Mobile Maps for iPhone from Sygic Review
Mobile Maps for iPhone from Sygic Review
A few weeks back, I looked at Navigon’s Mobile Navigator for the iPhone. After the review was posted, I was contacted by Sygic to review their offering as well. While not as well known in North America, Sygic is the creator of Mobile Maps for iPhone software. The application market for stand alone GPS solutions is finally maturing to the point where the end user has multiple options, and Mobile Maps for iPhone is another full featured example of these applications. The application is available for purchase through the iTunes application store in the North American version for $79.99. However, there are other versions, such as the US only, Europe, Southeast Asia, Russia, Brazil, and Australia/New Zealand as low as $59.99. Thanks to Sygic for supplying The Cell Phone Junkie with this software for review. More information about Sygic, and Mobile Maps at www.sygic.com
About Sygic
Sygic develops and sells market leading GPS navigation software for a wide range of mobile devices. Sygic delivers its GPS software worldwide in more than 30 languages, including Chinese, Arabic, Farsi, Malay, Greece, Russian and all European languages. Sygic cooperates strongly with leading PND, Phone and PMP manufactures worldwide to bring the latest technology to the market. The company was founded in 2004 with a vision to operate as a strong technically oriented company with innovative products for the LBS/Navigation market. Sygic was honored in the Deloitte Fast 50 List as a rising star of Central Europe. For more information visit www.sygic.com.
Features and Functions
- Similar to Navigon’s offering, the following features are available.
- 2D and 3D map displays
- Can be used in portrait and landscape mode
- Voice announcements in a variety of voices and languages
- Predictive address entry
- Lane Assistance
- Sign display
- Speed warnings
- Day and night mode for map display
- Navigation is automatically resumed after an incoming phone call
- Quick access to user-defined POIs in the area and along the route
Around the Application
One thing about having an entire country of maps on your device, it takes up a lot of space. The download of Mobile Maps is about 1.4GB, so make sure you have some time to download, and space available on your phone. After the all important acceptance of your terms of use, you’ll be placed right into the map, showing your location. I was shocked when I first loaded the application and noticed that while sitting at my desk, the phone showed my location within feet. A signal strength indicator showed 2 bars of GPS service on the bottom of the screen, proving that it had indeed picked up my location from the satellites. I’ve never seen a GPS application do this so quickly, and found through my use, the locking of the signal was nearly instant each time. Notice that you can choose to zoom in or out from this screen as well, depending on the type of view you want.
Pressing on the screen brings up the Main menu, giving you 2 screens of options:
If you click on “Navigate to” it gives you these 2 screens of options:
When routing, here is how the screen is displayed. Clicking on it will then bring up the entire route, in a birds eye view:
If you click on Browse map, it brings up a map that you can zoom and pan around on:
Here are some shots of a how the zooming function works:
Next, you have a few settings menus:
One of the settings gives you the ability to choose a night mode, which changes the color scheme of the application.
Finally, one of the more interesting things, an extras menu that has a world clock, calculator, unit converter and country info:
Overall
Using the Mobile Maps for iPhone from Sygic is a good experience. In comparison to Navigon’s Mobile Navigator, many of the features are similar, and the user experience is very good on both. If looking at both of these applications and trying to decide which one to purchase, I have a hard time giving an edge to either. Both function as advertised, but you are still dealing with GPS on your phone. Again, keep in mind that due to limitations by Apple, you won’t be able to run other 3rd party applications at the same time as you use this software, so you’ll have to quit navigating before you can do anything else. If you can get past this limitation, the Sygic application will treat you well, and if you can get by with only the US, you’ll find yourself saving a few bucks along the way.
