Keep screen On while in Google Maps?

[fixmdude]

iPhone newbie question, (returned my Pre because I liked my iPod Touch 1.0 better.) Got the 3GS and I'm happy. One day after getting it I couldn't find County F on my Garmin because I didn't know that it was called Highway 51 in the Garmin. So I turned on the 3GS, opened Google Maps, asked it to locate where I was, then to give me directions to County F, which it then showed me was 51 and showed me the shortest way to get there... cool.
I started driving and the little blue dot saying where I was moved too so I could follow how far I was getting and exactly when to turn... cool.
The screen kept going black, and I had to push the bottom button and slide the unlock bar while driving over and over... not so cool.
Besides the setting in Settings where you can keep it from going to sleep ever, can one tell the 3GS to just not go to sleep in some programs like Maps without turning off sleep everywhere?
Thanks!

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iMac 24" 2.8 Extreme, MBP 13" 2.53, Mac Mini 2.0/9400 media center, AppleTV (blah), iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 1, iPod Touch 2, Palm Centro.

 

[rKunda]

I might be wrong, but I don't think you can, unless a certain app has the feature.

 

[fixmdude]

I might be wrong, but I don't think you can, unless a certain app has the feature.

Then I have my first complaint about the iphone. The screen doesn't go black every few minutes while you are watching a movie, so why would it be set to keep going black while using the built-in Google Maps and Location Services for Driving Directions? An oversight that I am formally announcing to Apple here on this public board. Behold the voice of man.

 

[abijnk]

Apple doesn't support Google maps as a turn-by-turn aid for driving directions, so there isn't really a need for it in that context (too much liability, I guess). I'd say when official turn by turn apps start really rolling in they will keep the screen on while in use. One thing you can do, however, is set the auto lock to never when you want to use the maps for actually getting somewhere.

 

[fixmdude]

Apple doesn't support Google maps as a turn-by-turn aid for driving directions, so there isn't really a need for it in that context (too much liability, I guess). I'd say when official turn by turn apps start really rolling in they will keep the screen on while in use. One thing you can do, however, is set the auto lock to never when you want to use the maps for actually getting somewhere.

If it truly is Apple's policy to not support Google Maps for driving directions, then Apple is sending mixed signals. The iPhone came with Google Maps pre-installed, and when the program is opened, it has 3 options at the top for what type of directions you are requesting: Car, Transit, or Pedestrian. It might not be a vocal turn-by-turn, but it is a visual turn-by-turn through maps and written words, which, I would submit to you, makes viewing the screen an even more necessary component during travels, regardless of the method selected.

 

[dlemmon]

If it truly is Apple's policy to not support Google Maps for driving directions, then Apple is sending mixed signals. The iPhone came with Google Maps pre-installed, and when the program is opened, it has 3 options at the top for what type of directions you are requesting: Car, Transit, or Pedestrian. It might not be a vocal turn-by-turn, but it is a visual turn-by-turn through maps and written words, which, I would submit to you, makes viewing the screen an even more necessary component during travels, regardless of the method selected.

Seems more dangerous to have to keep unlocking the screen every time. they gotta know that people are going to drive while doing this. they should have the warning, and then make it as safe as possible for people to ignore the warning and take the risk.