Do you have to pay for voice navigation in the beta????

Discussion for Ovi Maps 3.0 Beta for mobile

10-02-2009 20:03

Hi I waited for ages to install the Maps 3 beta as I have a N95 so had to wait until yesterday for support for this. I had to install it 3 times as each time during install the phone rebooted. After successfuly installing it I went out and into my car to try it out and only then noticed that the voice navigation is not available unless you pay for it!! I am currently a user of Garmin Mobile XT, but was looking forward to trying out the new beta so i could compare, however without the voice navigation, not much point. Will be uninstalling it this evening disappointed.

Comments

Submitted by irishtonyo on 13-02-2009 00:43.

no answer to this so assume you have to pay for voice guidance in the beta. That is a bit ridiculous if you ask me. Purpose of betas is free testing of the software for the vendor, and here they want you to pay to test their product for them???? Have to admit one of the reasons I bought a N95 was for the sat nav, I was not made aware at the time I would have to pay to use the voice guidance. If i had known this it may have influenced my choice of handset as other manufacturers offer free sat nav with theirs. As a result of this I did not want to pay nokia for something i assumed was included so I bought Garmin Mobile XT. I like Garmin but was looking forward to testing the new nokia maps and comparing it as I had heard good initial reviews of it from fp2 users, but there is no way I will pay to test your software guys sorry

Submitted by fordprobe1994 on 13-02-2009 06:00.

If you refer to the forum topic as above, I had suggested to the Nokia Team to provide Maps voice guide navigation as a complimentary part and parcel of the Nokia software. I have yet to hear any response from them. I wonder if their silence is a definite no.

In my humble opinion, I believe that with this feature being complimentary in Maps would offer greater competition with other mobile phones as well as Garmin devices. However, as of late, I have been contemplating buying a Garmin device or looking for another mobile phone that offers free voice navigation. My friend who has purchased a Garmin device has demonstrated to me how fast the locking in of the position vs my N95's Maps. While I was trying to prove to him that I have an all-in-one device that would also serve as a navigation device, he was not convinced as well when told that one would need to pay for voice navigation. In fact, I was convinced that his Garmin device was far more superior and may need a second thought/consideration to have such a device despite having Nokia Maps!!!

Another friend of mind suggested that I purchase and load Garmin XT Mobile onto my N95 8GB. If I had to do that, what then is the use of having Nokia's Maps !!!! Utterly useless and worthless to me then. As such, I would seriously hope that Nokia takes all these concerns into consideration and offer the competition a run for their money.

Submitted by snowy on 13-02-2009 08:42.

HUH??? No Complimentary License! Where have you guys been in the last 6 months.
Nokia has been tossing them around like peanuts. In the U.S.A there was a 6 months free offer through their mobile adds.
Beta Labs offered a complimentary 1 week license at the launch of maps on Ovi.

Submitted by irishtonyo on 13-02-2009 11:05.

Snowy, we have been here but as an FP1 user, complimentary licence at release is no good as we had to wait until this week before being able to download the beta.

Submitted by snowy on 14-02-2009 04:18.

nice point. my mistake.

Submitted by samuel337 on 14-02-2009 08:43.

"In my humble opinion, I believe that with this feature being complimentary in Maps would offer greater competition with other mobile phones as well as Garmin devices... In fact, I was convinced that his Garmin device was far more superior and may need a second thought/consideration to have such a device despite having Nokia Maps!!! ... Another friend of mind suggested that I purchase and load Garmin XT Mobile onto my N95 8GB. If I had to do that, what then is the use of having Nokia's Maps !!!! Utterly useless and worthless to me then. As such, I would seriously hope that Nokia takes all these concerns into consideration and offer the competition a run for their money."

Not sure where you are, so YMMV, but I think you're forgetting one major thing - Garmin charges a ridiculous price for map updates each year, while you get the updated Nokia Maps maps for free (assuming Nokia actually do update their maps, which they seem to in my experience). This is the key difference in the business model Nokia is using, compared to every other GPS device company.

