You can now download Google maps of a specific area before you get there so you can still navigate even if there's no signal. Whoop.
How?
pray do tell
i have still got loads of space on my galaxy s2 to fill with stuff. shame battery only lasts 1/2 a day 😯
It's with the new Maps update so check the Market 😀
Fear not Android users, iOS5 is out soon, as is a new iphone, so that switch that you've been considering and trying to talk yourself out of, soon may be the time to do it...
You need the latest version of maps
Menu - More - Labs - download maps
follow the instructions
still don't know how to save a specific area
Once labs thing is activated, go to the area you want to download then long tap the middle of the map. Long tap is just press and hold. A bubble appears, click it and bottom option to download. Select distance and it then downloads.
Enable the feature as per Nicknoxx, then return to the main map view. Long press on an area of the map until the pop up with the address on appears, press the pop up then select "download map area" at the bottom of the list.
Job done...
done that thanks but where is that map stored? can't find it 😕
Just noticed - the maps expire after 30 days - Boo
It is stored within the app. Disconnect all data and browse the stored area...
Is there a way to draw a route on the map? I.e drag the Downloaded map off your phone and edit it then put it back on?
No, they're vector maps rather than images so even if you could find them and get the app to accept modifications it'd be very tricky to do.
I'd expect the in-build navigation to work with the saved map data, though obviously you'll need to calculate the route while you still have coverage.
No, they're vector maps rather than images so even if you could find them and get the app to accept modifications it'd be very tricky to do.
That's wrong they're square bitmap tiles not vector maps at all.
They'll live in the tile cache, which you can get at if you have root access on your phone, but I don't know exactly how it is stored on the phone.
If you're needing routes on offline maps, surely Orux or similar would be a better bet?
That's wrong they're square bitmap tiles not vector maps at all
Pretty certain that a couple of versions ago they changed to vector graphics. They might still be downloaded / stored in tiles or something but this is how they do the 3d / tilt stuff.
I assume satellite imagery is still just images though.
Thanks for posting this.
Could be pretty useful!
That's wrong they're square bitmap tiles not vector maps at all.
Ahem
http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/12/under-hood-of-google-maps-50-for.html
Great news ! Been a big problem for me having to have a signal to use maps.
konadad - i think you need to play with your settings - did it come with bloat ware from a provider? My S2's battery lasts nearly 3 days with moderate use. It only lasts less than a day if i'm playing quake 3 on it for more than a few hours.
Nokia maps has allowed you to download countries or even the entire world for free, for years - in vector format too. And with POIs etc. Not that POIs can compare with Google Search of course.
Is there a way to draw a route on the map? I.e drag the Downloaded map off your phone and edit it then put it back on?
[url= http://scribblemaps.com ]Scribble Maps[/url] lets you draw maps (but doesn't work on phones AFAIK). There is an app on the Android Market called 'Draw Map' but, frankly, unless you've got very dainty fingers, it's pretty rubbish
Oh yeah. Silly me, I assumed it was the same as the desktop one still. No wonder they can suddenly cache so much map without problems now.
Nice work Google getting their whole vector map rendering thing working on a phone, I've only seen slightly rubbish looking stuff like Nokia maps in the past.
Nokia maps are good, what you talking about? I'd say the street maps on their own are better than Google, when you get down to it. Of course Google is a more advanced app overall.