3GS bested by Android Archos 5 tablet in browsing benchmarks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android 2.0 support officially added to SDK

Google’s gone ahead and uncorked the bubbly to celebrate the launch of Android 2.0 “Eclair” today ahead of Verizon’s big reveal tomorrow, bundling its announcements into two very important sections: SDK support, meaning devs can go ahead and start targeting the new bits, and a comprehensive list of changes in the latest version. Here are the major changes us lay folk are going to care about:

  • Support for multiple Google and Exchange accounts
  • Third-party “sync adapters” allow apps to tie in to the phone’s sync services
  • Quick contact menus for fast access to specific key pieces of contact information
  • Unified email inbox (yes!)
  • SMS and MMS search
  • Text message auto-delete after a user-defined thread size is reached
  • Significantly improved camera controls with white balance, macro, effects, and more
  • Improved keyboard layout, dictionary, and algorithm based on multi-touch support
  • Double-tap zoom in browser, support for HTML5
  • Bluetooth 2.1 support with addition of OPP and PBAP profiles
  • “Better” graphics hardware acceleration

Needless to say, we’re extremely excited about the changes Google’s made here — and on top of the Droid, we can only hope this action is coming to legacy devices on the double. We’ll find out soon enough (hopefully). Check a video of 2.0 in action after the break!

[Via MobileTechWorld]

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Read – Android 2.0 changes

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Android 2.0 support officially added to SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NEC working on an Android tablet for suits?

Super-vague report in the Nikkei this morning about NEC working on a seven-to-eight-inch “mobile device as capable as a personal computer” that’s aimed at business customers — no specs are given, but the tiny accompanying pic definitely shows the Android app tab at the bottom of that custom UI. Very mysterious. The report says NEC thinks it’ll move 100,000 to 200,000 of these a year after it launches next fall, and plans to sell a million a year over time, but we’ll wait to see what’s real and what’s not before we tackle that prediction.

[Via Slashgear; warning, read link requires registration]

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NEC working on an Android tablet for suits? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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