This is an interesting sales model for a navigation solution. Give away free navigation data (maps and routing) and permit well known brands to by positions on the maps. (e.g. McDonalds locations etc.) You’re probably thinking ‘Google’ at this point aren’t you. Well no its not them, its Nokia’s Gate5 organisation along with Tele Atlas and Navteq maps. Its targeted at mobile phones and the idea is that you download each map as required. The carrier will presumably get the benefit from data sales. Note too that the offering doesn’t include the critical component for live navigation. Turn-by-turn instructions is an extra that you have to rent. From three weeks to three years license rental is possible.

The service will be available for mobile phones and supports GPS receivers but the details of the platforms are, as yet, unknown. According to WindowForDevices Nokia plans to support “most of the major mobile OS platforms.” Presumably that doesn’t mean Windows XP and Vista so there’ll be nothing for UMPCs but its interesting to note that they plan to support Linux. Up until now there have been very few options for Linux. Is this something that we’ll see for the N800? It clashes head-on with Nokia’s existing Navigation software for the 770 and N800.

Smart2Go goes line on Feb 10th 2007 and will be available here