Scout Review

Scout Review

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Scout, formerly Telenav GPS Navigator, is the re-branded turn-by-turn GPS Navigation app. We demo it on an iPhone, it will be available for Android smartphones soon. Showcasing the app’s features include a convenient dashboard with pre-determined navigation & driving conditions, local “points of interest” quick search, maps with traffic, red light cameras & speed traps, weather forecasts and much more.

Scout is not only a re-brand of the navigation product for mobile, but it also extends to the Web and cars. The idea is to research a place or event on the Web, say from your laptop. You can then log in from your phone or car to continue the search and more convenient; use either separately or in tandem to route you efficiently to your destination. Sounds like a commercial for the company? Maybe so, however, once you experience the trio first hand, you’ll know exactly what I mean. So let’s describe each:

Scout Mobile App

Scout GPS Navigator Dashboard

From the Dashboard, you can see a snippet of or get quick shortcuts to major portions of the application:

• Search your destination (although you can use Siri, sadly, there is no voice search directly integrated into the app… yet!)
• Current weather conditions by your current location.
• Small map with current traffic conditions.
• Popular “Places” i.e. food, coffee, gas, etc.
• Estimated drive home & work times based on current traffic conditions.

If you want more options in each of these they can be expanded with a tap. When you find a place or venue within the app, it has detailed information including phone number, user reviews & ratings, plus if you like you can share from the app, and most important the address and quick access to get simple directions or voice guided turn-by-turn navigation.

I didn’t expand on my “quality product” statement in the review video above, however, in my experience with the product this area is where it shines over Google Maps Navigation. For starters, the audible voice sounds more natural over the robotic sound of the search giant’s. Next, finding destinations and routing is far more accurate on Scout. In my experience, there have been far too many times where I’ve put in a destination on Google Maps, whether spoken or written, and if you don’t double-check where Google is routing you; it will route to a generic intersection of the two listed states. In Chicago, we have plentiful expressway and traffic. However, sometimes in routing to the north side of the city, it will mis-route to an intersecting expressway, instruct to exit that expressway only to get right back on to resume the initial expressway.

This app is a freemium product, meaning you can get the core features such as the dashboard, points of interest quick search, maps and even basic directions. The paid version gives voice guides, red light cameras & speed trap alerts and more. The constant question that emerges still, “why pay for this when I can get is free with Google or combination of other apps?” I’ve personally seen the metrics and strategy in this product and still conclude that it is an accurate navigation app with plenty of features people are willing to pay for. Not to mention, iPhone users do not have native voice-guided navigation in their Google Maps app. Plus it helps that this product pre-installed on most of the major U.S. carriers, i.e. Sprint Navigator, AT&T Navigator, etc.

Scout.me for the Web

Scout.me is a mash-up site that brings local events to you. From the website you can search find or discover from a number of categories to start an outing. Logging in allows for seamless sync of places from the smartphone app or your car if equipped.

Scout for Cars & Other Car Apps Platforms

Scout can enter the car in various ways:

• Brought-in, an extension of the smartphone app projected onto an in-car dashboard display formatted for the larger screen. We first saw this debut back at CES 2012, check out the video demo.
• Built-in, similar to above, however, the marketshare of new vehicles with the dash is almost non-existent at the time of writing.
• Apps platforms, such as Ford’s SYNC AppLink, allowing you to speak to the car’s system and control your smartphone app.

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