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Disappointed with Navigation

Hi,

Since Getting my Samsung Galaxy S - Vibrant, I haven't been able to find how to do a voice search with Google Maps or Navigation. This is disappointing, because I upgraded from a WinMo phone and it was very easy to use the voice search.

Also, today Navigation routed me to a major highway which was closed. I thought the whole purpose of live, internet connected navigation was to avoid these situations. Why didn't it navigate me the opposite way which turned out to be much quicker? Luckily I listened to the traffic report and avoided the closed road, but these are the things I should be able to depend on Navigation for, aren't they?

Another thing, I have to use it in tandom with my Garmin, which has Navteq traffic built in, because the Garmin lets me know whether I should be in the Collector or Express lanes on the highway, but it only knows about highway traffic conditions. Navigation almost always wants me to stay in the Collector lanes.

Although I love that Garmin is able to tell me which lanes to be in, I love that Navigation can pretty much pinpoint the amount of time it will take me to get to my destination, that's the one thing it does well.

One final complaint about Navigation, if I tell it to avoid tolls, make it stick please! I don't to have to set this for every single trip.

Device: Samsung Galaxy S - Vibrant
Carrier: Bell Mobility
Country / Language: Canada/English
OS / Browser / build number (if applicable): Android 2.2
 
Being in beta is fine. But if that is the case, then Google should be posting app documentation that defines for us what to expect. You can't put such a dominant app out there, aggressively focused on a hyper competitive market segment, then hide behind "it's a beta."

Most companies with beta software post "Known Issues." Google needs to quit forcing the user community to try and figure out how the app works by trial and error. A navigation app has too many safety and productivity impacts to leave it to trial and error. If this was Google Reader - fine. It isn't and it has different implications.

If the current product has an issue where known, reported (within the app) road closures aren't taken into account when the app picks a route, then SAY THAT.

I suspect that Google doesn't say that so that their NAV competition has less ability to take comparison shots at them. Google should be better than that.

Last week, on the Google support forums, I left a message asking simple questions: Does the route selection and ETA take reported traffic into account? Is the latest traffic taken into account while in a route and if so, does it adjust the ETA? When showing 3 route choices, are the ETA's of those choices inclusive of any known traffic delays? No answer, despite every question around mine being responded to.

Being in beta is no excuse for not providing answers to basic usability and feature questions.

When you started using navigation did you notice it said beta?
 
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To use voice stuff open up the voice search and say "Navigate to Mama's Pub & Grill" or whatever and it should launch the navigation app with your destination.

As far as the construction stuff, I haven't had any real issues. But maybe I have lower expectations than you for it. Truthfully it will never be as good as stand alone GPS unit, so I don't expect it to. I've been more than satisfied with the Google Nav app, and the price can't be beat.
 
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I used the Navigate function for the first time the other week and I was totally impressed with the program all the way until I was 2 blocks from home. I had my Garmin on just to see how accurate the phone's GPS was to the Garmin. I was all but sold on not needing the Garmin until the phone told me to go up the one way street that I live on the wrong way. I live near many cities that are built around one way streets and I now fear that the phone could lead me the wrong way if I am in a place I am unfamiliar with.
 
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