Map-Reading made easy:

Struggling to find your way around new areas? Making wrong turns in places like the CBD? Ever wanted to get a GPS unit, but did not know which one of the many to choose? Tried using Google Maps on your phone, only to get lost because the navigational instructions are better suited to someone with an internal compass? Tried using paper maps, but keep reading them upside down? You're not alone.

The folks at Garmap have made things a bit easier for smart phone users and developed Garmap software for mobile phones. If you own a GPS-enabled smartphone, you can use this. I installed it on my BlackBerry, and took it for a spin.

You can see if your phone is supported by going to www.garmaponline.co.za, by clicking on the support link to see if your handset is on the list.

Getting the application:

You can go to www.garmaponline.co.za and follow the instructions as below:

• Send the text 'map' in an SMS to 32541 and you will receive a download link in a SMS back.
• Or go directly to garmapformobile.wisepilot.com/ota in the standard web browser on your phone and follow the instructions for installation.

Start the program Garmap for Mobile in the program menu of the phone. The first time you start the program your internet settings will be controlled.

You can also download this application from the Blackberry App World. A search under maps & navigation will get you there. The installation works the same both ways.

Installation:

Quick and easy, I downloaded it through the OTA link and it was installed in a minute or so. Allow the app trusted status and the installation basically runs by itself.

Activation/Verification:

You need to validate your download by letting the application send an SMS, even for a trial. In the end I just let the app send the SMS and ticked the "don't show again" box, else it popped up relentlessly and without end. Hope it was just the one SMS it sent...

After the verification, I could start playing, and what I found, I liked.

Setup and configuration:

Go to settings and, well, choose what you want to show and not show, what you want displayed, and not. A quick rundown of the basic settings:

1. Routes: shortest, fastest, easiest, you can even choose to eliminate highways or drive specifically on them, thus avoiding back roads.

2. Navigation direction type: Voice navigation, or beeps on turn. Whichever floats your boat.

3. The "automatic" tickboxes. Automatic reroute – hady if you have made a wrong turn somewhere. Automatic night colours – if you want to use it while driving at night, automatic trip report – seeing kilometers driven, how long you spent on the road, and speeds driven, thus eliminating the need for a paper logbook.

4. The "show" tickboxes. You can choose to show traffic info along your route (needs to be subscribed to as a premium service), Points of Interest, current speed, 3D map, and street names.

All of these options come down to personal taste. You can even personalise the map layers you want to see, like traffic flow, traffic info, road works and favourites.

Another handy option is the speed camera warnings. If you turn this on, you'll get a warning when nearing a speed camera and you're driving too fast.

Keep in mind that the more extras you tick, the more your battery will be drained. But if you really want to run it with all the bells and whistles, why not. It's what it's there for and why you have a charger.

Subscription options:

You can view your subscription details from your phone and they are as follows: 1, 3, 12, and 24 months. You can even add a voucher if you have one.

You can also view your current subscription information and login details for the website here.

Pricing ranges from R39.00 for one month's subscription, to R599.00 for 24 months. This is the basic service. 

Live traffic reports is a premium service and ranges from R19.00 for one month, to R299.00 for 24 months.

Purchasing any of these subscription options can be done via the website.

Finding locations and navigation:

Finding an address, location, intersection or position is really easy.

Either type it into the search box, or select the category that you'd like, and take it from there.

What fascinated me most of this was the "near me" option. Wow. Anything from accommodation, to eating, tourist & sightseeing, shopping to gated complexes and Wikipedia articles. Yes. Wikipedia articles. You read right.

Without hassle, every search gives you the 50 closest locations of interest in the category.

When searching for restaurants, accommodation, POIs or local businesses, keep in mind that the nice people at Garmap teamed up with people at Dining-OUT, SafariNow and many local businesses to bring you the most up-to-date information on whatever you are looking for.

After you have selected your destination, or searched for a location from the map view, you can select whether you will we walking or driving there, and the route is calculated. Easy peasy.

Of course there are some settings you can go into whilst driving, or en route, to make your drive or walk more, pleasurable. You can either add a destination, if you need that pit stop at the mall, get a route overview, list the traffic, reroute, use night colours (if it does not change automatically), zoom out on the map, see a trip report, share (more on this later), pause or resume navigation, go into the original settings, and show a demo of the route.

Sharing your route:

You can easily share locations and routes via SMS, Twitter, Facebook, SMS and e-mail. Their "Follow Me" feature allows friends and family could track your movements in real time on a shared map.

What a way to keep in touch with everyone, even whilst travelling.

Now, the question is whether one will be able to make and receive calls whilst navigating.

Yes. You can. You simply return to your phone's home menu (without exiting the app) and make the call as per usual. You can also dial the number of any place when there's a predefined number in the application itself, like for example, dialling the restaurant you're going to to let them know you are on your way.

Receiving calls are just as easy. Simply accept it as per usual. Whilst on a call, all voice navigation will be silent, and will start again once the call has ended.

Depending on your handset/network, you might not be able to do both, and should be established by reading your phone's manual and/or speaking to your service provider before attempting this.

Also remember, if you're the one driving, to use a hands free kit. It's much safer.

Extras:

When you install the app and have your user details, you can log into their website and gain access to additional functionality. 

You can:

•  View live traffic reports (when subscribed to it)
•  Plan trips with detailed map views and get turn-by turn-directions.
•   You can also save the route plan, e-mail it to a friend or print it
• Download trip reports in Excel or PDF format
• Online search and route planning
• Dynamic synchronisation of saved locations

Trip reports replace the need for paper log books, and will keep record of all the travelling you do. Whether it be for work or leisure.

As you are working through the Garmap online portal, and using their applications, your maps will always be up to date on your phone. No need to purchase new map sets like with GPS units.

Summary:

This app seems perfect for travelling in and around the city, or when on holiday and looking for places to see and visit. Due to the battery life of phones and their smaller screens, unless you have something to mount it with, and a car charger, I would not use this for long trips.

Overall, easy to install and use, and well worth the money if you do not want to buy a GPS unit.