Google has rolled out an updated version of Google Maps for Android with three key new features. The first is support for voice and ringtone notifications in Transit Navigation. This allows you to receive an audible alert when it’s time to transfer or when you’ve reached your destination.

The company also says it’s adding support for Transit Navigation to tablets, allowing you to get bus, subway, and other public transit directions on Honeycomb tablets — although this doesn’t seem to be working on the Samsung Galaxy Tab I tried it with today.

Finally, Google is returning the “Bubble Buttons” option which had been removed in earlier builds. You can open up the “Labs” area in the settings menu and enable this option. Then when you tap on a place on the map you’ll see buttons that allow you to place a phone call or get navigation directions to that place right away, without opening the Google Places page first.

You can download the latest version of Google Maps for Android from the Android Market.

Verizon has added a number of new features to its VZ Navigator application and changed the name to “Verizon Navigator VX.” Customers can try out the new app for free for 30 days.

The update includes the addition of real-time traffic “Smart Routes,” which are updated every 60 seconds with real-time traffic conditions. Instead of just letting you know when traffic is ahead, the app will now map a new route to avoid traffic. Verizon Navigator VX now also offers multitasking support for turn-by-turn voice directions, which means you can still hear directions even when other apps are running.

Other features include location sharing via Facebook (but no Foursquare support, unfortunately,) as well as 3D virtual city driving graphics and a local search functionality powered by Bing. You can ‘favorite’ specific locations that you like, and even find real-time weather, gas prices, movie times and other local information within the app.

The 30 day free trail is available exclusively for new VZ Navigator subscribers, and you can find out if your device is compatible with the service on its official website. Verizon Navigator VX is normally priced at $9.99 per device per month, with weekly and daily prices also available.

Google Maps for Android has long offered the ability to get walking, biking, driving, or public transit directions plotted on a map. But the company has been gradually adding location-based Navigation features as well. First you could get free turn-by-turn voice navigation instructions while you were driving. Then Google added the same option for walking navigation. Now you can also use Google Maps Navigation while you’re on the bus.

In a nutshell, you just turn on the GPS on your phone, find transit directions, hop on the bus, and Google Maps will let you know when you’ve reached your stop or when it’s time to transfer. If you have to walk between stops, it will guide you there as well. Navigation will also work in the background so you can open another app to read the news or play a game and your phone will alert you before it’s time to get off the bus.

Unfortunately since the app relies on GPS, I suspect it won’t work on subways.

The company says the update also includes a beta feature designed to improve battery life when using navigation.

Google Maps 5.7 for Android also has new search features with category icons in the suggest window. Places you’ve previously received directions to will also show up in search suggestions now.

Google Maps is available as a free download from the Android Market and supports Android 2.1 and up.

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Microsoft has unveiled new details about the next big update for Windows Phone 7. When Windows Phone 7.5 (code-named Mango) is released later this year, it will include new Live Tiles features, better multitasking and an improved web browsing experience. But we already knew that. Now thanks to a podcast interview with Microsoft’s Brandon Watson, we also know that Windows Phone 7.5 will bring:

• Turn by turn driving navigation
• Speech to text support in the SMS application
• Bing Vision — a Google Goggles-like service that will let you search the web by taking a picture of album art, bar codes, and other items
• Bing Audio — A Shazam clone which will let you identify a song by recording a few bars with your phone’s mic

There are also reports making the rounds this morning that the Mango update will add Bing Image Search, the addition of Windows Live Messenger to the People hub, and better Skydrive synchronization in the Office hub. There may also be support for East Asian languages in the keyboard, as well as handwriting and dictionary support.

via LiveSide

Google has rolled out an updated version of Google Maps for Android which doesn’t just show you live traffic information for free… it can automatically reroute your directions to avoid congested areas.

Earlier versions of Google Maps would generally attempt to pick the fastest route from point A to B… but it didn’t take traffic conditions into account. And as anyone who’s ever tried to drive in a major metropolitan area during rush hour can tell you, sometimes a straight line is not the fastest way between two points.

The app will also look at historical traffic data, which should help if current conditions aren’t available, or if there’s congestion right now but it’s likely to clear up shortly.

Google Maps 5.2.1 is available as a free download from the Android Market. The app supports Android 1.6 and up.

There was a time before Google got into the mapping business when MapQuest was the go-to site for directions and maps on the web. And it turns out that even though most Google phones ship with a pretty slick Google Maps application and free turn-by-turn navigation, AOL noticed more than 1.4 million Android users coming to MapQuest mobile web site each month. So the company did the only logical thing and released a MapQuest app for Android. It’s now available as a free download from the Android Market.

The mobile app is choc full of features, including:

• Free turn-by-turn navigation with voice guidance
• Auto re-routing if you miss a turn (assuming you have a good internet connection)
• Live traffic updates
• International maps
• Voice search capabilities
• A toolbar which lets you search for hotels, airports, gas stations, coffee shops, grocery stores and more with a single click
• Satellite and map views
• Place pages with directions, web site links, user reviews, hours, and more information

The app is attractive and easy to use. But I’ve found that on my Nexus One it seems to load imagery rather slowly and searches can take a long time. I experienced a few crashes while testing the app this morning, and the app also uses around 8MB of disk space, which may be problematic if you’re running out of free space on your phone (like I am). All told, I’m not entirely convinced I want to replace Google Maps as my default mobile mapping application just yet, but for a first release, MapQuest for Android is off to a good start.

MapQuest has been offering a similar app for the iPhone for almost a year.

You can check out some more screenshots after the break.

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Sure, most Android phones ship with free access to Google Maps navigation. But Verizon is hoping it can entice you to pay $9.99 per month to use its VZ Navigator VX service instead.

So what does Verizon offer that you don’t get from Google’s free service? Here are just a few things:

• Virtual City Driving with 3D animations of major cityscapes
• Overhead traffic signs letting you know which lane to drive in or where to exit
• Plan trips online using a PC and send the details to your phone
• Premium traffic information which is updated every 60 seconds

The navigation service also features the usual goodies, including 2D and 3D views, satellite imagery, and search for local airports, gas stations, restaurants or other locations through Microsoft Bing integration. You can also use the app to get car, truck, bicycle, or walking directions.

Overall, the app looks great — but $10 per month is still a hard sell when there are free alternatives available. For now VZ Navigator VX is available for the Motorola Droid X, HTC Droid Incredible and Samsung Fascinate.

via Android Police

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GPS navigation apps for the iPhone are  a dime a dozen these days, but somehow one of the biggest names in GPS hasn’t launched an iPhone app… until now. Today Garmin has released a GPS app for iOS called StreetPilot.

The app runs $39.99 and provides maps and directions for the US and Canada. It also offers voice directions, traffic alerts, road closure information, lane assist, and speed limit notices.

The app will require an internet connection, since the maps are stored online. This makes sure your maps are always up to date, but as I’ve learned from relying on Google Maps navigation on Android, this can be a pain if you need to reroute your trip after driving into an area with poor wireless coverage.

via BGR