maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

My commute to work is 50 miles each way, and I wanted to get involved with openstreetmap...But in addition, its pretty cool having the moving map on my N810.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to get the hang of tethering the NIT to my crackberry (and AT&T has been no help so far). So enroute, I do not have internet access to download maps. Is there a way I can cache maps prior to leaving work (or home as soon as I finish setting up wireless)?

Thanks,
--vr

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Of course. You can "download maps along route." You can also download maps in a certain radius around you.

Also, you can download vector maps for programs like Navit, so you can have the whole statewide maps on your device at all times. Just delete the maps that came with the device to make room.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

I believe you can, but could not get to work because the maps take HUGE amounts of space. Also, you still need to be online to get on-the-fly routing. After much trying, I just gave up and bought a dedicated GPS device, but each person has their own personal needs.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

While I think a dedicated GPS is probably much better if you care about Voice-Assisted Navigation or want to be re-routed en route, I think you'll be very satisfied with Maemo-Mapper if those aren't important. Pre-caching maps is easy.

While connected over broadband:

Go to Maps and select which type. I'll assume you've selected Google Street.

Zoom out so that your whole route is included on the screen. That's probably about Zoom Level 12.

Go to Maps>>Manage Maps. In Setup, have Download Maps checked, and have By Area checked. In Zoom, you'll already have 13 checked; I suggest you add 10. Click OK, and wait until the maps are downloaded and processed.

Now zoom in to, say, 10. Find a portion of your route that includes your house. Do the same thing, but this time with 11 and 8 checked. Then move to the next part of your route, leaving a little overlap, and do the same thing. Do it again, until your screen includes that part of your route that includes your workplace.

At this point you can comfortably watch yourself move along your route at the 8-level of Zoom, which is enough for highway and primary-arterial driving.

For areas where you want more detail, just go to the 8-level of Zoom (sounds like a video game :)), and do the same thing, but with levels 9 and 6 checked. You probably don't need to do the whole route at that level of detail. And if there are sub-areas where you want even greater detail or a nice closer-up picture, do it again at, say, Zoom-6, with 7 and either 4 or 5 checked. I doubt you'll want closer-in than that.

I don't think the files are too large. I have an area of about 30 miles x 30 miles around Seattle down primarily to a 4-level, plus the whole United States at 12, and the whole world at 16, plus other parts of the US at different levels, and its 380 MB. What I've described above, going along a 50-mile route, should be much smaller.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Install flite and you'll have Maemo Mapper gives you voice assisted navigation in addition to the text popups you already get.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

so wait a minute... the n810 doesn't have maps for the gps???? i have to download the route before i use it? no on the fly without a internet connection????

help me understand this please

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Yes that's how it works on the N810. Doesn't seem like such an imposition to me. Once maps are downloaded they remain available. I've never owned a standalone GPS with display so I don't have a frame of reference.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

Not for maemo mapper, but I think with the pay service (Wayfinder?) you may get maps.

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

ew who wants to pay anything... All I'd really need is central florida maps... can i download just central florida somewhere?

Re: maemo mapper: Preloading maps?
 

I know there're downloadable maps for the Nokia Maps (Symbian) application. Any chance they could be ported to Maemo Mapper?
Edit: I meant the maps being (im)ported to Maemo Mapper, not the symbian app of course. :)