Skip to Content

Submit your nominations for the Luxist Awards' Best in Decor
AOL Tech

MapQuest Navigator posts

Filed under: iPhone, App Review

YANA - Yet another navigation app (MapQuest Navigator)

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on Oct 12th, 2009

If choice is a good thing, iPhone owners have a veritable bounty of navigation apps in all price ranges and features. MapQuest has now released their own navigation app, and frankly it's a mixed bag.

Like the AT&T nav app, MapQuest Navigator [iTunes link] needs the internet for its data, so if you frequently drive where even the Edge network is a sometime visitor, forget using this app.

If you are more of an urban driver or stick to Interstates, the app has some promise.

Here are some of the touted features:
  • Streamlined 3D Interface: Features voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation that speaks directions and street names.
  • Regular Data Updates: Search 16+ million points of interest and utilize up-to-date street maps.
  • Full Route Corridor Download: Quick route re-calculation for missed turns as well provides continued service in areas of no cellular coverage.
  • Traffic Incident Based Routing: U.S. routes are optimized to avoid traffic incidents that might delay your travel.
  • A MapQuest Place Carousel: Easily displays locations for hotels, movie theaters, gas stations, and more with a single tap.
The interface is different from almost all the other GPS apps I've used. There is a ribbon, or Carousel as MapQuest calls it, lets you click on hotels, gas stations, food, etc.., and see icons where these points of interest are. To get to one of these places, you have to click on the destination icon, which often requires enlarging the map. I would have preferred a list, because clicking on a map icon can be some extra trouble when various icons are close together.

Continue reading “YANA - Yet another navigation app (MapQuest Navigator)”

Tags: app store, downloadable data, DownloadableData, GPS, iPhone, MapQuest Navigator, navigation, text to speech, traffic

Filed under: Software, iPhone

MapQuest jumps into navigation pool

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on Oct 8th, 2009

MapQuest is now offering a GPS navigation system for iPhone users in the U.S. and Canada. MapQuest Navigator [iTunes link] is U.S. $0.99 for a 14 day trial. After than you have to buy it for $3.99 a month, $9.99 for 3 months, or $29.99 a year.

According to the company, key features include:

  • Streamlined 3D Interface: Features voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation that speaks directions and street names.
  • Regular Data Updates: Search 16+ million points of interest and utilize up-to-date street maps.
  • Full Route Corridor Download: Quick route re-calculation for missed turns as well provides continued service in areas of no cellular coverage.
  • Traffic Incident Based Routing: U.S. routes are optimized to avoid traffic incidents that might delay your travel.
  • MapQuest Place Carousel: Easily displays locations for hotels, movie theaters, gas stations, and more with a single tap.
Most of the data for the app comes over the internet, so MapQuest Navigator has a small 2.9MB footprint. If you'd like to see a video demo of the app, go here.

We've asked for a copy so we can put it through our rigorous review trials and compare it to the other systems we've used, so more to come.

Tags: GPS, iPhone, MapQuest Navigator, MapquestNavigator, navigation, turn by turn

Tip of the Day

To get an instant map to any address, just go to your Address Book and right click on the address field of any one of your contacts and select "Map Of." The address will then be revealed in Google Maps on Safari. You can do the same if a data detector determines there is an address in an e-mail in Mail.

Learn More

Follow us on Twitter!

TUAW flickr Pool

www.flickr.com
 TUAW [Cafepress]

Featured Galleries

DNC Macs
Macworld 2008 Keynote
Macworld 2008 Build-up
Google Earth for iPhone
Podcaster
Storyist 2.0
AT&T Navigator Road Test
Bento for iPhone 1.0
Scrabble for iPhone
Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase
Apple Vanity Plates
Apple booth Macworld 07
WorldVoice Radio
Quickoffice for iPhone 1.1.1
Daylite 3.9 Review
DiscPainter
Mariner Calc for iPhone
2009CupertinoBus
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D
MLB.com At Bat 2009
Macworld Expo 2007 show floor

 

Most Commented On (7 days)

Recent Comments

More Apple Analysis

More from AOL Money and Finance

AOL Radio TUAW on Stitcher