Rating: 
Review Conditions
Top2Move Lite, V1.63 was installed on a Nokia 5800 XPressMusic, a Symbian S60 5th edition device with Symbian OS 9.4.
Installation
Top2Move comes with a Nokia installer .sis file. Each map comes separately in a set of 2 files, a .map file and a .ogf2 file.
First Look
Top2Move is a Symbian S60 5th edition based user friendly mobile route-navigation system for hikers, bikers, marine environments and other outdoor activities.
Main Review
Top2Move is a navigational cartographic application developed specifically for outdoor activities like biking, hiking, sailing and skiing. You can plan your own routes and share them using SMS or online.
Top2Move comes with high definition proprietary maps for each location that has to be installed separately. The maps come with 1:10,000 scale and you can switch to different locations in a map quite easily.
You can use Top2Move as a simple cartographic application or use the Top2Move functions with the help of the GPS module to create Waypoints and Tracks.
Installing Maps
Maps for each region comes as two files – .map and .ogf2. These files must be placed in the <memory card>/data/SmartComGPS/maps folder.
Loading a Map
In the main menu, click on Map Options to select one of the installed maps and you are ready to go. I picked up the Kitzbuhel Ski maps and Phuket’s maps for this review.
Navigation
Once you have loaded a map, you can Navigate To a point on the map by selecting Tap Screen or by selecting To Waypoint or By Track that already exist in the database. More about Waypoints and Tracks later. As you can see, the Tracks are proprietary files created by Top2Move at the request of the user.
Map operations on top the screen, like Zoom in, Zoom out, Zoom 100%, Where Am I and Mini Map are available. I particularly like the Mini Map feature that lets you browse around a large region at a 30,000 feet level before picking the region you want to zoom into.
Tracks and Waypoints
On existing maps, in the Navigate To panel, custom tracks can be created by selecting Create Track and picking a route that you want to take.
On a track, interesting or vital points of interest for the traveler can be marked as Waypoints and used for navigation. The Waypoint’s GPS coordinates are recorded by Top2Move.
You can create custom tracks in the place you are currently visiting. When a new track is created, the distance of the track is also calculated.
When you select Navigate To and pick the custom track, the distance from your current location to the track is shown and the direction you have to take to reach the track is also given.
Remember to name your Waypoints and Tracks with meaningful names relevant to the specific map because when you are viewing a different map and try to load a track that’s not built on that map, you will be surprised!
When you have Top2Move open, the digital map will move along with you. During movement, your track is being recorded by plotting a trail on your screen so you will never get lost again.
Drive
The Drive function is somewhat like building a Track-on-the-go. Select Drive on the menu and start driving. The GPS follows you and you can create Waypoints on your trip and finally save the track for later use.
Send Position
You can send your current position to a friend by SMS.
There are lots of general settings that lets you control the user experience. Top2Move lets you use the internal GPS built into the S60 device or you can use external GPS devices via bluetooth.
Add-on Packs
Every city or ski resort’s map is available as a separate add-on pack that must be downloaded and installed.
Handling
Finding your way around Top2Move could be a little overwhelming at first because of the large number of operations and options. Over time you will get used to its features and put them to good use. To get the best experience, go to the actual location and start the application, with the right maps.
Weaknesses
A couple of times, Top2Move didn’t start. I had to reboot the device to get it started again. But I didn’t find any weaknesses in Top2Move.
Conclusion
Top2Move Lite V1.63, the .sis application can be downloaded here for Euro 29.50. Hundreds of add-on packs for various regions are available for purchase. Add-on ski packs are available for FREE here. A demo add-on pack for Phuket is available that can be downloaded here for a trial. All other add-on packs are priced at Euro 4.50 but are now available at a 50% discount at Euro 2.25. Top2Move Lite must be purchased before using the maps and it is not available for trial.
With a unique type of service and versatile features like creation of Tracks and Waypoints, Top2Move aims to provide a special experience for bikers, hikers, ski lovers and similar outdoor sportspersons. Its highlight is the availability of hundreds of add-on packs for various regions which make it worthwhile. Unfortunately, I could not try it out in a real location Top2Move is good stuff and I’ll give it 4 of 5.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Top2Move is one of my favorite apps on my Nokia N82. Yes, it works on S60V3, too. Beside the Lite Edition there is also a Pro Edition (which I have). With it you can create and calibrate your own maps. The software runs very stable with internal GPS or with an external Bluetooth GPS receiver. I use it with my selfmade TOPO maps for biking and hiking. It’s also great for Geocaching. I would give it 5 of 5.