Google Maps mobile application pre-installed on your Sony Ericsson W580i allows you to pull up onscreen maps and satellite images of the location you're in and search for directions to other locations.

While the Sony Ericsson W580i doesn't have a GPS receiver inside, the Google Maps application does enable you to quickly and easily find your approximate position on a map, using information from mobile cell sites to determine the area you're in, known as triangulation.

With a quick button press, the application can communicate with a remote server to identify where you are and send mapping information back to the phone via a short data call.

On your W580i's display you can see your estimated location on a map or satellite as a shaded blue circle around a flashing blue dot. This allows for the uncertainty of cellular approximation as opposed to precise GPS positioning.

You can zoom into a map or satellite image of the location using shortcut keys, and move the onscreen cursor to get maps of places other than your current location. You can also search for nearby places of interest, such as bars, restaurants, banks and so on, get them displayed on the map or get directions. These can be stored into favourites - along with any other location you choose - for quick access later.

There is the option to employ exact GPS satellite location-finding with the W580i, however, by connecting the W580i wirelessly to a standalone small Buetooth GPS module (you will have to buy one of these separately, though).

Here we take you through the simple steps required to use Google Maps on the Sony Ericsson W580i.

Starting the Google Maps application
If Google Maps is stored as a shortcut in your phone's Activity menu, it takes just a few clicks to open it. First, press the Activity menu key on the phone's control pad (Figure 1) and scroll down to Google Maps (Figure 2). Press Select.

Alternatively, frrom the standby page (Figure 3), press the Menu button.

On the main Menu page, scroll to highlight the Entertainment icon (Figure 4). Press Select.

Scroll down to Location services (Figure 5). Press Select.

Highlight Google Maps (Figure 6). Press Select.

This will take a few seconds to load. You are then presented with Terms & Conditions for using Google Maps. Once you've read these, press Accept to proceed.

You may now be asked to agree to location finding using cellular networks, which you should agree to if you want to use this facility.

The application will now show onscreen your current position, to within a specified range based on local cellsite information. Your approximate location is presented onscreen as a shaded blue circle, centred on a flashing blue button (Figure 7). (If you're using a Bluetooth GPS receiver with the W580i, the blue button on it own will indicate your precise location rather than an approximate zone you are somewhere within.)

Using Google Maps

• You can switch from a map view to a satellite picture of the location by pressing 2 on the numberpad (Figure 8); another press of 2 brings back the map view.
• You can zoom in to a map or satellite image by pressing 3 on the numberpad (Figure 9), or zoom out by pressing 1 (Figure 10). Multiple presses will zoom you closer in or further out, respectively.
• Pressing 0 on the numberpad will refresh your location finder, presenting you with your current estimated position on a map onscreen.
• The phone's main navigation pad can be used to scroll up, down and side to side on the map, so you can view the immediate surrounding area, or if you zoom out, look over wider areas (Figure 11).

Carry out local searches using Google Maps
You can look up local businesses or entertainment venues quickly and easily with Google Maps, and get them illustrated on a map or satellite image. You can also get details of the place you're looking for, including phone number, address and directions to or from it.

First, get your current position, or location you want to search around, up on the map (or satellite image). Press the Search softkey option.

Highlight the Enter a new search option (above the Recent searches list) (Figure 12). Press Select.

Type in the name of the establishment or type of place you're looking for (restaurant, bar, bank, petrol station, and so on). Press OK (Figure 13).

You will be presented with a list of options. Scroll down to browse the list and see addresses (Figure 14). Click on entries to find more information, including details of the establishment and a short description (Figure 15).

You can press the # key to see locations pinpointed on the map (Figure 16).

Local search results with directions
In the detailed Address section of places you've searched for, there are also options for Directions to here and Directions from here (Figure 17). If you want directions, highlight the option required and press Select.

As your Start point or End point you can use your current estimated location, or you can enter a new address. You can also select a point on the map, or choose one of the locations listed in your Recent places list (Figure 18).

Once you've typed in the address and pressed OK, or highlighted one of the other options, press Select.

A written step-by-step route itinerary will be quickly compiled and presented onscreen (Figure 19). Press # to view the turn-by-turn instructions displayed on the map (or overlaid on a satellite image) (Figure 20). If you want to view just a particular part of the route on the map, scroll down the itinerary to highlight the section of the instructions you want and press Select.

You can toggle between previous or next stages of the navigation by pressing 4 and 6, respectively (Figure 21).

Another press of the # key will bring up the navigation instructions itinerary again.

Look up directions on Google Maps
Looking up directions on your mobile is simple with Google Maps.

When you're in the Google Maps application, press the Options softkey (Figure 22).

Scroll down to highlight Directions. Press Select (Figure 23).

You must now define a Start point. This can be your current location, one of your automatically stored Recent places, one of your chosen Favourite locations, a point selected on the map or a new address (Figure 24).

Scroll down to highlight the option you want to use as your start point and press Select.
If it's a new address, you will have to tap in address details and press OK.

You must now define your End point (Figure 25). This is done in the same way as the Start point. Once you've chosen your End point, or typed in a new address, press Select or OK.
Your route will be calculated and presented as a list of turn-by-instructions, in a similar way to that described in the section above (Figure 26).

You can then choose to view the route overlaid on an onscreen map by pressing #, as above (Figure 27). Again, you can toggle between instruction list and route by pressing #, and look at sections of the directions by clicking on one of the steps of the route intinerary.

At any time, you can also get a satellite view of the route by pressing 2 on the numberpad (Figure 28).

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