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Navigon GPS app navigates to Windows Phone 7

As promised a few months ago, Navigon announced today that its mobile turn-by-turn navigation application is now available on the Windows Phone 7 platform. The app, Navigon for Windows Phone 7, works only on the newly released version 7.5 of the mobile operating system, aka Mango.

Similar to the company's iOS and Android apps, Navigon for Windows Phone 7 doesn't require a live cellular data connection to work as it stores maps on the phone. This means you can continue to navigate even when the phone is away from cell coverage. Navigon says the app includes spoken turn-by-turn directions, visual lane guidance, and live traffic information and rerouting, among many other features.

Taking advantage of Windows Phone 7.5, which offers developers better access to the operating system's functions, the app has an augmented reality function called Reality Scanner, providing an instant and easy way to identify nearby destinations while on foot; an option to select address information directly from the phone's contact list; and the ability to save a favorite or home address as a shortcut on the start screen.… Read more

Navigon to separate app and maps, support WM7

If you own a full-feature turn-by-turn mobile navigation app, you must know by now what a pain it is each time there's an update. This is because the updates, made up of both maps and the app itself, tend to be in gigabytes and therefore take hours to download via a normal broadband connection.

That's now going to change with the major update Navigon is releasing for its navigation apps for iOS and Android this fall. In Navigon 2.0, the company is changing the way updating works by separating the app and the maps. This means you can update the app, which is just about a few megabytes, or the maps independently.

Furthermore, maps are divided into different portions and you can just download those of areas you travel in, via a feature called MyMaps.

For example, if you live in California, you'll just need to use MyMaps within the app to download and keep maps of this state on your mobile device, instead of having to download maps of all 50 states and Canada the way you currently would. This way, the download will be just a few hundred megabytes at most, instead of a few gigabytes.

In addition to this, Navigon is introducing FreshMaps, an in-app purchase feature that offers quarterly updated maps. Those who don't want to opt for this feature can still use the old maps that are included with the app indefinitely.… Read more

Garmin wraps up acquisition of Navigon

It's official: Garmin now owns Navigon AG. You'll likely recognize Garmin as the manufacturer of the Nuvi and Zumi lines of portable navigation devices and Navigon as the creator of navigation apps for iOS and Android. Garmin announced that it had signed an agreement to purchase Navigon back in mid-June and today announced that the acquisition has been completed for an undisclosed amount.

In absorbing Navigon, Garmin stated that it was "also acquiring one of the top-selling navigation applications for the iPhone and Android platforms." This is important because the portable navigation devices have been losing … Read more

Navigon GPS app navigates to Android platform

Owners of Android phones can now enjoy the same turn-by-turn navigation experience iPhone users have had for a long time, as Navigon announced today the release of its MobileNavigator for the Android platform.

The iPhone version of the app is arguably the most comprehensive of the navigation apps for smartphones. The company says this is also the first on-board navigation app that brings premium navigation to the growing Android user base.

MobileNavigator for Android includes the Traffic Live feature without an additional cost. On the iPhone platform this feature costs an additional $20. The app also includes a industry-first feature, called Reality Scanner, that identifies points of interest (POIs) by showing them in a live camera view.

In a nutshell, Reality Scanner utilizes the phone's built-in camera, positioning, and compass components together with Navigon's POI database to project POI icons directly on the camera's image. Users can point the device and instantly identify POIs in or around a location.

Like the iPhone version, MobileNavigator for Android includes preloaded Navteq maps and therefore is able to provide navigation when a cell signal is not available. Other features include:… Read more

Navigon demos iOS 4 multitasking with MobileNavigator app

Last week, TomTom announced its intentions to support Apple iOS 4's new multitasking function with its turn-by-turn navigation app. This week, we find Navigon, manufacturer of GPS devices and provider of the Navigon MobileNavigator app for iPhone, joining the chorus of developers singing praises of the iPhone's new ability to walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. However, Navigon's announcement comes with a video demonstration of the feature in action.

In the clip below, our guide Ben starts by jumping between the MobileNavigator app and Safari on an iPhone 3GS. Next, he moves on to … Read more

Navigon iPhone GPS app 1.5.0 update hits the store

As promised, on Tuesday Navigon released another major update for its iPhone MobileNavigator app, version 1.5.0, to add three more features to the already feature-rich navigator application.

The new features includes connection to Facebook and Twitter, Panorama View, 3D with 3D terrain views derived from NASA data, and personalized route recommendations via Navigon MyRoutes. The update is free, except for the Panoramic View 3D feature, which costs $9.99 via in-app purchase.

I found the new features useful, especially MyRoutes. Each time you enter a new destination, the app will present you with up to three suggestions clearly … Read more

Navigon splits the U.S. into bite-size pieces

Navigon has taken its MobileNavigator app for iPhone and split it into three.

More specifically, the new MobileNavigator MyRegion apps take Navigon's United States map data and breaks it into three regions: East, Central, and West. People who don't stray too far from home can simply grab the region of their choosing to get from point A to B for a reduced entry cost. If you decide to add more maps--for example, to plan a family vacation in another region--the omitted maps can be added later as an in-app purchase.

Navigon says that there is no additional download … Read more