If I can find a reliable source for such data then why not. At least recently Google didn't provide such data as a part of their public API but that might have changed or another provider might have done it.

Yep - the base (map view + tile handling & main menu) is already working quite nicely. There are not many other features at the moment, but that should change quite quickly as most of the needed preparatory backend work is done.

I'm also about finished with my rewritten automated packaging scripts so initial preview packages should really available any day now - and then in regular intervals afterwards. I'll be making a combined package with both the classic GTK & the new QML GUI for Fremantle and a QML only package for Harmattan.