Google Maps with Navigation

Recently, it was announced that Google Maps Navigation will be released for GPS-equipped phones that are available with Android 2.0. The Google Maps Navigation application will provide turn-by-turn directions powered by Google Maps, and feature a 3D view. Google Maps Navigation offers many features, and best of all, the application will be free. These features include:

1) Search in plain english: Enter your destination as a address, place, a name of a business, or a kind of business. Enter all of the information onto your phone in one string just as you would in a Google search. Google Maps will figure your destination out for you. If there are multiple results for your destination, you can choose which one you want.

2) Voice recognition: You can speak where you want to go, to save time instead of typing in your destination. Because Google maps is connected to the cloud, it has access to all of the updated information on the internet, which can find exactly the destination you want to go to by describing which destination you want

3) Live traffic data: A traffic light glows red, yellow, or green in the corner of the screen based on the currentt of traffic in your upcoming route. An aerial view of your upcoming route is shown and is updated every few minutes.

4) Search along route: Allows you to find places you may want to stop at during your trip. The layers menu allows you to find access to popular places along your way.

5) Satellite view: Helps you visualize your route.

6) Street view: Shows you exactly what each turn will look like on the street, tells you the address of your destination and shows you the actual street view of your destination such as a store front or a home.

7) Car dock mode: Allows your phone to go into car mode which gives you easy access to navigation and voice mode.

Check out the link below for a video that demonstrates Google Maps Navigation:

http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/index.html#p=default