At last: Google Maps directions in South Africa

At last Google Maps has gained the ability to provide directions in South Africa! This small but very significant feature was always missing for South African maps. A while back I wrote that hopefully the 2010 World Cup will bring this functionality soon enough, and thankfully here it is now. It is currently available on the Google Maps website, but also on mobile platforms like the iPhone and Android. Here you can see it in action on my iPhone. The interface is simple enough, and the guidelines are clear, turn by turn. No voice navigation though, but its still great. It integrates neatly with your contact’s addresses as well.

Of course the website is even more powerful – here is a screenshot:

PS: To my overseas readers, sorry that I get so giddy about something so small. We South Africans are not used to it yet – we had to rely on dedicated GPS devices or expensive add on software to get this functionality.

Why the 2010 World Cup might be a good thing

Even though I am not particularly positive of the 2010 Soccer world cup being held in South Africa, I am happy that we will definately get a upgrade in terms of first world infrastructure that we so desperately need. Over the past few months there are small changes that have been popping up which is giving me hope:

• Neotel is shaping up to be a decent competitor to Telkom
• HDTV has finally been released (even though it is only one channel)
• Digital TV broadcasting is switched on
• Our public transport will hopefully get a huge upgrade – even though I love cars I believe we need to have the choice of taking a train without being murdered, robbed or raped.
• International services might actually improve – take Google Maps for example. They need to improve South Africa’s maps before the influx of the world’s biggest sporting event. It might actually make the software useful to people who live here as well.

I have a rather big frustration – why is Google Maps in South Africa almost useless? I have been trying to contact Google SA offices for a answer, but I cannot find their contact details. Closest I have come is this little community of them:
http://groups.google.com/group/google-africa-community

Damn, I would help them out if they needed it – I would stick whatever device on my car and help them create the maps if they wanted me too .