Google Offering Live Traffic Maps via Cell Phones

Kranfer writes "Reuters is covering the newest offering from Google: real-time traffic mapping on your cell phone. Now you can check how the traffic is ahead of you, of course as long as you don't cause the traffic incident yourself by checking the local issues on your cell phone while driving. Point your cell phone browser to http://google.com/gmm to get your local traffic maps if you live within one of the 30 U.S. cities where this is available."

Windows mobile?

[a_nonamiss]

I'm running Windows Mobile 5.0, and I get "Google Maps may not work on on your cell phone. If you'd still like to try, download Google Maps for a high end phone or a mainstream phone."(US/Canada)

If this thing's not going to work on Windows Mobile 5.0, I'm not sure for whom it's intended.

Re:I don't like this

[gigne]

I take it you disapprove of GPS navigation aids, or for that matter, a radio that might equally well distract you. Given that to use a phone in a car you have to have a holder or hands free kit (at least in the UK), doesn't this make it very similar to a GPS?

Treo 650

[fdiskne1]

Here's what I see:

Google Maps

Sorry, Google Maps does not work on your Palm Treo-650.

I figured I'd use it before heading out on the road to find the best way to get somewhere, NOT while driving. That'd just be foolish.

Works for me...

[jense]

i'm on sprint, and this works like a charm. the cell-while-you-drive concern is legit, but no more dangerous than any GPS system, IMHO. personally, i'm going to use it when i pull into that gas station and purposefully DON'T ask for directions. because now i don't have to. the ultimate justifier! my wife has no leg to stand on anymore.

Re:I don't like this

[texaport]

doing anything to *encourage* someone to be on their phone while driving

Instead of cities having traffic cameras every two miles, maybe Google can get people to stop in traffic and take pictures with their phone so we can have live shots every 50 meters?

A GoogleRewards program for every 10th upload from a major freeway.

Re:I don't like this

[hackstraw]

Sure, there are similarities and differences between using a cell vs a radio, but I believe that the current cell implementation is much, much worse.

Similarities, people can be distracted while fiddling with cells and radios. More so with changing a CD than changing the station. But it pretty much stops there.

Cell phone conversations while driving seem to be increasing and the radio is pretty much a constant. Cell phone users while driving often appear (and statistically are similar) to drunk drivers. Actually, they drive worse because drunk drivers are more careful because they are scared of being caught. They often drive below the speed limit and/or speed of traffic. They make erratic and impulsive turns. They don't stay in their lanes. They are more engaged in their conversation than driving. The list goes on.

I would bet that my cell phone driver vs drunk driver detection skills have a ratio of about 10:1 probably closer to 50:1.

Now, with the new Google offering. Close but no cigar.

I've been talking about a new p2p user contributed realtime traffic, police, roadblock, etc monitoring system with a good UI that "just works".

To me, that would be excellent, and will happen. Kinda like the CBs of yesteryear, but more 2006ish.

Re:I don't like this

[Serengeti]

Everyone who navigates city streets does not necessarily drive a car.

Screenshots on a 9500

[Penguin]

Just for the sake of curiousity (and karma whoring) I took a couple of screenshots [ter.gld.dk] on my Nokia 9500.