Tech Spotlight: Mobile Maps
By Jeff Schrum
One of the coolest tech features to hit mobile phones is mapping. Imagine having all the features you love about Web mapping, like Mapquest or Google Maps, accessible through your wireless smartphone. Just like the online sites, you can enter addresses, search for points-of-interest (tech talk for places like restaurants, stores and gas stations), get driving (or walking) directions, and see real-time traffic conditions. Google's version of mobile maps even lets you see a satellite view, or a hybrid view with maps superimposed on satellite images.
Some mobile handsets use built-in GPS receivers-just like in your car-to pinpoint your location and provide location-specific services. On non-GPS equipped handsets you can either manually enter your location or take advantage of Google maps new "my location" feature, which uses triangulation from nearby cell towers (yeah, just like the CIA does in the movies!) to approximate your location. This location method can be hit-or-miss, as signal strength and the number of nearby cell towers can greatly affect accuracy. However, it can still give you a lot of the benefits of GPS, like the ability to find nearby businesses or get directions to a specific address.
On a recent trip to Chicago I really enjoyed being able to find my way around the city on foot, locate and get walking directions to the places I wanted to go, and find the nearest coffee shop for my morning fix. Now that I have mobile maps on my smartphone, I can't imagine leaving the house without it.
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