Notices

Ok, this is just an idea that came to me, but I know that it has potential uses. Anywho, let's say for example you choose to use the google maps in Maemo Mapper. However, those don't show you everything, which is pretty obvious, since only main roads are mapped, since resources for these big companies is limited. So how about this. Why not have a map builder feature in Maemo Mapper?

The idea here is simple. Using GPS, and an existing set of maps, then using the tracking feature, you could take a car, or walk, or use a bike, or whatever, and ride/walk/drive up and down a particular area, using the GPS to map everything. Then save that as a map overlay of the existing maps. Then have the ability to export your tracks as data files (raster images maybe?) complete with labels that others can import.

So for example, say someone goes to Camp Smokey (pretend the place is real just for the purpose of illustration) and uses Maemo Mapper to map out all the trails in the park, or even half of them and someone else gets the other half. With the track and export feature, they can build a tracking file that they could share that others could download and get additional navigational information added to their maps.

I say this because I've got several nature parks around here that aren't on the maps I use, or any maps for that matter. If I were to walk the trails using the tracking feature, I could create one of these tracking files, give it to the park to put on their website as a downloadable file for maemo mapper that someone could use on their NIT or other PDA or PC that has Maemo Mapper (there is a pc version of MM coming, right?) on it, and have a ready to use map of the park or trails or whatever.

And the data could in theory be used with any map set as it would be all based on GPS coordinates, and not actual map ID files or anything like that. So the tracks could overlay the existing map tiles. It would essentially be a form of geomapping, but for maemo mapper. In time, with enough people, a LOT of non-standard roads, trails, etc could be mapped to further enhance the existing map data. The only requirement I believe of this all would be to require all data generated like this to be licensed under GPL3 so the big wigs wouldn't be able to lock it away and charge us for the data we've worked so hard to collect.

I have some goodies for you!

First of all, check out OpenStreetMap.org. It's a collaborative mapping project. A really successful one, and Maemo Mapper can download maps from their service

There is a tool available in the repositories called OSM2Go, which you can use to create maps, then upload to openstreetmap. Further beauty: It's all vectorized. You can do GPS traces with it, too.

Some spots are sparsely mapped, but others have extremely rich information. This map will take anything!
If you want some good examples, I've noticed that major cities in Europe have pretty extensive contributions.

Would be Really Cool to be able to do annotations or some such with Maemo Mapper, but I think you'll be happy with OSM2Go as a more sophisticated map making tool on the collaboration front.

OSM has my street wrong, but Google has it right. This is how I know my N810's GPS is accurate. Can I modify my street with the right information via OSM2GO?

Sure. That's what OSM2Go is for.

Typical approach: to accomplish this: Select the area you are interested in in maemo mapper. Switch over to osm2go, create a new project here and tell it to use your current maemo mapper settings as a basis for this project. Then hit the "download" button to download the actual vector data for that area from osm (maemo mapper only works on images derived from this original vector data). Change your street as required in osm2go and hit "upload".

MoG

I think Nokia has a Symbian app that does pretty much what Lord Raiden was talking about.

Maybe they might be tempted to port it to Maemo as well?

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/

Don't worry about the "sports" part, that's just a way of marketing it to joggers. The actual app is basically a journey tracker which can overlay your trip onto a map.

They can be embedded onto a website, so even in their present form they could be viewed through Maemo devices' browsers.

Maemo-Mapper can already do that. So it's likely not hat he has in mind ...

(insert highly embarassed smiley here)

Ooops... sorry! :-)

Yeah, I need the ability to create new roads on existing maps, not just track where I'm going.