Some Tips on using the GoogleMap Mobile (GMM):

Samsung SGH-i530 running GoogleMap Mobile var GPRS


TC (WIFI), i530 (GPRS) and Treo650 (BT PPP) running GoogleMap Mobile.

Click to enlarge

What to Install?
Although it is called GoogleMap Mobile for Treo, but it does works on other PalmOS devices, I have tested my TC, i530 they both work, forget about the J2ME edition of GMM which needs JVM to work, it is buggy, slow, although currently support a few more function like Favorites.

Zoom.
The Volume button on the Treos is the Zoom button, the 5 way is scroll.

Find.
You can use global find in PalmOS with the Long,Lat of your target location(or Name of the places), there will be an option on the find allowing you to go directly to the location in GMM!

Error.
You need LOTS of DBCache if you really want to play around with GMM on your Treo 650 (TC has lots of free heap, so not a problem, but for all other NVFlash devices…..), or it will report error, I remember my last error was with appox 2.3MB DBCache free (Max Free Chunk), a restart frees the Max Free Chunk, and GMM works fine again!

Others.
Unlike the GoogleEarth for Desktops, with our limited resources (RAM and CPU, Bandwidth wise), some feature like: Enlarge of map in satellite view is not supported, instead it will tell you the requested map is not available, please Zoom out; the fancy Earth view for user to select their wanted location, we need to use “Find”, scrolling is just too slow….

Whats missing?
Of coz, I wouldn’t lame for 3D images support on the Palm port, but looking at the officall discussion fourm on GMM, some features are on the top wanted list:

1. Storage of the Cached images on SD card, currently, they are stored in RAM, which of coz we want more on our Treo…

2. Sending GPS data to GMM, hum…it should be nice, then a “REAL” Map GPS program, maybe with tracking and routing……

3. Sending GIS data from 3rd party Applications to GMM, it would be nice, then the “Custom Field” of the Address Book (Contacts) would be useful!!

4. Most wanted! Storing favorites! we need that, we don’t want to search for our favorite everytime, and it would be really great if KML file by GoogleEarth desktop can be support (Online *.KML or VFS storage).

Links:
GoogleMap – Take the power of Google Maps with you on your Treo
Officall GoogleMap Mobile Discussion group
GoogleEarth – Google Earth KML 2.0 Tutorial