Offline maps for the iPhone

[+user13371]

http://appshopper.com/navigation/g-map-us-west

http://appshopper.com/navigation/g-map-us-east

 

No need for cellular connection, carry the maps in your iPhone.

 

Anybody tried these yet? Earlier releases were not well reviewed and then the app was gone from the App Store for a while. I'm kinda hoping the new release is better and waitig to see what others say before I buy it ...

 

Edit to add: I decided to risk it. Downloading G-Map US-West now. Will review here later.

Edited March 29, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+user13371]

Short version: It works.

 

Somewhat longer: It shows me in the right place on the map, and spot-check of locations I'm familiar with suggest the maps are accurate enough. The maps are easy to read and update smoothly. But the interface is not as polished as Apple's built-in Map or Motion-X's GPS application. Setting up a route and searching for locations takes more steps than the built-in Map program.

 

At $25 and nearly a gigabyte (for just the western 2/3 of the country), this is the biggest and most expensive iPhone app I've bought so far. Since the built-in Map app is free, and Motion-X's GPS app is only $3, that makes it seem like a major purchase. But compared to the size and cost of map packages from other GPS makers, or even the cost pf a good printed road atlas, it's pretty reasonable.

 

The only market for this will be for those of us who want to use the iPhone for road navigation outside of cell-phone data range -- if that's you, then you need this app.

 

But if you're always in Edge or 3G data range -- you don't.

 

A longer review may follow after I've gone for a long hike or bike ride with this in my pocket.

Edited March 30, 2009 by lee_rimar