Nokia Maps to OVI Maps – My story

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I always wanted to write about my experience about GPS in mobile since I got my Nokia N82. That was my first GPS device and now after so much time I think any of my future device must have GPS. But today I am trying to put in my experience about OVI Maps(Nokia Maps when I first got it) of all 2 years. Well there is added incentive !!! Nokia has announced contest where you can win latest, coolest phones with GPS + OVI Maps Free lifetime navigation. More details can be found here on OVI blog. These phones (N97 mini, X6, E72) come with complete navigation package i.e. Car Holder, Car charger.
Well now my story…
When I bought my Nokia N82 in April 2008, it was best mobile available along with N95 packed with all features. I still think that Nokia didn’t release any real successor to this phone and hence I am still with N82, its going well. When I bought it , Nokia maps 1.0 was built-in, It had lesser features compared to OVI maps today. But I got 3 months , Walk n Drive license free !!! Yes, just before Nokia announced Free Navigation, Other Features, Everything was paid.
 

I used Nokia Maps for my trips in different parts of country which is so huge and diverse. Hyderabad was one such place, along with Delhi which I was still discovering. Nokia Maps then had few POI and Map data was still not the best. But I used 3 months Free navigation well. Even Purchased 1 month Drive license and City Explorer Lifetime license. Then I always thought why Nokia is not making this all free, It happened eventually for many new phones but not my N82 still.
I have been to many remote places where sometimes I didn’t have Network access or GPRS. Here Nokia Maps always helped me as It never needed you to be online. I always loaded Map data for India and was able to find location, routes. One such trip was McLeod Ganj, beautiful place in Himachal Pradesh, near Himalayas in India. It’s also home to Dalai Lama.
Then after a year in Feb 2008, Nokia Maps 2.0 came along via Nokia Beta Labs , I found it much improved in features. As I was not having license for additional features like Navigation, I used Nokia Maps 2.0 mostly for checking my location, searching places and finding routes. This thing I always liked about Nokia/OVI maps was that I could always find possible routes even without Navigation license.
With Nokia trying to bring more services in OVI umbrella , Nokia Maps was re-branded to OVI maps. First Beta ,OVI Maps 3.0 was offered again via Nokia Beta Labs
I used OVI maps for storing locations which I visited and which I wanted to remember. This OVI maps 3.0 had feature which allowed users to sync favourites with OVI Maps web. Also I was able to create routes and sync those to mobile. This has been killer feature as it allowed me to decide routes which are best suited on PC browser and then sync to my N82.
This is what I did in my trip to Agra from Delhi. We also visited Bharatpur on the way. If anyone of you have used Nokia Sports Tracker service then you can have a look at my journey here.

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1844456


 
Recently I got chance to trial N97 mini , Thanks to WOMworld/Nokia. This device has got even better version of OVI maps with Free Drive, Walk Navigation and many more goodies. Features I liked most here were integration of Lonely Planet, Burrp and Here & Now services which provide information about your location and surrounding places. It gives you Weather information, great places to visit, restaurants an many more things.

   
I see that OVI Maps with Free Navigation and great extra goodies is really best tool to have in your mobile.
I hope Nokia releases it for all other phones, especially my N82 :)