Cached maps

[82DMC12]

Hi everyone,

I have a Droid Razr Maxx HD. Prior to this, I had a Droid Bionic which I used in UK, France, and Italy without data and with cached maps to keep my location - it worked great.

Now the Maxx HD... A month ago I was in London and Rugby, UK. Anticipating a lack of data services, prior to leaving the US I make sure to cache the maps for the areas I was travelling in, so I could rely on the GPS signal and the cached maps to find out where I am.

Unfortunately, on my arrival, it didn't work that way at all. I just had a blue arrow but none of the map lines would draw in. Totally worthless. It's like it wasn't calling up the cached maps and it kept trying to search for data to get the maps. I ended up calling VZW and getting a global data plan for the 3 days I was there.

Next week I am headed to Abu Dhabi and Dubai where VZW has no global data plan available. I want to use the cached maps but I'm afraid it won't work again.

Anyone have any tips or instructions?

 

[leeshor]

I think I remember seeing something where Google took out the caching ability in an update, but the uproar it caused has made them rethink that and they plan on adding it back but you may be caught in the middle. There are some paid apps that would have worked with just the GPS. (just an fyi)

 

[82DMC12]

Any particular apps you can recommend? I want to download them before being stuck in the desert!

 

[leeshor]

The best one, imo is Sygic. I would provide a link but at the moment the Store seems to be having a problem.

 

[bsweetness]

I think I remember seeing something where Google took out the caching ability in an update, but the uproar it caused has made them rethink that and they plan on adding it back but you may be caught in the middle. There are some paid apps that would have worked with just the GPS. (just an fyi)

It's actually still there, but it's far from obvious. What you have to do is pan out so that the entire map area that you want to cache is on-screen, type "OK Maps" into the search box, and then hit enter. It will then save the map for offline use.

They're going to make it more direct in a future update.

 

[FoxKat]

Tried it, but instead of saving anything, it took me to Oklahoma! What did I do wrong?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[bsweetness]

Tried it, but instead of saving anything, it took me to Oklahoma! What did I do wrong?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

It works just fine for me on the latest version of Maps. I just pulled up the map I wanted, typed in "OK Maps" (without the quotation marks, but keeping the uppercase/lowercase letters as shown), hit enter (or with SwiftKey, the magnifying glass since it's a search bar), and it automatically started caching the on-screen map area. I just double-checked again, and it worked just fine using those steps.

Here's a story over on Droid-Life about it - FYI: Offline Maps Saved by Typing "OK Maps" in Google Maps, Latitude Retires August 9

 

[FoxKat]

Well, instead, I hit the menu button ABD "make available offline" was a selection. I hit it, and a large box showing a highlighted area appeared, along with cancel or done buttons. I zoomed in too the area and hit fine. It cached the map fine.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[bsweetness]

Well, instead, I hit the menu button ABD "make available offline" was a selection. I hit it, and a large box showing a highlighted area appeared, along with cancel or done buttons. I zoomed in too the area and hit fine. It cached the map fine.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

It sounds like your version of Maps isn't up-to-date. That option isn't there in the latest version (7.0.1), but it was in previous versions (and will evidently be coming back in a future update).

 

[FoxKat]

Apparently you're right...

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[bsweetness]

Apparently you're right...

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, the new version started rolling out last week. Perhaps it hasn't made its way around to everyone yet. It's the new overhaul they showed off at I/O.

 

[FoxKat]

Your right. I checked and I'm still up to date. I've UN-checked the auto-update. If the update removes features I'll bypass.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[bsweetness]

Your right. I checked and I'm still up to date. I've UN-checked the auto-update. If the update removes features I'll bypass.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

It doesn't remove the feature. It just makes it a little less obvious. It's still there though.

 

[moset]

It still allows caching by typing in search or saying ok maps.
But gone are many nice features like latitude, replaced with G+ but it lacks ability to navigate or show directions to friends location.
Also measure, large text, all labs. I guess searches look a little nicer but I'm not pleased.
Latitude will be totally gone August 9th. I haven't found a suitable replacement for latitude or maps. Oh well! A step back IMHO.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[FunN4Lo]

Sygic is an awesome navigation app to use without a data connection. I use it on my wifi only tab