Appello's Wisepilot car navigation app, which provides a third party alternative to Nokia Drive, has been updated to version 1.3 and now offers a 5-day trial version so you can try out the service. The app, which was launched for Windows Phone last May, previously did not have a trial version, something that, given the £15 price point, may have been a barrier to sales.

Wisepilot is an off-board car navigation service, with all the map and navigation data stored in the cloud. The advantage of this approach is that map data is automatically updated and only a small amount of internal memory is needed to use the app (relevant on devices with 8GB or less of internal memory), but it does mean you need an always-on connection, which can be problematic in rural areas.

The app offers a good level of functionality with the usual voice guidance, 2D/3D maps, lane assistance, junction views and speed limit information. Wisepilot uses data from NAVTEQ (Nokia) maps, so the the underlying data is the same as Nokia Drive, CoPilot, and NAVIGON. Other features include route choice (fastest, easiest, avoid motorways), nearby (see local places in different categories), weather (5-day forecast), one-line search (a simple search box for everything), guidance for walk, and the ability to access the addresses of contacts in the People Hub as a source for routing destinations. 

Wisepilot is obviously up against very strong competition in the form of Nokia Drive, which is available for free for many Windows Phone users (all Nokia users, and non-Nokia devices in select markets). However, Wisepilot does offer an alternative UI and some additional functionality. It may also be a good choice for those familiar with the same app on another platform (e.g. Android).

While we think most people will still stick with Nokia Drive, the arrival of a trial version should mean that more people will be willing to give Wisepilot a ago, before committing to a full purchase.

Windows Phone Store description:

Wisepilot Navigation Trial offers you an efficient, outstanding and award winning search, map and navigation app. All the Wispeilot features are designed for the Windows Phone Metro design.

With Wisepilot all the maps and navigation data is stored in the cloud. We offer automatically updates to all our customers for free, you never have to worry about navigating on outdated maps again. Wisepilot gives you quality maps from NAVTEQ and Bing for the best navigation experience all over the world.

The trial version of Wisepilot can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store for free. The paid version of the app is available for various regions: Wisepilot Navigator Europe, Wisepilot Navigator Australia, Wisepilot Navigator South America, Wisepilot Navigator Asia, Wisepilot Navigator Asia, and Wisepilot Navigator North America. Each region costs £14.99, with the exception of Europe which costs £16.99.