More NAVIGON news! NAVIGON, who have just announced 24 months of free map updates for new GPS owners (limited time only) have released their update 1.5.0 of the NAVIGON iPhone App. The update will include a host of new features and is complemented by a reduction in price to $69.99 (usually $99.99) until April 12 and is available through the iTunes App Store.

The new features of NAVIGON GPS iPhone App include:

• Safety Camera alerts for all fixed speed and red light cameras around Australia
• Twitter and Facebook Interaction that allow users to post current position, destination and ETA
• Panorama View 3D that provides three-dimensional maps, delivering an accurate depiction of the surrounding environment
• Personalised route recommendations via NAVIGON MyRoutes

I personally especially like how they’ve incorporated Twitter with their GPS app – I’m also using CoPilot for iPhone and it only integrates with Facebook which I use less than Twitter. I’m a happy camper now and will revert back to NAVIGON just show I can bug people with more about my whereabouts!

Check out the review that I did on the NAVIGON iPhone GPS app last year - at its special price of $69.99 it’s a steal! Get it.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to review Navigon’s iPhone GPS app. I gave it a thumbs-up for its clean and easy-to-use interface and nice cityscape backgrounds. Today, Navigon have announced some major improvements to their already great iPhone App, namely in the additions of 3D terrain views which are powered by NASA, Social Media integration (Facebook, Twitter) and intelligent routing which provides multiple routes and more!

I’m going to see if I can jump onto the appstore and upgrade my version of Navigon pronto!

Here’s the press release below:

Sydney, February 10, 2010 —NAVIGON AG, the leading provider of mobile phone on-board navigation, today announced a significant update for MobileNavigator, the most feature-rich navigation app available on the iPhone platform. Extending comprehensive functionality, the update adds three innovative features: in-app connection to Facebook and Twitter, Panorama View 3D with 3D terrain views powered from NASA data, and personalised route delivery via NAVIGON MyRoutes, an intelligent direction provider.

“NAVIGON, the first in the industry to launch an on-board navigation app on the iPhone platform, remains ahead of the competition by consistently delivering first to market, full-feature updates. Apple’s App Store is ideal for delivering our latest innovations to our users,” said Gerhard Mayr, vice-president worldwide mobile phones & new markets, NAVIGON. “The upcoming fifth version not only redefines routing capabilities on the iPhone platform but also integrates social media connectivity, and outstanding, reliable 3D environment views.”

Further enhancing the proficient iPhone connectivity capabilities, MobileNavigator allows users to broadcast current position, destination and ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) to favourite social media outlets, Twitter and Facebook, without navigation interruption. This free addition provides easy access in-app icons that seamlessly launch, while the Twitter feature automatically limits input to the maximum 140 characters, and provides a character countdown.

Complementing the elegant iPhone UI, Panorama View 3D delivers 3D map views through digitised cartography rendered from NASA’s height and terrain data. The full 3D view delivers an accurate depiction of surrounding environment, and what lies ahead with digital landscapes that include elevations, shadows, and geographic images. Panorama View 3D is integrated in-map, independent from the phone’s data connection.

NAVIGON MyRoutes takes personalised route recommendations to a new level with intelligent, customised direction planning and is provided at no extra cost to MobileNavigator users. The feature analyses individual driving data and designs customised routes. Up to three choices with distance and ETA are clearly displayed in-map for each. One primary recommendation based on the user’s driving habits, the day of week and time of travel is provided and the additional two alternatives provide options to choose a preferred route.

MobileNavigator transforms the iPhone into an inclusive navigation device that relies on the GPS receiver, independent from a cell or wireless signal, to provide the most feature rich on-board navigation application. MobileNavigator offers a familiar, yet streamlined user interface that offers intuitive visual feedback and readily accessible connected features, which takes the efficiency of mobile navigation to new heights. It is the only on-board iPhone navigation app available that includes Google Local Search, Reality View Pro, branded in-route POI’s, seamless in-app iPod controls, enhanced pedestrian mode, and now in-map social media connectivity in one application.

