Gone are the days when the tea vendor at the corner of the road was the most reliable navigator. Gone are the days when you had to call XYZ uncle to ask where that place is, because they live nearby the destination. Remember when you had to ask every rickshaw puller "Bhaiya, ye ABC kahan hai?" and even if they had no idea about it, they told you some direction and at the end you ended up circling around.
Well, thankfully technology has replaced all these for good. Nowadays, navigation apps are the go to resource for finding locations, routes and alternate routes.
Here is a list of the best navigation apps in India:
1) Google Maps: Google Maps is probably the most trusted, most used and most relevant app in the market. They cover not only rural areas but are also quite accurate. This app can be downloaded on any platform and comes pre-installed om most android devices. Best part is that it is free. It allows the user to switch between walking, private transportation and public transportation routes. It includes metro train timings and bus timings as well. Moreover, it also allows voice navigation and traffic conditions. It highlights the areas of high traffic and even suggests alternative routes.
2) Sygic & Map My India: The biggest drawback of Google maps is that they work only when the device is connected to the internet. It does not work offline. This is where Map My India comes to the rescue. Sygic and Map My India combined forces to provide the best maps for offline users. It works purely on GPS signals and does not require internet connectivity. It has features such as house number search, places of Interest, sign post info, city guide, location sharing and geo-tagging images. It also gives speed limit warnings. It was earlier priced at Rs1399, but, now has been made free for users in India. Map My India not provides the most detailed maps in India but also provides 3D city views. Th application can be downloaded through Google Playstores and is compatible with Android 2.0.1 and upwards.
3) Nokia Maps: Navteq is the biggest mapmaker in the world. Since, Nokia owns Navteq, their maps show the world class quality and accuracy that Navteq stands for. This application comes pre-installed on all smartphones by Nokia. It is free. It works even in offline mode, however, some fatures such as terrain maps and weather forecasts might not. In high-end devices it uses GPS to locate the position and give turn-by-turn voice directions. Now, it has also added the traffic feature.
4) WAZE: This one is fast becoming a global favorite. Waze was recently acquired by google and since this acquisition, its service has improved significantly. Waze is primarily a community-based traffic and navigation application. It uses community tips to provide real tie traffic conditions and other such notifications. It also give turn-by-turn voice directions along with traffic density notifications. It suggests alternative routes depending on the community reviews. Each location has its own groups like Delhi Roads etc. The users can select anyone depending on their location and get instant access to real time conditions. While routing, it sources information from various other Waze users.
This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.
Well, thankfully technology has replaced all these for good. Nowadays, navigation apps are the go to resource for finding locations, routes and alternate routes.
Here is a list of the best navigation apps in India:
1) Google Maps: Google Maps is probably the most trusted, most used and most relevant app in the market. They cover not only rural areas but are also quite accurate. This app can be downloaded on any platform and comes pre-installed om most android devices. Best part is that it is free. It allows the user to switch between walking, private transportation and public transportation routes. It includes metro train timings and bus timings as well. Moreover, it also allows voice navigation and traffic conditions. It highlights the areas of high traffic and even suggests alternative routes.
2) Sygic & Map My India: The biggest drawback of Google maps is that they work only when the device is connected to the internet. It does not work offline. This is where Map My India comes to the rescue. Sygic and Map My India combined forces to provide the best maps for offline users. It works purely on GPS signals and does not require internet connectivity. It has features such as house number search, places of Interest, sign post info, city guide, location sharing and geo-tagging images. It also gives speed limit warnings. It was earlier priced at Rs1399, but, now has been made free for users in India. Map My India not provides the most detailed maps in India but also provides 3D city views. Th application can be downloaded through Google Playstores and is compatible with Android 2.0.1 and upwards.
3) Nokia Maps: Navteq is the biggest mapmaker in the world. Since, Nokia owns Navteq, their maps show the world class quality and accuracy that Navteq stands for. This application comes pre-installed on all smartphones by Nokia. It is free. It works even in offline mode, however, some fatures such as terrain maps and weather forecasts might not. In high-end devices it uses GPS to locate the position and give turn-by-turn voice directions. Now, it has also added the traffic feature.
4) WAZE: This one is fast becoming a global favorite. Waze was recently acquired by google and since this acquisition, its service has improved significantly. Waze is primarily a community-based traffic and navigation application. It uses community tips to provide real tie traffic conditions and other such notifications. It also give turn-by-turn voice directions along with traffic density notifications. It suggests alternative routes depending on the community reviews. Each location has its own groups like Delhi Roads etc. The users can select anyone depending on their location and get instant access to real time conditions. While routing, it sources information from various other Waze users.
This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.
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