Google Maps for Android Labs Offers Offline Caching

http://lifehacker.com/5819742/google-maps-for-android-labs-add-offline-caching-scale-and-measuring-tools

by arunagarwal • 14 years ago

17 11 14 years ago

mmanfrin• 14 years ago

This has been around for a while. Also, it's less than ideal, as it is simply a cache of the map (meaning no directions). Its good if you need a traditional map map, but not so good if you're used to the robustness of having a smartphone map.

jfno67• 14 years ago

I used it while abroad. Since the GPS works, you can see where you are on the map, which is a big plus over only a paper map. Obviously getting data access would be even better, but it's a nice free alternative.

LaSombra• 14 years ago

IIRC this feature was available as a Labs experiment on the Android version

pkulak2• 14 years ago

Seems like Google announced this event out of pure fear, then only later scrounged up some content for it.

nailer• 14 years ago

They've already had offline maps in labs for around a year I think - go into labs, enable 'offline caching', click an area, then 'cache for offline' - it'll grab a 10 mile square of the map around the pin.

The announcement seems to be that the feature is coming out of beta.

BHSPitMonkey2• 14 years ago

Yep. At today's event they revealed the polished version of the feature, which lets you define the area to cache by hand, and provides a formal UI for managing your cached areas and telling you how much data it will require. Here's the demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw#t=3551s

BHSPitMonkey2• 14 years ago

Yeah, I'll agree that the event didn't really seem necessary, though the part of the talk about the products' history and development was interesting, as well as looking at the new Street View devices. The really interesting part for me was at the end, when they showed off their new 3D city modelling efforts. Really amazing stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw#t=4296s

jawns• 14 years ago

Ah, so it's like an authorized version of Mobile Atlas Creator and TrekBuddy.

derwiki• 14 years ago

I read this and got it set up literally on the BART ride to the airport, going to a place I've never been (Turkey). I love living in the future.

andybak• 14 years ago

The post is dated July 10, 2011 people...

pkulak2• 14 years ago

Haha! Oh wow, I need to pay attention more.

Google Maps for Android Labs Offers Offline Caching

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