If you have a small portable GPS.

For example, sometimes when you travel with your car
in a non familiar region, you get lost. Here is what you
can do to get directions.

A) Find a safe location on the side of the road where
    you can park your car.

B) Start your portable GPS and get a position Latitude
    and Longitude of the location where you are, that
    means your vehicle.

C) Start your Google maps for mobile and press the
    menu " Find Location " / " Enter an address " and
    write down the Latitude and Longitude of your vehicle
    as follows: Ex: N 45 37 17.5, W 73 48 57.0 and press
    OK. (You can get more info on all possible formats
    used to enter a Latitude and Longitude in Google
    Earth to this address.)

http://www.keyhole.com/GoogleEarthHelp/GoogleEarth.htm#Places/Reposit...

D) The mapping of your location will appear. At the
    center of your screen, you will find a red icon(1)
    which is the actual location of your vehicle. If needed,
    you can zoom-in (get closer to the ground) or a
    zoom-out (move away from the ground). Don't forget
    that you can execute rapid zooms (two or more
    zooms in sequence without waiting for the result of
    the previous zooms). You can toggle from the Map
    View and the Satellite View.

E) If this overall view is not sufficient to indicate the
    directions that you have to follow, Google Maps for
    mobile can create a list of directions for you. In the
    menu, press " Directions " and choose the position
    of your vehicle as your " Start Point " and any location
    you know  (ex: home) as the " End Point ". The
    directions that you have to follow will appear on your
    screen in multiples segments. You can toggle back
    and forth between segments. Before starting your car,
    be sure to reset to zero, the trip odometer of your car.
    Look on your screen and read the direction and the
    distance you have to follow for the first segment.
    Verify also if you have to change direction by making a
   180 degrees turn. Memorize or note the length of the
   first segment in km. Start moving your vehicle and at
   the same time, keep an eye on your odometer to find
   how much distance (km) you have to go, to get your
   next segment. When you arrive close to the beginning
   of the next segment, activate the next segment on your
   screen for the next instructions to follow. Reset always
   your odometer at the beginning of a new segment and
   follow the same procedure for the remaining segments.
   The mapping will show the beginning of each segment
   as you move.

Anywhere you move, you can access the local
information of that place. (Google Local).

To get this info, you select in the menu " Find Business "
and you enter " restaurant " for example, and you press
OK. You don't have to indicate the location of your
research. Google Local will start the research of any
restaurants in the region located in the center of the
screen of your mobile. So, before using this menu,
it is very important to locate the center of your screen
over the location "where" Google Local should start
his research.

If you have Google Earth on PC.

When you are surfing the world with Google Earth on
PC, you have the ability to extract the latitude and the
longitude of any locations that are important for you.
Make the necessary moves and zooms to identify your
place precisely, and place your cursor over a detail of
that location. Look at the bottom of your screen and
write down the latitude and longitude of your location
(your cursor). You can write all those coordinates in
a text file on your mobile.

For example, compare the places of this list on Google
Earth on PC and on Google Maps for mobile. You can
make a copy/paste of these coordinates.

Pink rabbit in mountains
N 44 14 39.63, E 07 46 11.16
Mickey Mouse smiling
N 48 48 19.71, E 02 07 03.99
2 people playing tennis
N 42 21 47.14, W 71 06 46.49
Eiffel tower
N 48 51 30.93, E 02 17 40.50

If you apply identical levels of zoom on both Google
applications, the Plan View or Satellite View will be
the same.

If you don't have Google Earth on PC

You can also extract coordinates from a version for
Google Maps on PC adapted by InfoSports at this
address.

http://www.infosports.com/m/map.htm

With this version, you must precede your coordinates
by E or W, N or S, because the longitude precedes
the latitude.

