Offline Maps for Android Users

[challapradyumna]

Google announced that it is bringing offline maps to Android phones. This should allow you to navigate by pre-loading maps to mobile devices.
Its maps will be available offline for Android users in more than 100 countries in the next few weeks. The minimum size of an offline map is around 50MB, but some samples will be smaller.
Google says the offline service can provide a map about the size of the San Francisco Bay Area and that the detail will come down to street level. The ‘blue dot’ will still follow you using your device’s GPS unit.
This should help commuters in the underground or places where there is poor cellular coverage quite a bit. It could also assist users in not going over their data caps by pre-loading maps to their devices.


Google Launches Offline Maps For Android

 

[mach9]

I just finished a big roadtrip using Sygic for Android and it's performance was really awesome! What it lacks though, is a smooth and sleek interface that is simple for quick route planning. It would be great if Google got it's navigation features quickly in place along with the offline maps features.

 

[satishcarya]

any tentative dates for the launch?

 

[krishnandu]

Lets see..!!

Currently Nokia Maps is ruling the Offline Maps world..!!

BTW #mach9 How was your experience with Sygic..?? It's free right..??

 

[kvikram]

About time! I've always longed for this kind of feature.

 

[raksrules]

I just finished a big roadtrip using Sygic for Android and it's performance was really awesome! What it lacks though, is a smooth and sleek interface that is simple for quick route planning. It would be great if Google got it's navigation features quickly in place along with the offline maps features.

You had the road trip in India ? Also google navigation is officially not available in India and not sure whether google will open it for outside US markets especially India.

 

[Marcus Fenix]

Lets see..!!

Currently Nokia Maps is ruling the Offline Maps world..!!

BTW #mach9 How was your experience with Sygic..?? It's free right..??

Niet
In the Play Store its about 3k.
But all in all its an awesome apps to have.Total footprint with Indian maps is about 700 MB.Gets a lock fast and shows current speed and all major POIs at least in Kolkata

 

[Rahul++]

Lets see..!!

Currently Nokia Maps is ruling the Offline Maps world..!!

BTW #mach9 How was your experience with Sygic..?? It's free right..??

Sygic is the best navigation application for Android. I have MapMyIndia maps along with Sygic. Very detailed and accurate navigation. Very detailed map having almost all POI. It is not free, you need to pay for it.

None of my trip is complete without Sygic navigation.

 

[krishnandu]

Thanks for sharing your views

Sygic India costs around $50..!!

 

[bhati]

Thanks for sharing your views

Sygic India costs around $50..!!

But u can download the *ahem version too

 

[krishnandu]

Edit that, otherwise you may get infraction.

 

[mach9]

I'm sorry for replying late to this thread...

yea i did the road trip to Goa from Bombay via Karnataka. Took the Chorla Ghats.

I had sygic aura loaded with the mapmyindia maps latest updates. They were surprisingly accurate.

The only issue i had was with the rerouting a couple of times when i missed an exit in Karnataka and once while in Goa. It would simply insist on routing my via a long roundabout route whenever i missed a turn ... when in actual.. there were atleast 2 other easier options to reroute and get to the destination.

The interface is simply awesome and easy to use. Combined with the SGS 2 Car Dock.. the large screen and the latest maps made it an absolute joy to use.

Hands down Sygic is the best.

 

[Praks]

Nokia Maps has one of the best GUI.

Cygic is pretty bad interms of GUI. Wish they have polished ones.

 

[Rahul++]

I was in Pune for couple of days. I had Sygic Map as well as Google Maps on my phone. I downloaded Pune City map on Google Maps just to check how does it performs. UI is great, accuracy is excellent works the way it should be. Maps are not as detailed as Mapmyindia maps but they do the job.

 

[Praks]

Google maps requires GPRS connection, too much of badwidth waste.

GPS rocks, travel whole day free of cost.

 

[ch@ts]

I've been using offline maps and never had to use gprs. I downloaded my maps (about 10 mb each) for bombay and pune using wifi. So no mobile data usage at all. Works very well, but if you dont want to use data you've got to plan in advance and mark your destinations in advance.