Google maps offers offline caching

[alexalex]

Google Maps for Android Labs Offers Offline Caching

Enable the new Download Offline Maps lab to make sure you never get lost in an unfamiliar area without a data connection, but also check out two existing mobile Google Maps labs you may not have known about.

Access to Google Maps on smartphones has helped millions avoid getting lost when they visit a new place, but until now it only worked if you had a data signal or Wi-Fi. The Download Map Area feature lets you prepare for a trip by choosing a spot in Google Places and downloading the maps for a 10-mile radius of that spot. It's a great way to prepare for your family trip at Yellowstone or a honeymoon in Paris. Keep in mind that the download only stores base map tiles and landmarks, so you'll still need a data connection for directions, Satellite views, Places, and 3D Buildings....

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

[remixedcat]

They are gonna need a more offline version due to all the extreme capping the cell phone providers are doing.(many are only having it at 2GB and for navving that would be blown quickly) it would be nice to have a whole region on your smartphone. You can just download the maps with wifi at home for free and then take it on your trip without needing to be raped on data charges for a 1,000 mile trip. I know that with some prepaid plans some people have had to pay 8 bucks worth of data charges for a 20 mile trip and that all adds up eventually you're paying upwards of 40-50/mo just to navigate. for those people who can't get regular contract data this would be a godsend.

all the data not wasted for just navving can be used for web browsing and many would be very happy about this.

and phone can definitly hold the data... on regular GPS units they have around 4GB of int. mem. and the map usage was around 1.8-3GB for the whole US and 900,000 POIs. and with 16 and 32GB phones and SD cards this shouldn't be a problem with holding the map data on them.

This might have been the only way to do it when phones didn't have much storage, however with more having more storage this should be the norm... and then you'd only connect if there were updates to the roads or POIs... you should also be able to define what you want saved on your phone, like I have no use for stuff like broadway type theaters, sporting arenas, and flickr stream data and those kinda extras... so I would just have the POIs and stuff I want...

This could be very easy...