Ex: W 73.8158333333, N 45.6215277777

I have to agree that there ought to be the capability to link a GPS
unit with GMM.  Given the number of both wired and BT GPS options, I am
hoping that Google is working a GPS solution for GMM.  I currently use
Pathaway4 as my GPS mapping interface (with unlocked Cingular Treo 650)
but it still requires that I scan and load images (maps - either JPG or
GIF) and then calibrate the image to the program.  Amazingly useful for
navigation, but without the POIs available from a more comprehensive
GPS mapping software solution (read: expensive).  Being able to merge
my GPS with GMM would provide the best of both worlds without the
exorbitant price normally associated with a GPS package.  I'm not
necessarily talking about talking directions or the host of other
amenities available in current mapping software (Tom-Tom, Garmin,
etc...) but just the ability to see yourself and track your movement
via GPS.

I have to agree that your method would be useful in a pinch but should
be something that Google can integrate into the software.

Jim.

Like you, me and many others, we were hoping that
Google will develop in near future "the missing link".
A GMM version that will integrate GPS.
I dont think anymore that Google will do it
for those reasons. The actual version integrate
already, a lots of technologies. Ex:

1.GMM is available on the WEB using a PC,
   a mobile PDA like HP, Palm.../
   a mobile Phone like Nokia, Sony-Ericsson.../
   OS operating system like Window mobile, XP, Java.../
   cell phone network like Rogers, Bell, Sprint, Orange.../
   Google servers of data containing, processing,
   distributing in real time (georeferenced) Maps,
   photos, satellites images, traffic data, directions,
   Google Local (Points of Interest) and Yellow pages)
   Maintaining constant upgrade of data and software
   in North America and Europe.
   AND ALL THAT, FOR FREE!!!

2. "The missing link "
    Positionning the phone in real time on the map

   3 systems available:
   "American GPS" and 2 equivalents
   "European GALILEO" and "Russian GLONASS"
   GPS using Bluetooth technology like Garmin, Magellan.../
   GPS Integrated in PDA or Cell Phone like HP, Nokia.../
   Also the GPS of the future called (Assisted GPS) A-GPS
   already incorporated on many cell phone like Samsung.../
   also called Enhanced 911 (E911) using technology
   like Global Locate.../

In reading paragraphe no.2, we see now, how great is the
task to integrate "the missing link "in one little cell phone
with all those different brand name and technologies in GPS.
I am amazed what Google have already done and I know
why Google have distribute for free the API of GMM. This is
an invitation to the hardware and software developper to take
responsability and to adapte GMM to their own equipment.

GMM as already that quality to receive a coordinate.

Because each GPS receiver as its own operating software,
the missing link has to be adapted to Each brand of GPS.

The best people to do this job, are the ones who have
develop the GPS operating software.

| Philippe Furlan
| Founder of SearchQuest, Inc.
| Mobile Enthusiast, GIS Hobbyist, Software Writer,
| Video Producer, REALTORR, French Born
| Cell Phone: (209) 631-7856   8:00AM - 6:00PM PST
| http://www.SearchQuest.com - Mobile 2.0 Location Based GPS Search.
| http://www.MapForPDA.com - Map for PDA Phone.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree with you that the real problem is not technical
but rather political and financial. There is at this moment
a lot of movement between the developpers of hardware,
software and georeferenced data. They want to find their
right place in this new and huge market of geomatics.

Another app you can try is the NavXS client (http://navxs.com)

Using a integrated or external (bluetooth) GPS you can see your own
position on a map (Google, Yahoo, MSN or Ask). The main feature is,
however, that while logged in to the NavXS service, you can share your
position with others in real time. Thus, you can see how your
configured contacts are moving about and exchange instant messages for
free (data traffic fees might apply). Quite practical for impromtu
meetings in unfamiliar parts of town ;-)

Oh, and there is a web client that that you can use while at home or
work etc.

Note: Still in a beta phase!

The app is not really focused on finding direction (I do not want to
compete with big players here, even if you can partially try to get
some directions) but more on other usage...