Nokia has released a beta update to its Transport solution for Windows Phone. The app is now available as version 2.3 at Nokia Beta Labs for consumers to download and test out available new features. Nokia Transport is a useful tool at a Lumia owner's disposal that enables the user to plan a journey in a covered location using public transport.
Supporting trains, buses, walking, Nokia Transport can also relay what stations and stops are nearby using the location of the device. But the service doesn't simply halt at providing detailed information about public transport. When journeys are planned, Nokia Transport details the road / station of interchange, as well as the total estimated duration of the journey.
And of course, POI (Points Of Interest) are included. So, what's new in the 2.3 beta?
There are four notable improvements included in the update, that are all listed over at Nokia Beta Labs. "Glance and go" is implemented to enable users to keep moving instead of stopping and checking route and service change. Different modes of transportation are displayed in a intuitive (and colourful) interface that easily distinguishes multiple elements / transport in planned journeys.
Viewing previously planned journeys is easier than ever in version 2.3 of Nokia Transport. From the home screen, the user can simply swipe to the left or right and previous destinations are listed, which can then be selected as the current journey. The app will calculate a new route from the user's current location.
Updates to services, new routes and supported cities will be delivered OTA (Over The Air) without the user having to manually fish for the latest content. Finally, improved station search is implemented. Entering the name of a station to perform a search will see Nokia Transport prioritising public transport stations to the top of the results to help combat excess scrolling.
You'll be able to take part in the beta by heading over to Nokia Beta Labs to sign up / login and download the Nokia Transport 2.3 beta. The current, published version (2.1) of Nokia Transport can be downloaded from the Nokia Collection of OEM apps in the store.
Source: Nokia Beta Labs, via: Nokia Conversations; thanks, Antonio, for the heads up!
Reader comments
Nokia Transport 2.3 beta now available for Lumia owners at Nokia Beta Labs
Seriously considering changing from my HTC HD7 which has no support from HTC to Nokia.
Good choice. That is what Nokia wants you to do.
They need to sort out the amount of cities that are covered. I was in Warsaw for a month this summer, a city of nearly 3 million and a capital city. No Nokia Transport.
I was on symbian mind you (808 Pureview) , so maybe I am wrong, But I would imagine the database is the same for both.
it's listed as covered on their site, but it isn't, believe me.
Symbian doesn't have the up to date database like WP at the moment after this update. Though dunno about Warsaw.
oThis new version has support for 109 with full timetables, while there's support for limited amount for 509 cities. It's still in beta so there's time and Nokia will imprive it.
Nokia Transport kinda works in Warsaw, by their database covers so far only the railways, the underground aka Metro (which so far consists of only one silly line) and trams. No love for buses yet. It is consistent with Nokia Maps, so I guess the Symbian version should contain the same data. It's not very usefull with rail only, since our public transport network is huge: http://www.ztm.waw.pl/?c=198&l=2 hence Warsaw is officialy not supported by Nokia Transport.
While it could be a propagation issue the link provided delivers the earlier 2.1 beta instead.
Head on over to the Beta Labs for the 2.3 :-)
i installed from beta labs (not use link from WPCentral)... version is 2.1 (in about 2.0.124.0 beta)... seems v2.3 still not published for download
Ah, thought it was current. Give it a day or two (as mentioned in the Nokia Conversations post). Will update the post to reflect said delay.
Maps, Transport, Drive, 3 separate apps that should really be integrated either together or into the phone experience itself. All this talk about how great Nokia Maps are, and they are, however I still don't see a street view type implementation or 3d. Hope they got this covered coming up here.
the download link is the old 2.1 version
It would be a great app, incredibly fast, good interface etc., except that you can't trust it! And you can't effectively report the flaws. When the metropolitan transport company in the Helsinki area switched to regular timetables after the summer season, the Nokia app lost the Sat and Sun schedules, which makes it completely useless on week-ends. And no, other similar apps have the correct schedules, so the problem lies with Nokia. What's more, things like that make one constantly distrust any other info the app provides.
Just download beta release from marketplace. Very interested, people with Nokia beta site access are able to select any WP from the list of available phone under beta site and download and run (of course if they are perform reg hack) apps. Does this availability of all WP phone on the list meaning that once all Nokia apps will be available commercialy or freely on other WP phones?