| In late July, Google announced that it
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| | minutes.
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| will be offering live traffic information
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| | Although Google's free service doesn't
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| to mobile phones in more than thirty U.S.
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| | identify traffic hazards or accidents, it
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| cities. Plans to provide the traffic
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| | will let drivers know if there is a
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| feature to PCs are still in the works.
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| | clogged road. Google also shows the
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| The Google traffic feature will be
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| | expected drive time for a route when
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| released as an update to the free Google
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| | phone users search for driving
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| Maps for Mobile service, which has been
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| | directions. It has introduced a feature
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| available for 18 months for download on
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| | that lets users save their favorite
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| the Google web site. Google would not
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| | locations and frequently used driving
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| disclose how many subscribers it has, but
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| | directions for future use.
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| it says the number is growing rapidly.
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| | The three search engines are not alone,
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| The feature expands Google's mapping
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| | however. In February, Rand McNally
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| technology into an area where Microsoft
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| | Traffic began offering a downloadable
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| Corp. and Yahoo already have a presence,
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| | mobile application that delivers news of
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| but in different ways. Yahoo and
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| | real-time traffic flow, accidents,
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| Microsoft offer real-time traffic
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| | weather conditions and road closures to
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| information on their Web-based mapping
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| | 94 cities. Rand McNally Traffic is
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| services for PCs. Microsoft has chosen to
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| | available on Sprint, Nextel, AT&T
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| move into the mobile "space" by licensing
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| | Wireless and other services for $3.99 a
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| traffic-monitoring technology for mobile
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| | month.
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| devices to a Kirkland-based startup,
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| | Media giant Clear Channel Communications'
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| InRix Inc. Yahoo currently has no mobile
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| | Total Traffic Network feeds content in
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| traffic service. MapQuest, an AOL
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| | 125 markets in the country to 15
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| property, offers traffic reports over
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| | services. One of them provides the
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| cell phones for $2.99 per month.
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| | information to subscribers with Sprint
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| With typical bombast, Microsoft announced
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| | mobile phones for a $9.99 monthly
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| that when operable, the InRix mobile
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| | subscription. That service is relatively
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| service will actually predict upcoming
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| | new. In addition to weather conditions
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| traffic problems - however currently the
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| | and traffic information, the service also
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| MSN mobile mapping technology provides no
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| | provides data on gas station prices.
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| traffic information at all.
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| | Cell phones are rapidly turning into GPS
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| In the cities where it works, the Google
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| | devices, with localized information as an
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| feature will show traffic conditions on
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| | added feature. It remains to be seen how
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| most major highways - indicating green
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| | many people will turn to their cell phone
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| for clear roadways, yellow for medium
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| | screens for traffic news, one eye on the
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| congestion and red for high congestion or
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| | road and another on the phone. In some
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| stopped traffic. Google Maps will work on
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| | states and several local jurisdictions,
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| most Java-enabled phones offered by
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| | it is already illegal to use a handheld
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| Cingular and Sprint and all color
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| | cell phone while driving. Some of these
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| BlackBerry devices. The service does not
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| | jurisdictions allow hands free use, but
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| currently work on phones from other major
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| | that won't help with a visual feature. It
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| carriers such as Verizon or T-Mobile USA.
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| | will be interesting to see if this new
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| Google Maps sends the data - obtained
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| | functionality is limited by governmental
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| from an undisclosed source - every five
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| | concern over safe driving habits.
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