GLOBAL – When it comes to mobile mapping services, Nokia is king. Nokia Maps has been Nokia’s killer location based service for years now and together with Nokia Drive is offering free navigation for everyone. Our video of Nokia Drive shot in Las Vegas (above)shows how effective it is in finding locations and getting you there. Today we show you how easy it is to use with our screen-by-screen guide. Nokia Drive is available on your Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 900 (when the phone is released).
Nokia Drive comes preinstalled, so head over to the applications list in your phone to find the app. If you want it to sit on your homescreen, press the Nokia Drive icon and press the “pin to start” option that pops up. Otherwise, just press the icon to load up the app.
The first screen you’ll see is a street map of your immediate area. Providing you’re not underground, that is, otherwise you’ll need to wait until you are out in the open. The blue arrow in the centre of the screen shows where you are and the direction your phone thinks you’re facing. Along the bottom of the screen is the name of the street you are on. If you’re holding the phone in portrait a speedometer, distance gauge and menu button will appear at the bottom also, otherwise, if you’re holding it in landscape position, it’ll appear on the left.
If you’re thinking of traveling to a different country or just want to save local maps to reduce data costs, you can download additional maps from the settings section, under manage maps.
To start navigating, you’ll need to press the menu button, followed by set destination. Type in the postcode/zip code or address into the address bar at the top. Below, you’ll see a list of results matching what you searched for with the nearest location first.
If your desired destination is on the list, once you’ve selected it you’ll be shown a mini map of the location. It’s here you’ll decide to drive to your destination.
The mini map will expand further to show you the route from where you are, to where you want to go. There’s the added details of the journey listed below, such as distance you’ll need to travel and how long it will take you to get there. Hit the big blue start button to get going.
The on-screen directions now appear and you’ll see arrows telling you to turn left, or right at the appropriate junction. Once you’ve popped your phone into your mobile phone cradle, you’ll probably want to place the phone in the landscape position for optimised viewing. The whole UI has been designed with drivers in mind, for easy use.
If you want a better look of the road and local area, pressing the screen once will enlarge the map, hiding the on-screen heads up display (HUD).
As well as the audio turn-by-turn commands, you’ll see arrows in the mini dashboard on the left of the screen, showing added information to make your driving experience easier.
On your journey, you’ll be presented with various icons that appear along your route. These points of interest let you know of any nearby gas stations, car parks and local train stations.
When you see the black and white checker flag on your screen and hear the voice telling you’ve reached your destination, you’ll know it’s time to turn off the engine.
Have you used Nokia Drive yet on your Nokia Lumia smartphone? Let us know what you think of it, using the comments section below.