This just in from the good folks at Google:
See where you're going, how to walk there, and what other people are saying about it -- all from your phone. Today Google released new features for Google Maps for mobile, improving the overall speed of the application and adding Street View imagery, walking directions, and full reviews of businesses.
Google Maps for mobile gives users quick and easy access to information, wherever and whenever they need it. Now a user trying to find a restaurant in an unfamiliar part of town can simply click on the "Street View" button for street level images of the desired restaurant and what surrounds it. The new walking directions feature (beta) can point the way to the nearest places for post-dinner dessert, and star ratings and full reviews make choosing the sweetest option a piece of cake.
Millions of people in more than 20 different countries around the globe actively use Google Maps for mobile. The newest features will be available initially for all color BlackBerry devices and most Java devices, and in markets where Street View, walking directions, and reviews are currently available on the desktop. To download Google Maps for mobile, simply visit google.com/gmm from your phone's web browser or a desktop computer.
Reader comments
Google Maps Mobile for BlackBerry gets Street View, Walking Directions and Full Reviews!
I changed my browser setting to Blackberry instead of Microsoft IE in emulation mode and re-downloaded the exact same version 2.3.2 and now it works with all the options... very smooth and graet app. The street view is show up and is awesome!
I just downloaded the new version 2.3.2 but I can not see the street view option either, on my old Nokia it is there for street view but not on my Curve 8320, and the mobile provider is same for both. So what is the difference and how do get it work. Side note, same version but on Nokia is street view option and on Curve is GPS option.
I have a Pearl 8130 with GPS through U.S. Cellular and... GoogleMaps is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooW! Also, the app doesn't recognize my location. Have been testing it for about 2 hours now, will continue for a couple days but until then, seems relatively unimpressive. Streetview is slow. Even with all other apps closed it's slow.
This seems like a pointless App. How are you going to effectively use it if it takes 20 minutes to load/refresh?
Frustrating.
When i search for a location, the text is white in a white search field, makes it hard to see what i typed. can anyone help?
Street View is not working on my 8330 either! If I click on the menu button, I can get a satellite view, but that's it. If I click on the trackball, nothing! Why????
and I can find my nearby pizza parlor with it. :-) Other features work well too, just slower due to the graphics intensity.
The EULA on the gmaps says "...we reserve the right to record voice searches for quality assurance..." That piqued my interest a little. Check this out: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Google/?p=852
Marissa Mayer did an interview with Infoworld in October where she explains what GOOG-411 is really all about. Marissa Mayer is Google's vice president of Search Products & User Experience, as shown here: http://www.google.com/corporate/execs.html#marissa
"Whether or not free-411 is a profitable business unto itself is yet to be seen. I myself am somewhat skeptical. The reason we really did it is because we need to build a great speech-to-text model … that we can use for all kinds of different things, including video search.
The speech recognition experts that we have say: If you want us to build a really robust speech model, we need a lot of phonemes, which is a syllable as spoken by a particular voice with a particular intonation. So we need a lot of people talking, saying things so that we can ultimately train off of that. … So 1-800-GOOG-411 is about that: Getting a bunch of different speech samples so that when you call up or we’re trying to get the voice out of video, we can do it with high accuracy."
I just downloaded the new version of Google maps (replaced it with the old version that I used to have), but it has all the same things EXCEPT for "Street View." I was so excited to have downloaded this software only to find out that I can't have "street view." Anybody know what's up with that?
I have a 8330 with Verizon. How do you download google maps to phone and is there a charge?
And here's how I did it (hehe I typed..did it)...
Anyways, I removed the version that I downloaded from the link listed here.
Rebooted the Pearl.
Went online via the Pearl and then to google's mobile app site and downloaded it again.
It works!
Street view is neat, albeit, slow.
So again, remove the current version of google mobile maps,reboot and re-download.
:)
I downloaded, installed, rebooted and tried to show some friends but keep getting the unable to find street address & ZIP
Anyone have problems with voice search? With 2.2 I was able to press the left soft key for it. Thats not working for me with 2.3.1. Ideas?
At first I was like "all color blackberries"? Are there some things my pink curve can't do that a silver one can? Then I realized it wasn't referring to that kind of color. Brain fart!
If you live in Seattle forget it. Seattle is the only major city not covered by street view.
i cant get it to work for my 8130
I recently bought a Blackberry Curve from Verizon Wireless and not sure about a few things. Does verizon charge you to download things like this? Or shortcuts from certain web sites? Just don't want to get an outrageous bill for getting all this stuff. Any information is appreciated thanks.
