Randomrants

New Maps Loader Nokia Betalabs.

Posted on June 20th, 2008 by Me

Map Loader 2…. boy those people at nokia beta labs have grabbed that beta labs concept by the horns haven’t they. Now they have a new way of buy maps… wait for it… you can use your PC. I was hoping this was going to be the route loader for OVI type thing (guess I will have to keep waiting)

few quick things – firstly you will need to uninstall your old maps loader (i couldn’t get it to work until I did) Secondly.. you no longer need to be in USB mode to transfer maps which is much easier. And it imported my current licences just fine as well.

The only issue I still have is that there is no version numbering on the Maps in the Map Loader. So I have no idea if I need to download a new map or not!

but here is the blub and the links anyway

With Map Loader 2.0 you can buy navigation and city guides directly from your PC!

Map Loader 2.0 includes a web shop where you can purchase and download navigation, traffic information and city guide licenses directly to your device. There is no need for activation, just download and you are ready to explore your world.

The new “Services” tab will let you browse through Drive*, Drive&Walk*, Traffic* and City Guides before deciding what to buy. In addition, the clear and easy to understand graphical representation will show what region is covered by the license. You will see exactly what you buy before buying.

Selecting “Guides” will let you browse through City Guides and Multimedia Guides from all over the world. Selecting one will show you information on the contents and you can download them directly to your device. It has never been so easy to find the right guide for your destination!

New connection mode

Map Loader 2.0 now supports PC Suite connections. This means that you can connect several devices over USB or Bluetooth connection. Mass storage mode is also supported for older Nokia Maps versions and memory cards. In mass storage mode the new “Services” tab will not be available and Map Loader 2.0 will behave like Map Loader 1.x. On startup, a popup will show connected devices and will let you choose the drive/device to use. Make sure you have the latest PC Suite installed (http://www.nokia.com/pcsuite).

Shop

After selecting a navigation license or downloading a guide you will be transferred to the payment page. Enter you credit card data; confirm payment and the license will be downloaded to your device. Your credit card data is sent over a secure https connection. You will also receive an email receipt.

Purchased licenses

In the bottom of the “Services” screen, there is a list of your previously purchased licenses and their expiration date. This will help you to see when it is time to renew you licenses.

Feedback

Download Map Loader 2.0 and let us know what you think! Make sure to uninstall any older version of maploader before installing Map Loader 2.0. Note that this is still a beta, so there are some limitations:

Not tested on S40, so please don’t use it
In “Drive & Walk” the navigation region “Russia & Ukraine” is only navigable in Russia.
Disconnecting and reconnecting a device while Map Loader 2.0 is running can sometimes lead to unexpected results.
Make sure your phone time is correct before buying any licenses.