smart2go

I like the S60 (3rd edition) application 'smart2go'. The beta version is a freeware for S60 mobile phone that allows you to load maps from around the world, discover interesting places nearby and find your way: with optional GPS receiver hardware and navigation license (an extra subscription-based service: for Sin/KL/BKK area, $12 for 7-day, $15 for 30-day, $142 for 1-yr and $162 for 3-yr), one can get turn-by-turn navigation by a voice prompt in your chosen language. Even without GPS or the navigation subscription, one can still get the route planner (completely free-of-charge) that is equivalent to the yahoo map service.

The Singapore map (1.9MB) is with 'okey' details -- at street level (without street number) that is similar to the google or yahoo maps but definitely not as useful as streetdirectory whick includes building details & other searches besides by street name. For example, you can't search & locate Vivo City unless you know a nearby street name. And no building is marked on the map so you can't confirm the location. Once at there, the nearby restaurant search reports Sentosa Food Ctr (900m), Seafood Sentosa (920m), Lakshimi Vilas Restaurant (1.0km) and Telok Blangah Cres Market & Food Ctr (1.5km) etc. The route planner to Changi airport reports the distance 24km and travel time 19 min. by car:

* Harbour Front Walk
* after 216m turn right & continue on Telok Blangah Rd
* after 1.3km keep right & enter AYE/ECP
* after 19.4km keep right & leave ECP
* after 1.9km keep right & continue on T2 Blvd
* after 857m keep left & continue on T2 Blvd
* after 225m destination reached on T2 Link North.

The navigation simulation (if GPS is unavailable) is also interesting and demonstrates the voice instructions... Since Singapore is such a small downtown place, the navigation at only street level is however not very useful.

The China map (18.5MB) is totally disappointing. I would say that it is not useful at all as there is absolutely no content other than a few unnamed inter-city roads. For example, the city 'Beijing' is marked at the cross of two unknown roads.

Other maps that I tried out are acceptable in general: KL (Malaysia map has 10.5MB but it seems only KL area is good -- Malacca is not, for example), HongKong (0.7MB), Taiwan (7.7MB), California (74.5MB) & Paris (17.3MB). They recommend nearby hotels, eateries, public transport and so on and calculate effective route to your destination.