SurrealOne
Android Expert
Just loaded the new Google Maps on my Epic With Froyo DK28 very cool stuff give it a try....
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New Google Maps
- Thread starter SurrealOne
- Start date
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- Tags
- samsung epic 4g
Johnny Cakes
Android Enthusiast
Just loaded the new Google Maps on my Epic With Froyo DK28 very cool stuff give it a try....
Could you be specific about the "very cool stuff"?
SurrealOne
Android Expert
Johnny Cakes
Android Enthusiast
Two big new features in this release are 3D view and offline rerouting. The 3D view uses vector graphics to dynamically draw the map on the screen of your device. You can tilt it, rotate it and smoothly zoom in and out the map with [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]finger [COLOR=#366388 !important]gestures[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. Another new feature is the compass mode, which will make the map rotate to match your perspective, so you can get a better idea of where you are.
Also, you don't have to worry (so much) about being offline, as the app now caches the areas next to the one you're currently in, meaning you'll be able to seamlessly keep navigating for a while even when offline. If you're using Google's turn-by-turn GPS navigation, the app can now calculate a different route, even if you're offline. You still need a connection to start a route, however. This feature will be rolled out gradually over the next couple of weeks.
Also, you don't have to worry (so much) about being offline, as the app now caches the areas next to the one you're currently in, meaning you'll be able to seamlessly keep navigating for a while even when offline. If you're using Google's turn-by-turn GPS navigation, the app can now calculate a different route, even if you're offline. You still need a connection to start a route, however. This feature will be rolled out gradually over the next couple of weeks.
Actually the whole App now uses vector graphics, both 2D and 3D. This means that the map does not turn into pixelated garbage when you zoom in anymore, and the only new information the phone needs to load are newly visible details.
File sizes for vector images are also smaller, so maps should load faster. This is also why navigation can now cache more route information for you
Clark
SurrealOne
Android Expert
Not me
hbundles88
Newbie
that video is crazy! Google maps 5.0 is gonna b nice!
After 10 hours of driving friday, my cache was filled and when I turned nav back on Sat, the satellite view wasn't showing properly. After rebooting my phone, it was back to normal.
Yes. Froze up on me yesterday. Was in compass mode, on my homebound commute after maybe 30 minutes of highway driving (to give you an idea of how much data might have been transmitted during the session) and it just locked my phone. Had to reboot.
I haven't really had a problem with GPS since I changed the starting mode from hot to cold. Works every time now. Sometimes it does take maybe 20 seconds or so to get a first fix, but most of the time it fixes within a few seconds.
I wouldn't think that the update is the cause of routing errors, since as far as I can tell from the release notes they didn't change the routing engine or location database in any way as part of the update. But I could be wrong.
SlyFerret
Android Enthusiast
Maybe it's just my personal GPS usage patterns, but I have yet to have any trouble with the GPS on this phone.
-SF
If we changed 2.1 to cold start, do we need to change it back before getting the OTA Froyo update this weekend? I'm not rooted in the least
You should be fine.
Here's hoping you get the update this weekend.
Admittedly I haven't played much with the gps on the epic but I did mess with it and it seemed to work ok. It still seems like it's hit or miss with some people and I had to have a working gps on my next phone so I went with the evo. The gps and agps functions on the evo are nothing less than phenominal.
It's encouraging to see people not having problems with it though.