Nokia Releasing Maps for Competing Devices 57
another random user writes with news about Nokia's Meego/Winphone mapping application being ported to other systems, including Mozilla's Firefox OS. From the article: "Here Maps will initially be released on Apple iOS devices offering downloadable street plans for offline use, and audio-based directions for pedestrians. Nokia is also developing a version for Mozilla's forthcoming Firefox operating system, and will release software tools to allow third parties to make use of its data on Android devices. The move is designed to help the firm compete against Google's rival product."
Re:Offline maps are great when travelling (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Nokia's data source is great (Score:5, Informative)
Doesn't Nokia also own NavTeq, one of the premier mapping companies that provides map data to everyone as well?
Re:Offline maps are great when travelling (Score:4, Informative)
From what I can tell, you cannot navigate or search for addresses while in "offline" mode on Google Maps. If you are already navigating or already have search results up, they will remain, but you cannot pre-download a map and start navigation while offline.
This is not a huge issue for me, since I seldom travel where there is no service, but it would be nice to not have to worry about this at all. I do not know whether Nokia Maps is any better - until now that has been rather academic as it had not supported Android :)
Re:Offline maps are great when travelling (Score:2, Informative)
As someone from Indiana, that isn't fair. I've been all over this state as well as Ohio. Even in its more rural parts there are little tiny towns interconnected. I hung out in a lot of them when I was younger and know that if my car breaks down anywhere in the Midwest I can pick a direction and walk to civilization within an hour or less.
Contrast that with the southwest or worse...Mississippi or Alabama. Even the developed areas in between major cities are completely freaking desolate. No businesses, no services, no people for 60 to 100 mile stretches. When they say "no gas station for..." they mean it.
What I'm trying to say is that the Midwest has a lot, just nothing of note. There's a difference between something and nothing.
Re:Offline maps are great when travelling (Score:4, Informative)
As long as you don't leave the cached route...