Does The Availability of Smart2Go for S603rd Take Away From The N95?

One of the key selling points of the N95 (IMO) was the introduction of GPS and Maps.  Having a built in GPS program without the need of an external GPS receiver to me was a grand idea.  In my past travel experiences I would just go to Yahoo Maps and download directions for my trip.  I've never thought the need to purchase a navigation kit of any sort to install in my truck, well because I never felt the need. 

Now that we have the availibility (and frustration) of having the Smart2Go application readily for some S60 3rd edition devices such as the N73, does that take the glamour away from the N95? 

Most of the Q&A's that I received and answers that were covered by both Delon and Rafe were that of the GPS functions.  Usually, in form, an application, feature or service is released after the consumer has already purchased the "IT" device with that certain feature... in this case the Maps solution is out before the "IT" device. 

Now the frustration part... downloading and installing the maps.  I installed the Smart2Go application on my N73 yesterday and took a trip with my neice using both the N95 and N73 to checkout the mapping.  Silly me, of course, forgot to download the map for North Carolina, so while the N95 had me in the right area, the N73 had me in another country.  This is what happens when you don't have a separate device such as a car kit.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it... I just prefer to have everything in one package.  So, the N95 it is.

Downloading and use of the MapLoader PC client is very easy.  Downloading and installing a map, however, is a task.  It took 3 hours and 20 minutes to download the North Carolina map to my N73 and it can only download to one device at a time.  Now I'm sure this might depend on your connection of course.  This is where an improvement is needed.  Wouldn't it be better to just install the map to your desktop or somewhere on your computer where you can move it to your memory card when necessary?  Allowing for maps to be installed on more than one device.

Smart2Go is a great program and a very good solution for those that chose to utilize a GPS module, but it doesn't make the N73 or any other S60 3rd edition device into an N95.

Comments

[Stefan Constantinescu]

Maps is just an app.

Google Maps was available long before Smart2Go.

GPS is the feature that wows people. I mean for me I'd love to take out a device. Tell it to find my current location on a map. Input an address. Then go.

It doesn't take away at all.

[Henrikki]

I think N95 was just first in the line of other Nokia devices with a integrated GPS-chip. It's the feature set as a whole which makes N95 the best (at the moment). This will change of course..