U.S. owners of Android phones who need turn-by-turn voice guided GPS navigation and would rather not rely on the network-based Google Maps with Navigation feature will be happy to know that Navigon will be bringing its Mobile Navigator software to the Android platform. Unlike Google Maps with Navigation, Navigon’s maps will be locally stored, and users can download the full set of maps to their storage card rather than depending on downloadable maps via a mobile broadband network. According to the company, “The first on-board navigation app of a major navigation company to launch on the Android platform, MobileNavigator brings premium navigation to the growing Android user base. Among many signature functions, the app includes the industry-first feature Reality Scanner that identifies points of interest by showing them in a live camera view. MobileNavigator is available now from the Android Market and includes Traffic Live and without an additional cost.”
The Navigon Mobile Navigator app for Android will be available directly on Android Market for a promotional price of $39.99 for the first two weeks of launch, which will be made available today, and will go back up to $59.99 after the promotion. This is a one-time fee, and the mapping features are not subjected to any subscription costs.
The newest feature of Mobile Navigator for Android is Reality Scanner, which is an augmented reality feature that allows users to create and locate points of interests:
Reality Scanner is an industry first feature for the Android platform. Utilizing the phone’s build-in camera, positioning, and compass components together with NAVIGON’S extensive POI database to project POI (points of interest) icons directly on the camera’s image. Users can point the device and instantly identify POIs in or around the location.
Navigon’s other features from platforms such as iOS will also make its way into Android, including:
- Reality Viewâ„¢ Pro clearly displays photo-realistic 3D views of actual road, highway/interstate, signs and exits, and lane guide markers for easy driving decisions.
- Traffic Live The most precise traffic information available today, using real-time speed data from over a million drivers including commercial fleets such as trucks and taxis and non-commercial drivers with GPS capabilities.
- Reality Scanner helps finding points of interest by showing them in a live camera view.
- Lane Assistant Pro prepares drivers to make an upcoming exit or turn with a lane map complete with arrows and actual road geometry.
- Speed Assistant Adjustable audio-visual warning alerts drivers of speed and can be turned on or off.
- Text-to-Speech Complementing turn-by-turn directions; informs the driver of both the street name and the direction to turn.
- NAVIGON MyRoutes analyzes driving habits, patterns, location, time/day and provides up to three routes clearly displayed in-map with ETA, distance and driving times for each.
- Day & Night Mode for map display.
- Direct Access to Contacts Allows navigation to contacts saved in the phone’s address book.
- Route Planning
- Branded POIs and POIs along the route and in Reality Scanner.
- 2D and 3D map view
- Coordinate Input Employ longitude and latitude coordinates as a destination as an alternative to traditional input like an address or POI by name. Email geographical coordinates for precise location identification.
- Automatic Portrait or Landscape
- Intelligent address entry for quick text entry and lookup results.
- Real Street and Hwy sign display
- Directly call POIs
- Pedestrian Navigation
- Google Local Search Connected instant search of local points of interest.
- Red Light Cameras provides drivers an advanced visual warning for most red light and speed cameras.
The app will be available on Android Market.