More than a few of you have had some issues with the latest version of Google Maps for mobile, either with the My Location feature or apparently with the layers. Accordingly, Google has updated the app to version 3.3.1. No word yet if it's fixed any of the triangulation issues you guys were having, but crashes should be squashed.

Go get the new version here, and sound off in the comments if you're still seeing problems, and be sure to let 'em know on the official Google forum post. (For what it's worth, it very quickly got me within 1,000 meters in Orlando.)

[All About Symbian via IntoMobile]

Looks like some of you are having problems with the 3.3 release of Google Maps in regards to the My Location feature and its accuracy with cell tower triangulation. The good news is that it's not everybody. On the left, above, is what I'm getting with AT&T. For me, it's more or less as accurate as it was before. Google Maps is showing me about a half-mile from where I actually am, and that's well within the 1,900 meters (or 1.1 miles) it's promising.

Our pal Malatesta, on Sprint, is shown as being in Washington, D.C., with an accuracy of 95,000 meters. OK, but Long Island, N.Y., is definitely more than 59 miles from the nation's capital. And Mal says a friend of his in New York City is showing 45,000-meter accuracy.

And, so, we put it to you. How's My Location holding up? Is it just the big-city folk having issues?

Google Maps for Mobile turned the big 3.3 today (for Windows Mobile, anyway). The big change this time around: Synchronizing starred locations with Google Maps on the desktop.

As often is the case we're left scrambling for release notes. But we do have an entire blog post from the Google Mobile team to go by.

Google Maps for mobile has long allowed you to add stars on a map to mark your favorite places. You may have noticed a few months ago that Google Maps for desktop browsers introduced the ability to star places as well. Unfortunately, there was no way to keep these starred places in sync with Google Maps on your phone. With today's release of Google Maps for mobile 3.3 on Windows Mobile and Symbian phones, you'll now be able to keep the starred places on your phone and on your computer completely synchronized.

For users upgrading from an older version of Google Maps for mobile, you'll be asked, when you log in, whether you'd like to synchronize your existing starred items with your Google Account. This means you can preserve all the work you've put into customizing your map on your mobile, and have it show up, conveniently, in Google Maps in your desktop browser.

Get the CAB file here for the latest version of Google Maps for Windows Mobile.

You should hear Malatesta's tale about making it to the Oct. 6 launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 with just seconds to spare. It's classic. Especially the part about surviving the dude playing jazz flute. But that's for another time.

Anyhoo, what got him there in time for the keynote was Google Maps, and its inclusion of NYC subway maps. They've been there for a while now, but Google's recently publicly announced them as a feature in the Layers. To turn it on (or just test it if you're outside the city), point the map to NYC, then go to Menu>Layers and turn on the Tranisit lines. Zoom in and you can get station info. It's That simple. [Google Lat-Long blog]

Good news for those of you using the Google Mobile App: Three new features have been rolled out.

• My Location is now on board and returns local search results without having to manually input your location.
• Search options are now suggested as you type, as are URL suggestions. Very cool.
• If you have Google Maps on your phone, it'll launch when you choose a local search suggestion.

Get the CAB here, and check out more at the Google Mobile blog.

We’re quite spoiled you and I. Can you imagine if twenty years ago someone had shown you the very device you currently carry and use on a daily basis? Being able to instantly communicate using all manner of methods provided by the most mundane of Windows Mobile Phones is simply an amazing example of technology. As generations of Windows Mobile devices pass by there are new and improved hardware toys that become fairly standard in each generation. GPS receivers are an example of a feature that many of us take for granted that is one of the more amazing pieces of consumer technology.

All of this being true, GPS receivers are not included in all of the Windows Mobile devices that we carry around. Even if it is included, getting a radio signal to and from those satellites drains a battery like few other things can. For those of you facing these dilemmas, I present the GlobalSat BT-368i Bluetooth GPS receiver.

Read the rest of this entry »

Another week, another release of Google Maps for Windows Mobile. [via XDA] And, lookie, they even gave us release notes again. Here's what's new in Version 3.2.1:

• Places of interest: Selectable icons and labels on the map allow you to choose prominent businesses or places of interest in order to see business info, reviews, photos, Wikipedia articles, and a lot of other local information. To select an icon or label, use the 5-way pad or joystick to pan it to the center of the screen or tap it on touchscreen phones. Learn more about these icons and labels already available on maps.google.com.
• Favorite Places (English only): Explore the favorite places of local experts from cities around the world. Find out where they like to go, and why, from their own perspectives. From the Maps main menu, go to 'Layers' > 'More Layers' > 'Favorite places.' You can also see these on your computer by going to http://google.com/favoriteplaces.
• Layers: The "More Layers" list of layers is now organized as a tree of layer categories.

Go get 'er here (desktop) or here (cab).

Well, looky here!  Google did a major update to Google Maps for mobile.  Previous version was v3.0.1.6 and the new one is a spanking v3.2.  Such a leap must mean something new and sure enough, there is Google Layers a hitherto unknown feature from our overlords.

Layers allow you to add extra information to your current view, including Wikipedia entries.  That's right, you can now pull down localized Wikipedia info which appear as iconic "W"s on your screen.  Selecting them will bring up a lil' info bubble on that area.  Other "layers" include traffic, transit and My Maps which are your personal customized maps (done via desktop).  Huzzah!  That's pretty darn cool.

They've also fixed a few bugs, re-enabled copy/paste from various field (thank you), additional search results and...well shoot, they even put all this info in an actual 'Release Notes' file which you can read in gory detail.

Get your download here: http://m.google.com/maps

 Yup, another week another update from our secretive info masters at Google. Since the last big 3.0.1.4 update there have now been two more, addressing various issues with Google Latitude. So the latest is now 3.0.1.6.

Not sure what else in new, but since Google won't make a software updater (c'mon already!) we'll keep relaying the info to ya.

Google has released an updated version of Google Maps, version 3.0.1.4, which focuses on issues surrounding the Google Latitude feature. For those unfamiliar with Latitude, it is a feature that lets you keep track of your location and shares it with a social network of friends/colleagues.

The fixes include:

• Background location updates: Problems associated with running Latitude in the background have been fixed to allow continuous updating of your location.
• Auto-restart location updates: If for some reason you turn off your phone (battery dies, you hit the power button) Latitude will now automatically restart location updates, when running in the background, whenever power is restored to the phone.
• Force location updates: Manually refreshing your Latitude friends list forces the update of your own location.
• Backlight timing: The backlight behavior now runs according to your system settings. Previously if Latitude was running in the background it had a tendency to keep your backlight on regardless of systems settings.
• Additionally, login errors and other internal errors that effected Latitudes performances were addressed by the update.

The updated version, 3.0.1, can be downloaded here.

Via WMPoweruser