Version 1.5.0 Feature Highlights:

Connection to Facebook and Twitter: This free addition to Navigon MobileNavigator provides a simple icon tap that posts users current position, destination, and ETA without navigation interruption

Panorama View 3D: True 3D in-map views obtained from NASA’s height and terrain data enable intuitive orientation of surrounding environment, and what lies ahead with digital landscapes elevations, shadows, and geographic images. Panorama View 3D is integrated in-map, independent from the phone’s data connection.

NAVIGON MyRoutes: Analyses driving habits, patterns, location, time/day and provides up to three routes clearly displayed in-map with ETA, distance and driving times for each and is provided at no extra cost to MobileNavigator users.

Pricing and Availability

MobileNavigator is available for AU$99.99 in the Apple App Store and is equipped with maps of Australia from NAVTEQ®. NAVIGON is showcasing the update prior to its launch in spring at the Macworld Expo show in San Francisco/USA, booth #575. The Panorama View 3D feature will be available via an in-app Purchase for AU$9.99.

Besides being available for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the NAVIGON app also runs on first-generation iPhone or an iPod Touch. Additional accessories are required for GPS navigation on these devices.

For more information, please visit: www.navigon.com/iphone.

Find NAVIGON on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/NAVIGON_
Facebook: www.navigon.com/facebook

Flickr: www.navigon.com/flickr
Youtube: www.navigon.com/youtube

About NAVIGON:

NAVIGON AG are a world leading provider of premium navigation technology. NAVIGON delivers software on mobile phone platforms and for the automotive industry as well as branded personal navigation devices. NAVIGON’S MobileNavigator is the most feature rich on-board navigation app on the iPhone platform. Founded in 1991, NAVIGON employs more than 400 worldwide with a presence in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South Africa. – NAVIGON. And the world is yours.

Mid-August this year, I was elated to hear that Tomtom had finally released a version of their award winning GPS software for the iPhone. Days before I was tempted to purchase and download the two main turn-by-turn GPS apps that were available via the Australia AppStore – Navigon Mobile Navigator and Sygic Mobile Maps. Even though Tomtom for iPhone is slightly more expensive I am very pleased that I did not succumb and am very pleased with my purchase.

Is TomTom for iPhone worth the money when Google Maps is free?

While Google Maps suffices as a very rudimentary form of 2D navigation on the iPhone, it is not a full-blooded turn-by-turn GPS app like Tomtom. There have been countless times where I have taken the wrong turn because I couldn’t orient my mind around the non-forward-facing 2D Google Map. Google have of course attempted to fix this with the new direction oriented arrow but it’s still not perfect. Tomtom for iPhone does exactly what it is known to do – provides a simple-to-use turn-by-turn navigation experience. So yes, Tomtom for iPhone in my opinion is worth the $99.

Accuracy of Tomtom iPhone Maps

In my last couple of weeks of testing, I’ve travelled approximately 1000km and had zero issues with the accuracy of TomTom maps. The only issue I’ve encounted is when driving in the middle of Melbourne CBD, the GPS signal weakens and the app grinds to try to work out where it is. Thankfully, there have been no disastrous outcomes and most of the time it finds itself again in a couple of seconds. Must be all the high rise buildings blocking the GPS view?

Tomtom iPhone Interface

As expected, the TomTom iPhone app feels like a satnav app – it provides intelligent turn-by-turn display and voice instructions. The menus are intuitive and functions can be easily triggered by finger-touch i.e. there are no annoying tiny buttons. It was easy to change from 2D to 3D maps, however my only gripe here was that you couldn’t pinch-and-zoom the navigation screen, as touching it would take you back to the main menu. There are however, zoom-in and zoom-out buttons if you need to use them.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

Overall well worth the AU$99.95 for the app (which is still cheaper than buying a dedicated SatNav / GPS unit). If you tend to drive a lot, especially in new territories, forget Google Maps and get TomTom for the iPhone today!