Google Maps Navigation on new Motorola Droid

You may not have heard but the new Droid phone by Motorola was released today and it has created quite a buzz in the tech world not to mention an unfortunate drop in some GPS on board navigation manufacturers.

The new Droid phone is the very first Android phone to run Android 2.0, and Google Maps Navigation is the talk of the town.  Not only is the Google Maps Navigation application better than on board navigation devices since its connected and online, but it is a better navigation tool than other mobile devices since it has a slew of new and advanced features including:

• Easy search (no need for address)
• Voice search
• Traffic information (from data sources and crowd sourced from app),
• Street view close up pictures when you get near your destination.
• The car dock mode gives bigger icons and auto-voice mode

It’s impressive to see such grand strides in the mobile space but not unexpected since for companies like Google its just an extension of what they currently have.  As Google leads the way, we will see that it is only natural to extend digital offerings to mobile devices.

Enjoy the video and if you don’t have a data enabled phone you love, give the new Droid phone a real consideration (if for nothing else than the street view on the Google Maps Navigation app).

Google just announced that they optimized AdSense for Mobile for smartphones.  You can now use standard AdSense formats to target smartphones or “high-end” phones like the iPhone and Android.  Both standard text and image ads will be available for display on mobile apps.

This is of course great news for all developers looking to generate revenue from advertising or marketers looking to target mobile devices as part of their usual campaigns with AdSense. The program is still in “beta” mode and more information is available here.

Here’s the demo / announcement video from Google’s Laren Usui:

More information can be found on their blog.

It started out as rumors yesterday and before the day has even come to an end I am seeing “almost” official news that says the iPhone will soon be available on Bell and Telus.

It has been a known fact that both Bell and Telus have been advancing their 3G technology but the news that they will be ready earlier than anticipated is definitely a surprise to many.   My personal opinion is that both companies have seen what the iPhone has done for Rogers and the Canadian mobile industry as a whole and they knew that they had to get there fast.   This says a lot about Bell and Telus and their ability to speed through innovation when it seems necessary but it says more for Apple as a company that creates markets.   Apple is not a company that tries to gain market share, they are a company that creates their own markets and then enjoys the fruits of its work.  Congratulations to Apple for single-handedly developing a market for mobile data consumption.