I'm looking at the N900 as a possible replacement for my Blackberry. Google Maps is a great application on that platform: it has good directions and localized search.

I assume Google won't be delivering Maps for Maemo right away (if ever), so Ovi Maps is probably going to be the best Maemo mapping app for a while. According to Nokia

http://europe.nokia.com/explore-serv..._and_coverage#

it appears that one can get directions for free. Local search doesn't appear to be provided, though travel guides may be integrated for a reasonable fee (€8,99). Turn-by-turn directions are incredibly expensive (€1,59 per day).

Has anyone used Ovi Maps on a Nokia device? If so, how does it compare to Google Maps?

The turn by turn one day price is extremely misleading.

Just looking on my device for European maps:

1 day = €1.70 per day (higher price probably due to our local sales tax)

30 days = €7.65 = 25.5 cents per day

365 days = €59.95 = 16 .4 cents per day

...and the other services are free anyway so if you can manage without turn-by-turn then you pay nothing.

Also, I suspect the N900 will come bundled with a period of free turn-by-turn anyway. Most mid to high end Nokia smartphones come with a free Ovi Maps subscription (i.e. turn-by-turn) of either 6 months, 1 year or (on navigation-oriented bundles) lifetime.

EDIT: People can use the trial subscription to see if it works for them, which is probably the best policy as the quality of navigation software seems to vary quite a lot depending on where in the world you live or travel.

I have a nokia n95-8gb with nokia map application. I cannot use it to even plan the route like i can do it on the google maps application. Is there any way just to do routing without the voice instructions on the ovi maps?

Coming to the n900 i read somewhere that routing is free but only turn by turn instructions are not free. What exactly does routing mean. Is it same like the google maps application?

Thanks

Have you updated to Ovi Maps 3 or are you still seeing the map app that came with the phone? Ovi Maps 3 is a lot easier to use.


You can try routing for free even without a device, if you go to maps.ovi.com and log in with an Ovi/Nokia account. You can also use this website to sync map locations with your phone.

I just checked the maps version v2.0... i guess i will update.

If i was outside and just wanted to check the directions to a place, can i do it with ovi maps 3?

An option for daily price for turn-by-turn service is AWESOME. For the most part, people don't need turn by turn service on a daily basis. An option to get what amounts to a 'guide' for €1.70 a day seems very appealing.

@sachin: does it offer offline maps like you claim on that other thread?

Yeah it does offer offline maps just like the n810 offers offline maps.

Yep, I have it on my n958gb-2 it's a great app, still needs work but its getting there.

Turn by Turn "Driving" nav does cost.

I've been using Ovi Maps 3.0 (the offline application) on my N82 extensively during the last 2 weeks while on holiday in Croatia (Great country!).

Ovi Maps was a very positive experience. It saved me hours while looking for my hotels (I switched location every 1-3 days) and while walking through smaller cities and villages where I didn't have a city map with me.
I'll be VERY glad if the app finds it way to the N900, hopefully bringing the same map data and licencing model with it.

Advantages:

• Good maps for many countries freely available for download to the device (offline usage, no data cost while in a foreign country)
• Easy interface to search for addresses and POI
• Impressive turn-by-turn guidance, works really well
• Good integration with Ovi Maps online (didn't use that, but sounds very interesting).
• Very interesting licencing model. I only need navigation sporadically, glad that I don't have to pay full price for a year but can buy daily licences. WISH: Let users buy a "pack" of turn-by-turn guides, e.g. 20 usages for 20 EUR. (The amount of work to get a daily licence is bigger than the amount of work to find a location with Ovi Maps without turnbyturn :-). This would also save one from having to use an online connection while abroad if one needs a licence - instead one could buy the licence "at home" and use it whenever wherever needed.

Negative points:

• POI data quality average, many POI missing or incomplete (ATM, Hotels)
• Minor: Auto-rotating maps are a bit too automatic, I had problems to keep it fixed north. Instead, Ovi Maps too often insisted on rotating the map to the currently traveling direction (might be a user-related problem :-)

One funny note: The maps include information about the speed limit on certain roads. The app can be configured to warn if one goes over that limit. Now I was traveling by public transport in a large bus and using Ovi Maps to keep track of the route and location (so as to know where I was, where I had to go off the bus etc.). So while the bus driver was racing along the coast, my N82 suddenly and loudly yelled "watch the speed limit!"

AFAIK Ovi Maps on the N900 does not yet support turn-by-turn. Won't be a problem for me as I'll put my work-SIM in my 5800.