What Is iGo for the iPhone?

by Melissa King
Navigating through a large city can be easier with iGO for your iPhone.

Navigating through a large city can be easier with iGO for your iPhone.

Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images

If you own an iPhone, you don't need to buy an external GPS device to help you navigate through unfamiliar areas. The iGO app, for the iPhone, provides turn-by-turn, three-dimensional navigation and access to a variety of points of interest. As of February 2011, this app is available for $24.99.

Navigation and Points of Interest

The iGO app can be used to guide you to virtually any destination using the type of route you want. Routes available include the fastest, shortest and most economical, as well as routes that let you drive on main roads only. Points of interest, or POIs, can be accessed with the touch of a button. By selecting any POI with a phone number, you may call it directly from the iGo app.

Text-to-Speech and Language Support

When you use iGO to get directions, the app's Text-to-Speech feature announces street names, as well as the names of cities and highways. Multiple languages are supported, including Spanish, Russian, Italian, German and French.

3D Visualization and Smart History

The iGO app uses three-dimensional maps and detailed models of buildings and landmarks to help you find your destination. Terrain such as mountains and valleys are also depicted in 3D. The app also uses smart history to learn the user's most-visited destinations, and the most common times and days of travel. With this information, the app automatically develops a custom list of routes.

Smart Keyboard, Touchscreen and Map Exploration

When entering a street or city name into the iGO app, the smart keyboard automatically completes the entry for you. The touchscreen supports two-finger or one-touch operation, depending on the user's preferences. To look around the map, the user can explore in either 2D or 3D mode, and rotate it or zoom in for a better view.

Vehimarkers and Lane Assistance

The iGO app can be customized with special position markers, called Vehimarkers, that resemble realistic, three-dimensional cars, bicycles and pedestrians. While driving, the iGO's lane assistance feature helps drivers know which lane to enter when exiting the highway or making a turn.

About the Author

Melissa King began writing in 2001. She spent three years writing for her local newspaper, "The Colt," writing editorials, news stories, product reviews and entertainment pieces. She is also the owner and operator of Howbert Freelance Writing. King holds an Associate of Arts in communications from Tarrant County College.

Photo Credits

  • Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images