New Mobile Tools

Over the past few months I have been playing with a lot of the new GPS enabled mobile apps. There has been a shift (finally) from ported applications (applications written for the web and ported to mobile) and true mobile designed applications. Some of the most popular are the Yahoo Go!, Google Maps and the new Windows Live Search for Mobile.

Which one is worth the time to install and play with? Well, here’s the breakdown.

Windows Live Search for Mobile

I really like this product. With or without a GPS, the WLS is a great add-on to any Blackberry or Windows Mobile Device. WLS offers.

• Ability to either speak or type the location or store your searching for
• GPS directions and centering
• Turn by Turn Directions
• Real Time Traffic Status
• Cheap Gas Locations
• Movie Theater locations, times and reviews
• Category breakdown search for local businesses
• Satellite Images

Google Maps w/ My Location (still in Beta)

This application is smaller and more specific than the WLS. The directions were a bit more accurate but not as many local features integrated like WLS.

• Real Time Traffic
• Turn by Turn directions
• Integrated Search - Local business locations and contact information appear all in one place, integrated on your map.
• Satellite Images

Yahoo Go! 2.0

Yahoo Go! Is a real stand out in the mobile apps arena. The Yahoo Go! App is nice as it gives you the most used Yahoo features outside of their search in a Mobile designed (not mobile ported) application It is more of a true portal app rather than a local search application. The interface is very stylish and very easy to use. It takes the concept of a portal page and breaks it down into mobile friendly tabs. My only issue with it is it’s not GPS enabled. Maybe in v 3.0.

Here’s the breakdown by tab.

• Integration with Yahoo Calendar, Contacts, and Yahoo Today
• Traffic Watch and Local Search
• Top News Stories and News watch.
• Sports including team watches
• Money and Stock watch.
• Entertainment news and Entertainment watch
• Weather
• Flickr direct view and upload
• Yahoo Mail

All these apps are free and well worth the time for you travelers to download.