Maps With Me Lite is an offline mapping app for mobile devices
I do not use maps that often, usually only when I'm in a foreign country or a city that I do not know my way around in. A map was helpful when I traveled to Jerusalem for instance as I was not there before.
When it comes to mapping apps that you can take with you on your smartphone, it is often a good idea to make sure that you use one that makes the maps available offline.
The two main reasons for doing so are costs and speed. If you have to use the Internet to download maps, it may cost money to do so, especially if you are in a foreign country, and it may also take time before the data is downloaded to your device.
A mapping app that provides you with the means to prepare everything at home, download all relevant map bits there using your Internet connection, is often helpful.
The mapping apps of Microsoft and Google offer offline access but it is something that you need to request manually in the app and it is not always the most comfortable.
Maps With Me Lite is a free mapping application for various mobile operating systems that makes things easier.
Note: You may want to open the settings and disable the sending of statistics which is enabled by default. Here you can also change the measurement units from miles to kilometers, and check the used map storage.
The Android version comes as a 50 Megabyte download that brings along with it the world map but not regional maps that you may be after.
To get those, you zoom in until you see a download option. Some countries are divided into multiple regions while others may not, depending on size and available.
Germany is for instance divided into several regions with North-Rhine Westphalia being one of them.
Instead of zooming in to download maps, it is also possible to select maps from the settings menu. Here you find listed all continents and larger areas, and then individual countries and sometimes regions, to download maps. The Israel map has a size of 20 Megabyte for instance as a single download while you will find seven downloads for the UK. England is the largest map download here with a size of more than 320 Megabyte.
Once you have downloaded a map, you can use the download menu to jump straight to its location in the world.
The lite version lacks two features that many may find essential. The first is access to a search. Only the pro version supports search which you may not always be able to work around.
The second feature is bookmarking. It is often helpful to bookmark certain places so that you can jump to the again at a later point in time.
If you compare the app to Google Maps, Here Maps or Bing Maps, you will also notice that it does not feature options to display directions among other things.
With that said, if all you require is a mapping software that supports offline access, then Maps With Me may be worth a try.
Mapdroyd offers pretty much the same functionality – and is free: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osa.android.mapdroyd&hl=en
It’s a good enough offline mapping solution.
why pay for an app when the functionality is already included (assuming you can plan a bit ahead) in Google Maps already?
Here’s how you save maps for offline viewing in version 7 of Google Maps:
Open Maps: Open the Maps app, and go to the area you’d like to save for offline use.
Type OK Maps: Tap the search bar at the top of the screen and type, “OK maps.†If typing is a little low-tech, then if you tap the microphone, you can tell it, “OK maps,†instead.
Let the download begin: After tapping the search key, Maps will start downloading your selected location, and you’ll see an on-screen message saying it has cached the chosen area once it’s done. It seems you can drag the screen around, and zoom in and out to ensure Maps will continue caching until you get tired of it, or the phone runs out of storage space.
Info stored in a new area: Another key difference is the way Maps stores the cached information. Instead of appearing under the My Places menu, you just scroll back to the area and the information will be ready and waiting.
First, you do not have to pay for it if the lite version is sufficient. Second, I have stopped using Google Maps and won’t use it anymore.
while you may not use Google there seems to be millions that still do its there free to use
I use as few G-apps as possible. Not that it prevents them owning all of “my” data, or anything – just; it removes my consent from them doing so.
is there a reason you aren’t using Google Maps anymore?
Yes: https://www.ghacks.net/2014/07/02/slow-withdrawal-things-google/
Fine if you want to hand-over your travel plans to Google + partners (nudge/wink).
I grabbed this off the Appstore last night. I opted for the paid version, for using with bookmarks. I live in a new city and don’t always have access to good cellular access. I like that it adds bus stops as well, as this is something I use often. I requested from the developer the option of adding notes to bookmarks. The idea being I could leave notes with routes and times on various stops, or times places are open. Maybe prices for pints at places I visit. Making it faster and easier for me to navigate around the city, while keeping my batteries from draining from constant map downloading.
Just downloaded this app to my phones. Real handy for when I travel to places with bad connections. Thanks for the find.