Directionally challenged iPhone users, rejoice: TeleNav today released a voice navigation feature for its Scout app.
Now a permanent fixture in the free iPhone application, users can ditch the much-maligned Apple Maps, TeleNav said.
Scout was unveiled at CES 2012 in January, offering a new online and app-based personal navigation service, accessible by Web, smartphone, as well as in-car systems.
When PCMag analyst Jamie Lendino first got his hands on the Scout app early this year, he pointed out that TeleNav had built something more than a simple navigation app.
"Instead of just offering a point-of-interest database and address-based navigation, Scout offers ideas on where to go, when you should leave to get there, how to get there, and what you can do once you arrive," Lendino said.
Less than a year after its launch, TeleNav pushed the offline navigation update to the iOS app. Always There Navigation works any time, regardless of whether the phone has Wi-Fi or cellular coverage. The permanent feature is aimed at helping mobile users remain in constant contact with the map, even if they drive out of wireless coverage.
According to TeleNav, Scout version 1.5 also offers a faster app startup time, and a re-designed My Dashboard homepage, now with one-tap access to My Places.
When the app launches, the dashboard features real-time ETAs to the user's set Work and Home locations, as well as access to saved favorites and popular places nearby, with a map of their current location and the local weather.
Additionally, the new My Search includes popular restaurants, gas price listings, nearby parking lots, Wi-Fi hot spots, and real-time traffic information and speech recognition. For those looking to spice up their GPS map, Scout now offers 12 new car icons, including a convertible, motorcycle, SUV, minivan, muscle car, and sports car.
The updated Scout app is currently available [1] for free download in Apple's App Store, and requires iOS 4.0 or later.
Earlier today, Nokia's new HERE mapping app also hit the App Store [2] .
For more, see PCMag's Hands on with TeleNav Scout in a 2012 Ford Edge .
For more from Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @smlotPCMag [3] .
Links
- ^ currently available (itunes.apple.com)
- ^ also hit the App Store ('http)
- ^ @smlotPCMag (twitter.com)
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