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Nokia's Here Maps app is coming to all Windows 8.1 devices

Nokia's Here Maps app is coming to all Windows 8.1 devices

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Nokia Here Maps
Nokia Here Maps

If Bing Maps hasn't been getting the job done on your Microsoft Surface, you'll be glad to hear there's another option on the way: Nokia's Here Maps. The company says it will "soon" launch its mapping software for all Windows 8.1 devices. Until now, it's been available exclusively on the Lumia 2520 tablet (and of course Windows Phone 8 smartphones). Nokia describes Here Maps as an "all-in-one mapping solution, combining vector, satellite and 3D maps, points of interest, search and route planning." It will obviously be familiar to anyone that's used the software on Windows Phone, but Nokia claims that Windows 8.1 and more powerful hardware bring new benefits.

First and foremost, the app is faster now. Once you've downloaded a country's map for offline access, it will load "as quickly as your computer can manage," Nokia says. For easy reference, the app will also keep track of your search history and navigation routes you've entered. Satellite imagery is available at higher resolutions than before, and since it will be available across a wider array of hardware, Here Maps has picked up keyboard and mouse support  — "a more useful option" for desktop users, according to Nokia. Here Maps for Windows 8.1 will debut in the coming days, launching first in North America and Europe before expanding elsewhere.