Quick question about Google Maps/Navigation

[theophile]

When a driving route is selected and used in Google Navigation, are all the necessary maps downloaded beforehand, or are they loaded as needed, or as you drive into the area? In other words, if I have a route that goes through areas with no reception, will Google Navigation show an empty grid because it can't connect to download the maps, or will all the necessary maps already be in the cache somewhere?

 

[SnotF]

The maps are dled as you're in location. So losing reception =no map. There are other map programs for dl that are stored on the card I believe.

 

[theophile]

Blast. And there's no pre-cache option? I looked at the major GPS navigation program for Android (can't remember the name) but it was way too expensive. I don't do enough driving to justify it, but when I do, it's usually through areas with spotty reception.

 

[SnotF]

Not that I'm aware of. I would search GPS apps in the mkt, there has to be a bunch.

 

[MartinS]

Copilot isn't too expensive. And it's very good.

 

[theophile]

Copilot isn't too expensive. And it's very good.

Yeah, it's $35. That's more than three times as much as I would ever pay for a phone app! I was reading on a Droid forum that Google Nav pre-caches map data for routes but Google Maps itself doesn't. Apparently this was in a press release but I haven't found it yet.

 

[SnotF]

35 is about the same cost as a physical navigation unit...

 

[theophile]

35 is about the same cost as a physical navigation unit...

Exactly. One of the reasons I don't have one.