We wrote a few weeks back about how to get Google Maps Navigation to work for Android users outside of the US. Navigation worked great and was very functional. However, as can be expected, Google have externally closed the loophole preventing users from using the service outside of the US. When loading up navigation now you get simple message saying “No Route Found – Navigation to your Destination Not Possible”.
The thread on XDA Developers explains what is happening and what their teams are trying to do to get around it again. Ideas currently being worked on include looking in to using a proxy server to give the appearance to Google that you are in the US although I am sure it will be another cat and mouse game where users create a way around the restriction and Google in turn, close it off.
Keep your eye on the XDA thread to follow along if you are wanting to use Google Maps Navigation outside the US. Hopefully Google will open it up in 2010 sometime and sort out the licensing issues that are causing it to be blocked for now.
> […] as can be expected, Google have externally closed the loophole
> preventing users from using the service outside of the US.
And why could it have been anticipated they might shut it down?
Easy – because Google’s domestic and overseas maps come from
different sources. European maps-data is provided by TeleAtlas,
so Google are subject to the terms of that agreement. Cutting off
unauthorized access spares them some legal hassles and/or costs.