Ever found yourself loosing your way around Singapore? hmmm this may seems odd; Singapore is a small country and you'd wonder if you'd still get lost? You still can... and most likely...
Following the yellow brick road can a challenge, especially when you still have to find where the road is. Having a map can come in handy ;)... Once, when I was in Hong Kong for an assignment and I decided to walk around on a weekend... and since I didn't know the place, I'd flip open a map just to know where I am :) try going to the Mong Kok or around Causeway Bay area on a weekend on your first time and you'll know what I mean... I would actually open the map right in the middle of a crowd and I couldn't care any lesser; it felt like I was a genuine tourist hehehehe...
These days, with the GPS being available; it's probably a lot easier to travel around without getting lost.
But GPS Service also comes with a bit of a budget, I believe there are subscription fees to avail of GPS Service but I am not that certain though...
Since GPS comes with a price tag, I have taken to using the Google Map for Windows Mobile; on my WM6-enabled phone. It's a pretty handy system; it works just like the actual Google Maps and it's free; where you can search for a place, and find directions on getting there. I am able to look for any locations anywhere in the world even, the same goes for the street names too; provided of that the Map information is maintained at the Google Maps database... there's pretty much a high chance that you'll able to find the place you are looking for... and that's for all over the world ;) However, you need to be connected to the Internet to be able to do the search. Connecting can either by viav WIFI hotspots or via GPRS; just like GPS, GPRS comes with a fee too (based on bandwidth, I believe). But there are WIFI hotspots here in Singapore where I am able to connect for free via Wireless@SG. So, there I go… search for the yellow brick road when lost hehehe
There's another system similar to Google Maps, that's also convenient to use; no need to WIFI hotspots, GPRS or GPS… just a plain old Map application developed specifically for mobile devices. It's the SLA StreetMap Mobile; jointly launched by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and MapKing (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. This system is limited only to Singapore, and it has better details on the places here. You may even be able to find an HDB unit…
I have used these system on an occasion or two, whenever we (me & my wife) seem to be lost… and they do come in handy… hmmm, except for knowing where the North and South are (basic mapping and orienteering, thought during our scouting classes when we were kids)… it's probably a lot easier finding the yellow brick road… happy trails…
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