Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

I have a job Interview on the 8th and have a general idea where to go. I will be walking there which should take about 50 minutes and wish to use Ovi Maps to show and update my current location while showing a path to my destination.

I am able to do the majority of this offline with no Internet connection. My current location updates when I press the red button icon and I am able to scroll the map over if need be. What doesn't work offline is searching for a location, so am I right in saying I have to use my local wi-fi connection before I leave to setup the route? Or is there a way to setup the route offline when I am outside my wi-fi range? I could connect via 3G but this would use up some of my credit which I prefer to avoid if possible.

Perhaps there is a way to download my city so I can use offline?

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

I have a similar question ... I have seen comment elsewhere that it is not possible to use Maps on the N900 offline: is this true?

On my current Nokia I have maps for all of Europe loaded onto the phone, which means I can use it and do searches regardless of whether I have an internet connection.

This is a major advantage for me, compared to other mapping applications such as Google maps. It is one of the reasons I have stuck with Nokia. I don't want to move to an N900 if this facility isn't available.

Can someone clarify for me?

Thanks

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

How do I preload cities so I can run searches offline inside OviMaps?

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

On Symbian phones (have done this on an N95 and an N97) there is a bunch of files you can download to your PC from somewhere and then stick in the relevant folder in the phone memory, using the USB cable on "mass memory" setting.

Alternatively you use the "Nokia Maps Loader" application on your PC. There is a Mac version too but I found this didn't work (surprise surprise).

Exactly how you go about it on the N900 I don't know but I think there's a thread on here somewhere - do a search for "maps".

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

I read somewhere (on these forums) that the "Search" in the n900's ovi maps is done on the server side.. So if you want to search you gotta be online -_-.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Can someone confirm this? I will run a search shortly to see if I can find out but I am getting mixed messages here...

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Where's the mixed message? Everything I've read, and my experience with Ovi Maps, suggests that you can't search offline. You CAN however use the GPS & maps offline if you've downloaded the maps first. You can even do routing, but not (obviously) via the search menu - you have to select the destination from a point on the map.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

i can confirm that u can use ovi maps offline by downloading maps from nokia map loader BUT you cannot use the search button while offline. In nokia maps for symbian u can do everything offline, but sinse ovi maps for maemo is new, its missing a lot of features..one of it its that you cannot search or make routes while offline. even with maps loaded on it

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Has there been any word from Nokia about an intention to introduce the offline search in the next version?

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

nope no words yet, but they probabl.y will include it in a later update since all the symbian versions can do it...ive also heard news of people trying to port the symbian ovi maps onto the n900

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

where can i download the map?

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Has anyone succeeded to install maps manually by these instructions?:
http://handphone-solution.blogspot.c...0-without.html

I installed couple of countries, but they do not work offline anyhow.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Sounds like Ovi is using bitmap map images and not vector maps. In that case it can position in the image with a lat/lon but is unaware of what's on the map. Therefore finding a Route or the a particular address aren't possible. Routes are probably defined in GPX files which are XML. With Maemo Mapper these GPX files could be saved on the tablet for future use. This may also be true for Ovi.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

It works offline for me, but it is annoying as hell. It asks for an internet connection every minute or so, and it is unable to search or make a route.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Search engine needs to be online.
WHAT A CRAP.
If they are so lamers they must install a web server with php inside N900 to handle these requests.

If every minute asks you for network connection, you are wrong.
Remove assisted location (the A from AGPS) from settings.


They give us a jet (N900) with software for bicycle (Ovi Maps).
Community cannot do everything for your mobile, Nokia.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

I continue to be frustrated by this thing of not being able to search offline. It seems pretty clear that they don't give a toss about Ovi Maps on the N900. How long would it take to fix this small thing that is clearly annoying a lot of users? This after they made such a big deal about it and the navigation being free on all Nokia handsets. Bizarre.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

There are basically two approaches to map data. One is a bit mapped image with lat/lon coordinates for the corners of the map tile. There is no application awareness of features like roads on the map. This approach is used by Maemo Mapper and apparently Ovi maps. The other approach to maps is vector based where all characteristics of the map are defined with vectors. Ergo you know where every street on a map tiles is located and where it goes and can search for addresses and new routes. To perform these functions with a bit map approach you need to go to an external application which provides way-points as lat/lon that the application can position with on your map image. Both approaches have their advantages but my explanation isn't to favor one over the other but to put some clarity on the subject. Clearly bit map navigation requires information not stored on the device. Changing that isn't a "small thing" but an almost total rewrite of the application. I'm an N810 owner so I don't know without research what vector based navigation applications are available for the N900. A vector based application is the best answer for those who wish to do dynamic unplanned address searches. My approach with Maemo Mapper is to get my route files on my desktop ahead of time and move those GPX files to my N810. If you can't live with that, find another navigation application.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Ovi Maps is vector based. It is not bitmap based. The US map is roughly the same size as other vector based soluttions. It has smooth zooming just like other vector based solutions. The map size on disk doesn't change if you change zoom, go somewhere you haven't been, etc.

There isn't any good reason for Maps on the N900 to REQUIRE an internet connection. The places I'm most likely to need it, I can't use it! (ie where I don't have service). And in those cases, I need to fire up a different program to get a lock, since Maps times out if it can't use AGPS, before I can even see where I'm at.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

My bad on Ovi not being vector. Perhaps they don't have data stored in the map to locate street numbers at intersections so they can calculate the location of particular addresses. Still if you don't like how a particular application works, replace it with one that does work the way you want it. That's the beauty of Linux and open source on the Nokia devices, there are more options than Steve Jobs would ever allow on an iPhone. Just find the ones you like best to customize your N900 to suit your personal tastes.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

It's vector-based, and on all previous Nokias (Symbian) I've owned it has been possible to do an offline search on Ovi maps. I don't see why it would be possible on a Symbian device but not a Maemo one.

It's all very well to say that I can use a different application, but one of the reasons I've stuck with Nokia has been the fact that Ovi maps is (a) free and (b) possible to use offline. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the application to have at least the same functionality as it did on a previous device. Especially when one is purchasing a "flagship" model!

Also I'm unaware of any other free application that will allow me to easily load the whole of Europe onto my phone.

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

Yeah dude.
It is the only thing which is not device-specific.
It hasn't to do with hardware (GPS etc).
It is clearly software.
So, take the Symbian C++ code, fix libraries dependancies, and recompile for Maemo.

The same. This day, if a mobile model says that it has GPS, it means it has GPS with maps and voice navigation.
Instead N900 works like first GPS mobiles.

Doesn't exist free software. Try proprietary Sygic.

The question is: Is Nokia willing to offer navigation for N900 in the future? If yes (I am not sure for this) when is this future?

Re: Using Ovi Maps Offline?
 

@chameleon
ovi maps for symbian is not open source, so this is nokias job...