I can't get street view to work anywhere in Toronto. I tried Yonge and Bloor, Yonge and Dundas and Yonge and Eglinton and it always says No Street View here
I tried it and everything worked just fine. Only there are only certain areas that have street view. I just figured the novelty would ware off really fast. And it takes a lot of memory. When I deleted it I gain almost 2MB. Also the search does not work as good as window live does. So for now I'm sticking with WL.
wow this one actually works on my BOLD! and it works WELL! cool! definitely like it over bbmaps. haven't tried the street view yet, didnt get an option.
This is nice and all, but now by BT GPS paired with my 8330 from Verizon no longer works. All GMM says, is waiting for satellite signal, while it works just fine in BB Maps. There must be some error in the code.
Can't seem to download for 8100 (T-mobile). I go to google.com/gmm and it says "Sorry, Google Maps does not work on your Research In Motion Ltd." Too bad I already have 2.2.2 on my phone now. WTF?
Can someone post a comment here or send me a message on how to get the street view to work...PLEASE???
It's retarded how I can't get it to work on my Bold!
Thanks!
voice search is working for me with 2.3.1. street view working great too.
Why doesn't this version have the voice search like 2.2.2 did? That is my favorite feature and I can't seem to find 2.2.2 now to downgrade back to.
my voice search is nonexistent too. street view is cool, but no voice search
It is definitely an improvement over 2.2, but it still isn't as fast or as usable as MS Live Search Mobile.
I couldn't find any places with StreetView in my area so it might be a major metropolitan area thing for now.
Why is it with EVERY piece of technology that I buy, I can NEVER get it to do all the things I want it to? I tried updating, and google sent me all apps, and said my map was already installed. WTF? I want this BAD!!!
that sucks, i get everything, but i cant see what im searching for. white text on a white background. im getting frustrated.
really awesome, especially on the vzw network so fast compared to my co workers tmo
Do I have to uninstall maps mobile to upload the new version? Or if I install a new version, will it just overwrite?
Is anyone else having trouble with the font color. Mine is white on a white background. I cant see what Im typing in the search field.
so balls.
Street view is on the new version but everywhere I go. "No Street view for this location"
not all streets have the street view available...even on the computer.
Can't find a download link on my AT&T 8310 w/ OS 4.55...Says "Google Maps does not work on your Research in Motion Ltd" and I already have an older version of GM installed.
Ok... For some reason it started working on my Curve. Street View is showing up like a champ. Very Nice!
Why don't they have a built in update option? What's the point of consolidating the suite if you still have to get updates manually and individually?
I have the curve, downloaded Google Maps ver. 231 (with Street View). I can't get Street View to show up. I even used the search for "Mike's Bikes" noted in the video. I found the place, but the Search results does not include search view.
Doesn't work damn it!!! I tried everything and it still does not work D:<
street view looks great on my 8310
street view looks great on my 8310
This is awesome on my 8820. It must be phenomenal on the Bold!!!
I clicked the "ball" ..hehe...and there's still no option for street view.
after locating in overhead view, clicked the ball and it came up with options that are not there when you use the menu key!
Searched for home depot by my house and had street view, but my house that does have a street view on my PC google maps is not showing up on my berry. its there, its just selective. It must not shoe all the street views.
After upgrading, GM on my 8310 doesnt seem to have changed at all, except for the icon. No street view to be found! Hmm
I have a vzw 8330 OS4.3 and streetview is working for me. Initially streetview is not on the main menu. You have to either search for something or an address and then you get the streetview option in the results page. Pretty freaking cool if you ask me. Once you have streetview in a little window, you can have fullscreen by hittting menu. Walking directions works pretty well too
I also get a better My Location signal where I live in NYC, I'm getting between 600 and 800 meters.
I found the street view link, but the font is still white. Weird
How did you get it to work??? Do you have the Bold??
I dont have the link for street view either. Also, the box where you enter the search is white, which is ok, but the font is white too, so you cant see it. It wasnt like that before, anyone else have that problem too?
I downloaded the Google Maps w/street view and apparently street view doesn't work on my phone either.
I put in a address in West New York Nj, *my old hood* which I know is shown on googlemaps street view (via my pc).
Why can't I get the street views to work??
Do I have to change any settings on my device??
still cant download google maps for the bold yet though
It works on the Bold. You just have to change your browser settings. it might be displaying it using internet explore. if you change it to blackberry it will work fine. Thats what happened to me.
I have the Bold, It downloaded fine but the new features may not be supported by the OS on the Bold :(
Do I need to do an update to get street view on a curve? I've looked at my maps program, and the "Street View" isn't listed as an option?
1) You need to download the latest version of Maps (2.3.1). If you have already, the icon should be a map instead of a compass.
2) To use Street View, click the trackball on where you want to view, and pick the Street View option.