New Maps Update allows for Map Caching and Nav OFFLINE!!!

[ChuckFarley]

Just saw this article and had a mini freak out. I've been looking for an offline mapping option for some time now, but really didn't find a good option.

Sounds like in a couple of days, Maps will update for android users and you'll have the option to cache map sections for liquid fast scrolling in common areas, as well as offline map access. The icing on the cake is that Navigation is meant to work on the cached maps!

This is pretty huge for anyone who plans to do some traveling overseas. Now instead of downloading a map pack for your GPS or paying outrages data usage fees on your phone if you're out of WiFi range, you can use you're amazing android device of choice and freely navigate unknown territory with the same ease of navigating around home.

I love you Google.

Here's the article:
New Google Maps coming ?in a matter of days?; adds offline mode, vector-based map drawing | BGR | Boy Genius Report

 

[jj3699]

Oh this update is going to be awesome, thanks for letting us know

 

[drdoom]

Can anyone confirm getting this update? I'm on the east coast and nothing yet.

 

[Taylored]

I am not sure this has hit anyone yet. I expect it to hit the 16th.

 

[droidmo]

And its android exclusive right now. Suck it iphone

 

[Colchicine]

Can anyone confirm getting this update? I'm on the east coast and nothing yet.

PLEASE don't start that again.

You will get a notification from the Market to update. As it is stated in the article, it will come out in a few days... but NOT now.

 

[dibs ODDJOB]

Wow, this is pretty huge. I always thought it would be much faster and easier on the battery if my phone didn't have to pull down the same maps of my metro area every time I open maps. I'm usually just checking traffic conditions anyways, which still have to by loaded. I've got lots of memory storage, so let me use it.

 

[ChuckFarley]

Wow, this is pretty huge. I always thought it would be much faster and easier on the battery if my phone didn't have to pull down the same maps of my metro area every time I open maps. I'm usually just checking traffic conditions anyways, which still have to by loaded. I've got lots of memory storage, so let me use it.

That's a good point. It should allow for better battery life and faster charging while you're in the car if the phone's not constantly using 3G to load tiles.

Hopefully they let you choose sd or internal for storage of the cached maps. I have pretty much all of the internal memory free.

 

[wjordan52]

Got my notification last night and updated. Haven't done much with it yet, but soon.

 

[drdoom]

PLEASE don't start that again.

You will get a notification from the Market to update. As it is stated in the article, it will come out in a few days... but NOT now.

You do know I was joking right?

 

[Colchicine]

You do know I was joking right?

 

[Mr. Boom]

Finally!! I have been waiting so long for this!

 

[ChuckFarley]

The new map update is out and it's pretty awesome. The new mapping architecture is much faster and it automatically caches the maps you view; which is good and bad.

I was able to cache a section of my city and view it while in airplane mode and with wifi off. At this point you need to view the area(s) you want to cache at each zoom level to utilize it offline, and unfortunately Nav does not function offline. Or at least you can't start your navigation while offline.

Still, this is an awesome update and will be extremely useful. Now to get the droid community to dream up a way to provide map packs.

I wonder how much memory a full map pack of the US would be, or for that matter, the world...

Ps. I just messed around with the 3d buildings, tilt and twist gestures for a few minutes. This is a superb update, just awesome!

 

[atmasters]

I got the up date and seems a lot faster. Have not tried to nav with out being on 3g but hope it works. I also see that you can veiw in 3D but have not found a setting for that yet ? But still playing with it..

 

[Mr. Boom]

I got it. It caches automatically. I tested it out by running maps, then putting the phone in airplane mode, and trying it again. It cached about 10 miles or so around me.

I wish you could cache ahead of time, on purpose, before you head to a known dead area. That would be awesome!