Google announced today that it is launching Google Maps Navigation in 11 new countries. These include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.

Google Maps Navigation is Google’s GPS navigation system, and this would be version 4.2 of the service. It works on Android devices 1.6 and higher, and provides turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps.

Voice search is one of the more convenient features of phones these days (at least when it works). AT&T Interactive has launched the latest version of its Yellow Pages app YPMobile, and it comes with voice search, which should make the app a great deal more useful.

Back in 2007, Microsoft acquired Tellme Networks, the company that provides the Tellme service, which is a technology that allows mobile users to "get what they want" on their phones with their voice.

Today Microsoft announced Bing411, which is essentially voice search powered by Tellme. This can be accessed at 1-800-BING-411 or 1-800-246-4411.

Carefully weigh how much you dislike typing on cell phones against how much you want to keep private whatever you’re researching.  Then, if you dare, check out the new voice search abilities connected to Google Maps for mobile.

A leaked .cab file reveals Microsoft is working on a Bluetooth-enabled voice search application for Windows Mobile.