Gokivo Hero

*Note: Gokivo is available in the UK only.*

Being a bit of a GPS app geek I was pretty excited to see Gokivo arrive in App World. It wasn't an application I have heard of before however, due to the recent arrival of Telmap that we reviewed I was looking forward to giving it a try and comparing it with the other UK alternatives, although free options are rather limited for BlackBerry.

I am rather particular when it comes to voice guided navigation apps. There are a few things I require and if they are not present I tend to go off the app really quickly. These include: speedometer, showing current road name and the name of road for next turn. I also need some nice color schemes. Lets see if Gokivo lives up to my needs.

The Review

Developer: TeleCommunications Systems Version (at time of review): 7.0.2.327
File Size: 3961 KB
OS Requirements: BlackBerry 7+
Cost: Free to U.K. users Website:

For this review I have used Gokivo on both the Bold 9900 and 9790 and they each worked perfectly. With the app being available for all BlackBerry 7 smartphones you Torch users may well get the most from Gokivo due to screen size.

Opening the application you are presented with the home screen. At the very top it shows your current location and by pressing the share tab you clearly have the ability to share your location. This can be done via a message or you can update your Facebook status with your GPS location.
Below that you are presented with the current weather conditions for your location. If you fancy a more detailed overview of the weather just press the screen and you are shown the forecast over the next few days.
The navigation starts with the two big icons at the base of the screen; ‘Go To' and ‘Map'.

G1

The map non-surprisingly shows you your location and you have the ability to zoom in and out as well as search for some local amenities.

G2

The ‘Go To' tab is where the action begins. From here you can search for an address or place, view your favorites, view recent destinations, your home, work address, airports and contacts. As you would imagine - if you are searching for an address it is just a case of typing it in, either street or postcode, and Gokivo will locate it. If you are happy with its choice just press the ‘Go' button and you are off.  

G3

Searching for places works much the same as addresses. Here you have the option to phone the search result from within the app. A nice time saving feature.  

G4
  
G5

Also from this screen you have the option to jump into the settings and change a few things such as your mode of transport (useful if walking), if you want the fastest/shortest/simplest route, you can avoid motorways, tolls, ferries and also switch the view options from 3D to 2D or list mode.

G7
G9

On to the navigation goodness. Performance wise Gokivo does a pretty good job. The UI of the navigation screen uses some sweet colours and using the car icon instead of the normal arrow is a nice touch although not one I got too excited about.
As you may well have seen from the demo video; when Gokivo calculates the route it says out loud that is 'getting route', however the funny part is it sounds like it is saying 'getting rude'. I found this most amusing each time I went for a drive.
All the information you need is on the navigation screen including your next turn, current location, time remaining, distance to destination and current speed. The only criticism I have here is that the arrow icons are quite large and intrusive to the map, but only a small niggle.

G10
G12

If you need to jump to your exact location you can do and even the longitude and latitude will be displayed. Handy i suppose if you are driving a boat!

G11
 

Gokivo
by TeleCommunications Inc

Pros

  • Gokivo seems to work seamlessly which always helps. With a vast array of features and a bright colourful user interface it will get you to your destination without you getting lost.

Cons

  • In terms of comparing Gokivo to Telmap and I am leaning towards Telmap as my preferred option. It may sound daft but I just prefer the colour scheme a wee bit. Remember that if you are going to be using Gokivo for an extended period of time you may need to make sure you have a car charger as GPS doesn't do battery drain any favours.

The Bottom Line

Overall Gokivo is a well worth download. Considering it is free there is no reason why you shouldn't have it on your BlackBerry just in case you need it one day. It looks good, sounds good and with a vast array of searching options it will ensure you not only don't get lost but also that you have simple access to local points of interest.  It does what it is meant to and does it well.   Download Gokivo Navigator for your BlackBerry smartphone Gokivo web link

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