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.