Using Australia as an example, buying map updates costs $195 AUD each year. Compare that with Nokia Maps, which is $136 AUD for a Drive + Walk licence for 12 months, and I think you can see where I'm coming from. Of course, there's data charges on top of that, but they're pretty minor really.

The one advantage you get with Garmin is that it still works when there is no mobile signal. So if that's important to you, then a standalone GPS might be worth considering.

EDIT: forgot to add - voice navigation should be free for the beta though, otherwise the beta is fairly restricted and not much of a beta really.

Submitted by geoffg.ovi on 15-02-2009 01:51.

Did you read the beta labs page for this app: http://betalabs.nokia.com/betas/view/nokia-maps-30-ovi-maps ??

It has a clearly labelled section on licenses, including a 7-day complementary license.

Please make sure you do read the site and check the info that has already been provided before posting - it does help us to have the most useful and fruitful discussions and avoid spending time discussing questions that have already been answered.

OK, this is not for the life of the beta, but it is enough to do some testing of the Voice Guidance.

P.S. Re: offering Voice Nav free - Nokia provide free maps updates, but charge for a Voice Guidance license, whereas many other manufacturers do it the other way rouind - free Voice Guidance, but you have to pay if you want additional, or updated maps. Whatever the business model, the supplier obviously has to get income for their work, and if they bindled it in with the price of the phone, that would have to go up for everyone, including people who don't want to use the Voice Guidance.

GeoffG

Submitted by irishtonyo on 17-02-2009 04:51.

Hi Geoff,

I am sure it is somewhere but not on the link you provided above, no mention of licences there, clearly or otherwise.

Submitted by snowy on 17-02-2009 09:50.

No, he has provided the correct link. I dont believe he is the one required to do a little reading and searching.
Please access the blog, follow the panel and you will find the information.
If that is not convenient then follow this direct link www.nokia.com/maps/trial

Submitted by jabbafat23 on 17-02-2009 18:24.

Hey Samuel, if you go to a Vodafone store, you can buy a Nokia Maps 12 Month Subscription for $99

Submitted by antoinol on 17-02-2009 21:30.

If you used a 7 day trial on Maps 2 , you cannot get another trial for Maps 3 beta. Only one 7 days trial will be sent to your mobile number regardless of version. This will really limit the amount and range of users who will test the beta and I am sure slow down a bug free release of the software. I am not aware of any other software that limits it's betas like this. I am sure Nokia have some reason for doing this, but I can't figure it out.

Submitted by 19fred39 on 10-03-2009 09:05.

I bought a new N85 last week which came with a three month free subscription to drive and walk, which works very well with the 3 beta maps.
At the moment the maps compare well with Garmin mobile XT, which I used on my previous N95 and N95/1 handsets. At least with the nokia maps you have the option to purchase for 1 month etc, depending on personal choice. With garmin it is a one off payment for the full programme.
The main consideration I think will be -How often the maps are updated.?
Personally I think the NM3 is a vast improvement on the previous maps, and should be well worth the subscription when the final issue is released.

Submitted by Rufus07 on 10-03-2009 16:23.

I just got a free 7 day licence for my Navigator 6110. I do not know what happens when these 7 days are gone, however understand that I will be noted. I will be surprised if I am told to buy the licence for a beta-version. The licence should be free as long as you are using it with a beta-product. Nokia have got a lot of good quality checks by those using this version and should appreciate that. We will see what happens when the days are gone.

Submitted by axelbeiovi on 22-03-2009 01:05.

I bought a N95 also for GPS navigation, but:

Maps is not as good as other navi software, is too expansive and now this!

What the hell do they think? I'm wasting my time reporting bugs, I waste my time and money because Maps has a lot of bugs, and now I should pay for testing it? No, thanks!

Submitted by mbrett on 22-03-2009 08:55.

