The Web's Best Mapping Sites

Mapping and Location Services for Your Cell Phone

You're out and about and need some quick information, or you simply want to find out where you are or whether your buddies are close by. Grab your cell phone and try one of these free and low-cost services.

Tell Me All About It

Call Tellme (800/555-8355, or text 83556) and say "weather," "sports," "news," "taxi," "airlines," or "driving directions." You'll see a map, directions, or search request results on your cell phone (you'll need to download a small application first). The service works with AT&T and Sprint phones. Note: Tellme was acquired by Microsoft earlier this year.

Keep Track of Yourself

Trimble Outdoors has a trio of subscription-based tools that use your cell phone to show you exactly where you are and where you have been. In real time, its AllSport GPS records your walk, jog, or bike ride; you can see your route immediately on your cell's screen and keep a record on the service's site. It works with most Garmin and other popular GPS devices (plug-in required). If you're into geocaching, where you try to find hidden treasures or do other tasks using a GPS, you'll get a kick out of Trimble's Geocache Navigator service. Trimble Outdoors also gives you a way to plan routes and trips with street, satellite, and topological maps. The cost for all three is $7 per month.

Get a Jott Jolt

If you have a reminder (or bright column idea) to send to yourself, or a message that you need to get to a friend or a bunch of buddies, use Jott. Call 877/568-8486 and record a voice message up to 30 seconds long that the service transcribes into text and sends as a text alert to the e-mail addresses or mobile phones of your choice. Jott even saves the messages for future reference. You can also import your Web mail address book.

Don't Dodge Me

If you want to locate your pals, or let them find you, sign up for the Dodgeball service, and use your cell phone to let them know where you are and to find out where they are. Available in over 22 cities, Dodgeball lets you broadcast your location by texting your street address or other information about your locale to 36343, along with a text message--and maybe a snapshot of you and Paris. In no time, you'll be surrounded by friends, and maybe a hundred paparazzi.

Find Out Where to Go

Nature calls, even in the big city. So when you're running all around town, you may need to know where you can go on the go. MizPee has the answer, providing the location of clean, dependable lavatories. Use your phone's browser to access the beta service, or (easier) text your city and state to 415/350-2290.