No GPS? No problem for Google Maps

John Chan | Nov 29, 2007

Using maps on a mobile phone or handheld without a GPS chip can by trying sometimes. For one, you need to find your own location in a map first before any manual navigation can take place. That's a problem Google seems to have solved with its latest version of Google Maps Mobile.

By pressing "0", the My Location feature on the application approximates your location on the map with a blinking blue dot. This is achieved by detecting how close you are to the cellular base stations around you. It's isn't spot-on precise, but it sure beats having to scour the vicinity for a road name to key into your device.

We tried this feature out on an HTC Touch and it worked like a charm. Unlike GPS, it operates indoors and was really fast. We all know what a pain it can be sometimes for GPS chips to get a satellite fix, so this feature may be useful even for those with GPS-enabled devices.

Granted, approximating locations this way is not a new idea, but this is Google Maps. That means it's free and easy to use. It's a pity the information on Google Maps is not so detailed for locations outside of the US. But if that changes, we may not need to buy commercial map software for handhelds in future--though you do need to have an unlimited data plan as the Google app downloads maps on the fly. The My Location feature is available currently for Windows Mobile, Series60, BlackBerry and some recent Motorola and Sony Ericsson mobile phones. Head on over to the Google Maps site for a free download.

Filed under: Handhelds, Mobile Phones
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