Google Maps on S60
Google has recently come out with a new version of their software for Nokia S60 smartphones. What’s brilliant is that this software is a native S60 application — not Java, so it is more integrated into the device.
Practically speaking, what this means is that if your phone has a built in GPS receiver, or if you get a standalone receiver, then Google Maps can connect with it to display your current location, get directions, etc. Nice!
My one major complaint about Google Maps? It crashes when it tries to access a data access point (APN) that’s not available.
For example, I was using Google Maps at work, so I connected my phone to the free WiFi in the office. (Neat!) Then the next day, I was walking through Harvard Yard on my way to the subway and decided to look up my destination on Google Maps. Unfortunately, Google Maps expected the office WiFi APN to be available — which it certainly isn’t being on the other side of Cambridge. So Google Maps rudely showed me an error message and crashed. Duh!
Instead, Google Maps should have said, “Hey! That APN isn’t available, so let’s ask the user which APN to use this time.” Or try the approach used by the S60 browser, and let the user save a setting for a preferred APN or have it always ask which one to use.