@axelbeiovi
Navigation has always been and always will be a pay-for extra. Someone has to pay the wages of the Nokia Maps dev team afterall.
Nokia Maps 3.0 BETA is a 'BETA' downloadable from the BETAlabs website, which enables Nokia end users to be involved in the latter stages of the development process. Something that, if am correct, is not provided by any other manufactures in this market and by very few companies in general. I know of no others. The fact that the software is BETA means that THERE WILL BE BUGS. If there weren't any bugs it wouldn't need to be BETA and should already be RELEASED. I would rather have the bugs and have an input than just have to take what I'm given and wish it were different. The team won't incorporate every suggestion made most probably, but some will probably make it in.
What time have you waisted exactly. Just checked your profile and you have only 'commented' 7 times on the Betalabs site, 2 of which were on bug reports.

mbrett
N95 8Gb (Product Code: 0558787 (UK)) FW 31.0.018

Submitted by axelbeiovi on 23-03-2009 19:55.

I think, there's a difference between supported, well working, RELEASED software, and BETA versions. As you say, Beta versions have bugs. So why users - and we are not so many people to crash Nokias business plans - should pay for testing the software? You can test Microsofts Operating Systems for free, if you want... At least the free trial license should be for a longer time.
About wasting my time: installing and updating Maps 3.0 takes time, software crashes while I'm traveling waste time,. writing on this forum (it doesn't work well! Cannot open new postings, I get a blank screen - under FF and under IE7...).
Sometimes I reporter even errors in the maps, following the link from the Nokia website. I went on the street, took pics, wrote emails with the exact error desription - after lots of months they answered, telling me that no update was necessary. Well, roundabouts and one way streets are still wrong... I wasted my time!

Nokia Maps is a very interesting product, it's new, it has a new business model, too. That's why it still cannot be perfect. Thats why you should try to create a user community and why you should communicate with them. But you seem not to do that, for this reason I'm disappointed!

Submitted by mbrett on 24-03-2009 12:55.

Where did you report the map errors? And for which version of Nokia Maps? (ie.Maps 2 or Maps 3)

If you reported them directly to Nokia this is the wrong method. Map errors are reported directly to the map manufactures Navteq or teleatlas I think the procedure is identified on the nokai maps website (www.nokia.com/maps) help files.

mbrett
N95 8Gb (Product Code: 0558787 (UK)) FW 31.0.018

Submitted by axelbeiovi on 24-03-2009 15:19.

I followed the link: on the website of Nokia Maps 2.0 there's a link for Tele Atlas and Navteq maps.
I reported errors to navteq (they are owned at 100% by Nokia, isn't it?) last summer. After 4 months they told me that there maps are ok, that there was no reason to accept my suggestions. But now these errors are stil present, even in Maps 3.0. We're talking about missing roundabouts, wrong one ways, and POIs like restaurants ore petrol stations which are closed since many years!
Nokias's maps and POIs are not really good, so it would be fine to listen to users suggestions. I think it's stupid to answer "our maps are ok" if they are wrong...

I like Nokia maps, and I think it's a very good thing that you do a beta testing, and that you have this kind of dialog with your customers and user community! Hope it helps to improve Maps (and the business model)

Submitted by axelbeiovi on 24-03-2009 15:23.

sorry, I know, I'm off thread, but I've got no other way to ask for it: II cannot open new suggestions or reports. I'm signed in, registered and can answer to existing threads.
But when I'm trying to open new threads, I get a blank popup window. That happens with Firefox 2 and with IE 7, too. What's going on?

Submitted by IMAGINARY.FRIEND on 26-03-2009 00:24.

I had the same problem trying to start a new post yesterday (3/24) but it is working today

It really sucks if the maps are not kept up to date. I have a Tomtom, and the same problem. The new routes I know better than the navigator are of course no problem. In other cases I may miss a new shortcut but so far it's taken me where I want to go.

As to Nokia and Navteq, you should cut Nokia some slack there, as they have only acquired the company yesterday. It is owned by Nokia, but it will be a while before it operates as Nokia on customer care level.