Nokia Drive GPS navigation app in action on the Nokia Lumia 800

October 26, 2011 | By Surur

Nokia has both Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive. Nokia Maps is equivalent to Google Maps and will be available for all Windows Phone 7 handsets soon, and while it offers routing and can be used for navigation, it does not offer voice turn by turn directions.

For that there is Nokia Drive, in action in the video above. The app offers full turn by turn GPS navigation, with voices in many languages available. It offers turn both 2D and 3D views and also renders points of interest in 3D on maps.

The voices are loud and clear, always useful for a device used for GPS navigation. Routing is accurate, but I think makes odd routine decisions, for example routing me via the ferry (and an unwelcome 30 min wait) instead of the tunnel across the Thames, which tends to be quicker.

Maps can be downloaded to the device, but the app does not work in flight mode, demanding to be online before launching.

Nokia Drive will be exclusive to the Nokia Lumia 800 and 710, and will be 100% free to those users.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged gps navigation, nokia drive, nokia lumia 800, video

Anonymous

Lol! Oh, well. Perhaps you can click on the Nokia Feedback link and advise them about that last bit of routing instructions
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1300735256 Andrew Bares

Damn you Nokia Drive!!
mobaen amanda

DAMN YOU Nokia Drive!!!
the-hq

So which person did you have to bribe to get a device?
http://twitter.com/Polychromenz Tony Gorham

“Maps can be downloaded to the device, but the app does not work in flight mode, demanding to be online before launching.”

Doesnt flight mode switch off the GPS? WOuld be a bit pointless to use satnav without the sav?

Anonymous

Why would flight mode switch off GPS.
Anonymous

Surur, did you try running the satnav without a sim card, so no data connection? Flight mode MAY disable the GPS, or at least flag the Drive software not to run. Basically, this doesn’t prove that it won’t work out of cell tower range.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Alan-Schofield/554212003 Alan Schofield

Exclusive to NOKIA devices, dammit!! OK give Nokia users it for free, but I would pay for that for my HTC Titan !
Mus Gaid

Hahaha, that’s funny
Tony

Looks like Nokia Drive on WP is missing a lot of features. On the Symbian version, you can.

1. Select the type of route you want, e.g. you can exclude Ferry routes.
2. Hear Text-to-Speech of street names (not just turn left, turn right, but turn right into xyz street).

Looks like Nokia didn’t put in a lot of effort into their Maps app on WP.