Navigation on Nokia Lumia 800 – Bing Maps and Nokia Maps:
It wasn’t an easy job converting someone who is coming from Google Maps on Android and Nokia Maps on Symbian and I won’t call myself won hands down by Bing Maps on Nokia Lumia 800 or even Nokia Maps for Windows Phone, but one needs to give the due to Microsoft Team for blending a navigation app UI in terms of Metro experience.
On the contrary of what you might have heard of Bing Maps till now, I want to bring some exciting things for your display. First see this …
Yes! unlike Nokia\Ovi Maps, you get the areal view here means satellite imagery for my office in Delhi that was available to me via Google Maps only (in UK etc, Nokia was used to provide the satellite imagery but not in Indian continent). I was able to see images of even non-prime time places like Azamgarh, UP (my Hometown). It was a nice and pleasant surprise for someone like me, who had no experience with any other Maps service other than Google Maps or Nokia Maps.
I tried to ask it for a route from my Office to my Hometown (around 1000 kms away) and it didn’t took more than half a min to give me a route.
The display of maps data was also with some tiny tricks that one will find neat in action. The satellite imagery appears smoothly from fog like animation and then doesn’t allow you zoom in from the extent you may find the images as blurred. Though on negative part, Bing maps doesn’t tell you that how much accurate the lock is (like in between 400 mtr or 10 mtr). Also there is nothing like Google Labs options that may tell you that how much distance there is between two places.
No voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation in Bing Maps yet,but the app has a split-screen mode that shows the list at the bottom and the map corresponding to the currently-selected list item at the top (like the picture above). As you swipe through the list and highlight different items, the map moves around. That would be a thing that gonna be useful in real life situations when you wanna know about the upcoming turns and building etc in advance.
Both pedestrian and car modes are available, but no public transport mode yet that would be sure a disappointment as of now (not actually as Nokia Maps already available on Lumia devices).
The bottom of the maps will always have fours buttons names scout (same functions as were in bing search app), directions, me and search. I don’t think I am required to explain the functions of them as the name are self explanatory. Options are simple and what came as surprise to me was no option for 3D mode or traffic info etc.
In all, Bing Maps is a good solution in itself and even if you don’t have Google Maps or Nokia Maps then you wont be living out there as cursed in Windows Phone world. But what happens when Nokia Maps also join the list?
Nokia Maps\Drive brings super popular Offline and Turn-by-turn navigation to Windows Phone platform. As about UI etc, then its pretty much the same as you might have seen with latest version at Symbian^3 devices or Nokia N9, but thing is, its on Nokia Windows Phones as well. Performs wise, I seen Windows Phone specific tweaks like fog like screens clearing up when zoomed in, but in most of the part, its been a familiar experience for earlier Nokia users.
Call it good or bad, Nokia Maps still uses the same data as provided by Navteq means Indian users still wont get the satellite imagery when using Nokia Maps. Hope in near future Microsoft and Nokia will share their resources more closely to enjoy features from each other more better than offering just an app. But as of now, this is it.
Nitish Kumar's Blog 
Holy shit! 24 pages? :-O Sorry man, I give it a pass.. I am too busy, like you 😦
Nice post. How about an option to display the post in one page? May make it simpler to read
You are just awesome dude… how the hell can u review soooooo much!! hats offff! even i own nokia lumia 800!! feels like reading n reading… (now in page 1)
Will consider to put a PDF file for whole post.
One hell of a review Nitish.
Thanks mate. Went out a little early than scheduled but hope I covered most of things
Looks like you can now publish a book on Lumia Review 🙂 Great Review..
Nice review , by the way about OTA , it’s a wp7 limitation and not lumia , soon wp in market currently supports OTA same is true about other few features.
Yup! The review is mostly about Windows Phone as a whole rather than Lumia only
Good post , though I must say I couldn’t read it in one go 🙂
Even though I havent used or tried any WP device for more than half an hour, I just hated UI and how it looks. I don’t think that perception of ugly,over simplified UI will change.
As expected and read all over for me 3 things stand out for WP. These can make it success.
1) People Hub
2) Brilliant Office Suite ( and its FREE)
3) Email
But sadly I feel Nokia is going away from their soul and going Apple way.
