Google upgraded its Mobile Maps application with expanded GPS functionality. GMM is now able to take advantage of GPS systems to provide real-time location based services including directions and traffic info. Until now, Google Maps had not supported either external or internal GPS on all phones. After checking it out, the step-by-step directions certainly work. Eric and I agree that having to manually select the next “step” is just a wee bit dangerous, though. True turn-by-turn directions would be better.

The real-time traffic alerts were spot on, too. I plotted a course from my house to Giants Stadium. Hitting the “show traffic” key displayed some congestion on Route 46. The local radio station confirmed this. Traffic is shown with red coloring on your intended route. It would have been cooler if a pop-up bubble told us exactly what the congestions was, or at least mentioned which side of the highway was being affected.

Of course, the service is free, so we really shouldn’t complain. Too much. I am just glad the directions aren’t populated with little advertisements: “Stop here for some McDonald’s.”