Google Maps has just received another update in the Android Market and some exciting and useful new features have been added. GPS stop-by-stop public transit directions is a big feature and currently in beta, a great help for you city goers that use public transit daily. The feature I like but doesn’t seem widely mentioned is the new download map area option under Google Labs.
What this means is you can download complete map info locally to your phone right from Google Maps, then when you go on a vacation or somewhere without coverage you will still have full map data to keep you on track. This is only in Google Labs for now but the feature seems to work great. You can download a 10 mile radius at a time from whatever point you choose. The phone stores multiple downloads so you can have plenty saved for your next trip ahead of time.
For more info on the public transit features check out this video:
The new map download feature would have came in handy for me recently as I just traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and T-Mobile didn’t have what I’d consider a strong signal way up there. Downloading the maps for directions ahead of time would have been great. I’m excited to see all these new features coming into Google Maps and can’t wait to see what else they have in store. Get the latest map from the market at the source link below.
Thanks for the tip Vince!
[via Google Maps]
I have 5.7 but there is no option to download map area as there should be?