Update: Google Maps Enhancements for Mobiles

location based services

Google recently updated its popular Google Maps software, supported by numerous mobile phones and smartphones (over a 100) including Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry device. Formerly called Google Local for Mobile, RIM and Google first announced BlackBerry support back in January.
The service enables users to view maps and satellite imagery with zoom in and out capabilities, as well as find local businesses and get driving directions. It provides draggable maps, a "click to call" feature, and stores addresses you have typed in or used for directions.
The new version of Google Maps for Mobile offers some significant enhancements.
With the update, users can now overlay traffic information on the maps of 30 major metropolitan areas. Different color lines will appear over certain major roads when you select "Show Traffic" from the trackwheel menu when viewing a map on a BlackBerry. The colors ranges from green when there are no traffic delays to red when there are significant delays. (Just keep your eyes on the road.)
In addition, when mobile phone users search for driving directions, they will see the expected drive time. The software also now has the ability to save a favorite location or route.
Google Maps for Mobile remains free of charge. Point your mobile browser to www.google.com/gmm to download the new version.
The enhancements to Google's wireless location services build on the search giant's other mobile services. These include Google Personalized Mobile, which is available to users with mobile phones and PDAs that leverage XHTML-capable web browsers SSL for login/security reasons.
What this service does is automatically mobilize Google Personalized homepages in a format that's compatible with small handset screens.
Google Personalized Home on the desktop provides at-a-glance access to information such as Gmail, customized news headlines, local weather, stock updates, hand-picked RSS feeds and more.
Users who don't have a personalized Google homepage already must set one up on the desktop first - choosing what content they want to appear on it - before going mobile, and not the other way around.
About the AuthorDave Mabe, the author of the O'Reilly book BlackBerry Hacks, is a largely self-taught engineer and writer who strives to create a simple, elegant solution to a complex problem. He has worked in the communications industry for eight years and has worked with BlackBerry devices for almost five.
James Alan Miller contributed to this article.