In case you haven't heard, you can now download a nifty little Java app to your J2ME capable cell phone!

It’s Google Maps on the go, officially called “Local for mobile.” I’ve been using this for the past few days and found it to work quite well, allowing you to search your local area for phone numbers, directions, and even view and move around map and satellite images from your cell phone—just like Google Maps.

It’s easy enough to install. On your cell phone, you’re going to have to type in the following url:
google.com/glm

If that’s too much of a pain, point your Mac’s browser to the same url, and Google will walk you thru the steps of selecting the appropriate software to your phone, and even send you an SMS message to your phone with the software download link. Pretty slick!

From there, on my Motorola V551, Google’s webpage automatically figured out what “browser” my phone used, and asked me if I wanted to download the app. After responding yes and a short download, a J2ME Java app, aptly named “Google Local,” was placed in my Games folder. After selecting it, the app asked me if it was okay to connect to the Internet and I was on my way.

There is a nice interface for selecting what you want to do. The options are controlled by the number keypad. Push:

• 1 to search
• 2 for directions
• 3 to move the map (or just use your phone’s arrows to do it, select zooms in and a soft-button zooms out);
• 4 for satellite image of the selected area

Once you’ve searched, just like on Google Maps, push-pins are placed in the maps viewing area, and again, you can use the number keys to select between the pins. From there, you are given the location info, the ability to make directions to or from, and even call—handy since you’re on your phone, right?

It’s a great little app to download on your phone, I highly recommend it. Well thought out and very easy to use—huh, just like a Mac! It might even give some of us a reason to buy a data plan!

Thanks to Matt Croydon’s::Postneo 2.0 blog for this find—he had it way before all the other sites did.

Do you have any great apps on your phone? If so, please leave a comment and let us all know.