Description: SNAV Google Navigator is an Android app that aims to make getting from A to B as painless as possible. How the developers of SNAV want to do this is by leveraging the excellent Google Maps, but rather than replace it or smother it, SNAV aims to make it easier to access. You can think of SNAV as a shortcut to Google Maps, you can simply type an address, hit the button and Google Navigation will start right away. Great for in the car as you can program your home address, five favorites and it’ll remember your last destinations as well, making it super easy to get to where you want to go.
How it Works: As with anything on Android, you’ll need to download SNAV from the Play Store before you go any further. Upon launching the app, you’ll see some controls for the app.
From here, all you need to do is to hit the map search icon and then put in a name of a place or a street number of something similar.
You can put in whatever you want and if Google finds it right away (which is more than likely) then navigation will start right away.
After spending some time with the app, you’ll notice that recent destinations will be available from the main display. Here we can see the local town near me and my local guitar store. I also programmed some favorite locations, so when I hit those numbers I will be navigated to places like my friend’s house and girlfriend’s place.
It works grea tin the corner as everything goes landscape nice and easily and very little is difficult to deal with. It’s a great way of getting where you want to go, quickly and with very few distractions.
Opinion: I love Google Maps, it’s incredibly easy to use, but since they redid the design it’s always taken me a little longer to get to where I want to go. Perhaps I am getting old, or perhaps I can’t get used to the cleaner interface. SNAV however makes using Google’s great app really easy. If I need to visit my local guitar shop for another repair, I can simply but the name of the store in and then start driving, or walking. It’s as simple as that, there’s no steps to go through, you just search and then you can be on your way. On the way back, you can choose from your most recent destinations or just hit the home icon and be on your way back to your front door.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – A speedy app, I had no issues with SNAV, the only thing you’ll need is a decent network connection for the Google Maps side of things.
- Features (4/5) – Sure, it’s only really launching Maps, and Google is doing all the work, but this is a great addition to Google Maps and genuinely makes the process a one or two tap process, there’s even voice search for in the car as well.
- Theme (4/5) – A simple-looking app, the buttons are large and the controls easy to find, making SNAV a great app for easy use.
- Overall (4/5) – SNAV is one of those apps that makes life much easier without changing things too much. Rather than throwing out the wheel, SNAV polishes it up and speeds up the whole process of navigation.
Pros
- Easy to get to grips with thanks to the subtle UI that is good for the car as well.
- Doesn’t just work for drivers, there are walking and public transport shortcuts included as well.
- Starts navigating as soon as you hit the button.
- Great for use in the car with big buttons and voice search, there’s no fiddling with your phone needed here.
Cons
- Doesn’t feel like it’d much use to non-drivers.
- Ads can be offputting, but it doesn’t cost much to remove them at all.
Conclusion: SNAV might be one of those apps that seems a little pointless, but it’s certainly far from it. Great for drivers who don’t want to be fiddling around with their phones at the wheel, SNAV will make the whole process of getting to where you want to go, and getting home again, a lot easier as well as less distracting for when you’re behind the wheel. At the end of the day, SNAV doesn’t change what isn’t broken, just adds a little something extra to make the process easier and safer.