This may be good for company(I really doubt) but not good for industry as whole.
Suyog,
I had similar sentiments about WP UI before trying it myself. Even I mentioned once that I felt those uneven fonts as ugly. But trust me, views are bound to change once you allow it grow over you. Not all the praises going around are dummy.
Agree with Nitish, once I got my hands on Lumia 800, I didn’t like UI for few hours or a day and missed home screens. But later, started loving the UI and now I am a fan of UI. 🙂
People hub is exceptional as just like Meego it brings all social activities at one place and like WebOS it brings all the photos (even twitter ones).
So in all, people hub will effectively help people managing their social needs without going behind any apps that is a great thing for n00bs or even people coming from Symbian/Meego.
Second great thing is speed of UI that literally no offers either be Symbian or Android
Suyog, I’ll agree with Nitish.. in just two words…. you will see my views about it changing too… it’s actually a good UI. there are however some features that really were needed but if talking about UI, seriously I think if I was given more time with it I would been liking this UI. and I’ll not say like many out there that “Windows Phone 7.5” is not that good to be used.
But still I’ll say that MeeGo on N9 (for its given time) has been the most *Mature* smartphone OS (in most of the aspects) among all of them.
And Nitish; that really is great post above, I’ll try to read it completely 😛
Review is great for people want to know about the History, comparison , apps functionality , dimensions but drawback is too massive detail..
Very interesting article, Nitish. I’m very exited with Windows phone on Nokia, but lack of BT and file transfer worries me. Nokia has been great among other things because of its flexibility and versatility. Does is support USB on the go, like my N8? What about something small but GREAT in functionality, notification light? Man, I think Nokia should never get rid of this. It helps the user so much to see through a notification light, that you have a missed event.
Quite a thorough article on the Lumia 800(& upcoming 900)windows phone. The most important things for me are:i’m not going to sell a Rolls Royce to ride a better handlind motorcycle-ie,my Nokia E7-00 vs any Lumia! No storage! No tethering! No bluetooth! No sale!
One of the most comprehensive review of Lumia 800 I have read. sheer Brilliant.
Are u still using this device? How is the battery life holding up for you?
Any word on Lumia 900 launch date in india?
Thanks,
-Pankaj
The best review of WP that I have seen , kudos to u Mr. Kumar ! U r right , the Lumia 800 is beautiful ; it should be since it`s a copy of the N9 ! But that same design is also a problem in certain areas of the world ( more about this in a bit . ) .
i`ve always said that WP has potential but it`s still immature ( Takes 3 years to work out enough of the bus and work enough features in , to make the OS useful . ) , seriously late to the party and there r too many other OEMs trying to get a piece of the pie . In all fairness to Nokia , they haven`t had a chance to make an impact on WP yet , maybe WP8 will change this . Nor have the Lumias been out too long , though this is changing . So it`s still a bit early to say for sure .
That said , WP hasn`t exactly taken off yet , marketshare is still single digits . Nor do I like the Metro UI , though my issue with it is more function than form ( but I do think it`s ugly !) . I firmly believe that a homescreen should convey enough info to keep u current at a glance , and the Metro UI doesn`t do this . Even Windows Mobile could do this !
WP`s biggest problem , IMHO , is it`s requirements for a constant connection and Skydrive . Not so much a problem in developed countries , but in emerging markets with their infrastructure issues and the need to watch data usage, it`s a different thing entirely . I don`t think WP will do well in emerging markets ( It seems to not be … ) , though it also doesn`t seem to be doing well in many developed countries either , with the USA , Finland and Russia as notable exceptions .
Nor will do well in countries where the N9 was a success, most notably China , due to the problem that WP is functionally inferior to Meego , and Symbian , for that matter . even the new 311 is better from what I can tell !
For these reasons , I don`t see WP as more than moderately successful , assuming it takes off , of course ! Maybe WP8 will change this , ir really needs too ! cheers !
Mofo awesome! Never believed there existed a greater Lumia 800 fan than me! :p
Hmmm , no replies , can`t say I`m surprised lol !
On second thought , looks like the 10/19/2012 post MIGHT have a reply so I take back the previous remark , t least to an extent lol…
Every thing about Windows Phone OS is covered very well.