Probably the number one feature request I get for Berry411 is integration with Google Maps. In fact, many applications could benefit from such integration; imagine being able to map addresses in your Blackberry address book, for example.

There currently exist Blackberry specific APIs which could allow this sort of integration to happen today, specifically
BrowserContentProvider.

I’ve traded emails with someone from Google regarding this possibility. Google will probably allow integration but only via the official Java specification, the JSR-211: Content Handler API now in Final Release. Implementations of JSR-211 will no doubt be widely available Real Soon Now.

Google could allow the five million Blackberry users to enjoy Google Maps integration today via a relatively simple mapping layer to the RIM API. Google’s limited budget seems not to permit phone specific development, however.

In the meanwhile, there is an alternate, easier to integrate mapping implementation I’m looking into.

Google Maps Mobile now displays real time traffic information in more than 30 cities, including Seattle.

Given that the mobile web usually lags PC web sites in functionality, it’s ironic that this functionality is available only on Google Maps mobile, not on the PC.

The quality and interactivity is also quite a bit better than that available on the WSDOT Traffic Site for Seattle, which only displays static images.