Google Maps mobile phone integration sooner than you think

You guys don't read. Yes, Gmaps has been on mobiles for a year or two, however, _location based_ gmaps is a completely different thing. It means you'll be able to get localized info in "real time", and not just the pre-programmed items in gmaps... because of the LBS you can search for the nearest restaurant from where you are.

Helio has already had a GPS enabled Google Maps application that launched with their handset 'Drift' since November.

"Google Maps mobile phone integration sooner than you think "

I've been using Google Maps on my SE phones for, what, the
last 1 to 1.5 years.

I first used it on my SE K700i and now on my
W810i.Google Maps Mobile isn't new, it's simply evolving into a
feature-rich mobile app.

it's a non story...

but i THINK the idea is that google maps will be pre-loaded as on an iphone. most of us have to download gmaps ourselves.

Hardly news that Google Maps is on mobile phones -- I already have Google Maps on my Motorola RAZR! It's a Java applet. It'll run on any Java-compatible phone. Vodaphone is just seeking news coverage.

I've been using Google Maps application on a Treo 650, that works nearly exactly the way the iPhone app works, for a couple of months now. It zooms differently (buttons down in the corner of the screen), but honestly I'm not that sold on the certainly awkward gestures that will be required to move around the UI of the iPhone. I watched the demo and said, "it's good it will at least have the Google Maps as I already have", but GMaps is the least impressive thing about the device.

I've been running Google Maps on various Blackberry devices for well over a year (see http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?answer=39891&topic=9120).

Of all the features for Apple to be touting about the iPhone, I've wondered why they chose Google maps--it already runs on basically everything. I run both the Gmail and Google Maps apps on my SE W810i all the time, they work great.