Google Maps

[pairey]

Does anyone know if there is a way to download the maps for the UK and France, and then upload them to the car via SD or USB? As an iPhone user this would be really handy, as currently I have to either to insert my sim into the dash, or connect my work blackberry.

Once the map is downloaded I can go back to just using my Handsfree connection for short journeys, but then it's back to square one when I go somewhere new. A dual sim option would have been my preference however Orange will not supply 'Single Number' to none business customers.

The other reason I ask is that I am travelling to France in the summer and do not want to pay the high data charges that would be incurred. If I had the maps already this would be really useful.

Any advice would be greatly received!

Cheers

P.

[Guest 2]

Why not just turn off the google maps and use the regular nav?

I've never heard of downloading google maps before.


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[pairey]

I appreciate I can do that, however if possible I would rather use the detail Google Maps provides.

[Guest 2]

Sometimes the images are 2+ years old so don't always rely on those.

I've never heard of downloading google map data nor has anyone mentioned so I don't think that's possible but I'm open to any information anyone has relating to this.


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[PhilR]

Southampton Audi downloaded Google Maps to mine as my work Blackberry is blocked from linking for data. Maps are stored, but do get a bit pixelated so I'm tempted to buy a data sim card to allow updates.

[shabazmo]

Having used google maps for some time and now reverted back to std road maps, I feel the google map feature is over rated. It does nothing but complicats the view and defeats the purpose of theb map which is navigation. Foe me the google maps is a party piece to show to friends, but not a serious tool for navigation. No doubt, others will have different views.

[Guest 2]

Having used google maps for some time and now reverted back to std road maps, I feel the google map feature is over rated. It does nothing but complicats the view and defeats the purpose of theb map which is navigation. Foe me the google maps is a party piece to show to friends, but not a serious tool for navigation. No doubt, others will have different views.

I agree totally - I had a play on a demo car on Monday and found it very futtery and preferred the standard 3D view on standard maps.


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[MFGF]

From my observations, there is a finite size to the cache used for storing the google maps images. If you drive to a new location a long distance away with google maps enabled and online, then disconnect the online connection for the journey home, the detailed map images from home (before you set out) will have been flushed to make room for the images downloaded during your journey. I very much doubt you could get the whole of the UK and France cached, and even if you did, there would be no detail on zooming in.

You could always get a cheap payg sim in France?

MF.


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[pairey]

Thanks for all of the feedback, at least we know it's possible, although the storage space may be limited.
On my short sub 100 mile journeys the cached map content seems pretty good, and still allows you to zoom in.

I am still not sure whether I prefer the standard maps or google, with my car being relatively new it's still a novelty.
I think a payg sim for France may be the option, and possibly my only option for the UK, to enable the other online functionality.

[Timothy Nathan]

I am a great fan of Google Maps, I think that they make navigation much easier and more intuitive than the diagrammatic view.

[robbyg]

having driven 1000 miles this week on unfamiliar roads i have found the google maps view to be fantastic.
it is also interesting to see whats nearby - the sea, a lake, forests or whatever,just another thing to avoid boredom.

What i just cant get my head round is why somethimes it just will not show the google maps display and reverts to normal satnav, i cant work out why, then i will change somethign, eg set a new destination and the google view re appears.
selecting google eaeth view doesnt fix it.

Any ideas?

[johnsimcox]

having driven 1000 miles this week on unfamiliar roads i have found the google maps view to be fantastic.
it is also interesting to see whats nearby - the sea, a lake, forests or whatever,just another thing to avoid boredom.

What i just cant get my head round is why somethimes it just will not show the google maps display and reverts to normal satnav, i cant work out why, then i will change somethign, eg set a new destination and the google view re appears.
selecting google eaeth view doesnt fix it.

Any ideas?
Having read your other post highlighting this and seeing you have been in Scotland I suspect the issue is that you are losing the data connection. Whilst you may still have a good phone signal it may only be 2G and this Is useless for downloading data. I suspect the car is looking for a 3G data connection for downloading the maps and associated data and if it loses it it reverts to the standard maps. Mountainous areas are bad maintaining a 3G conne tion when you are stationary let alone moving

[Timothy Nathan]

What i just cant get my head round is why somethimes it just will not show the google maps display and reverts to normal satnav, i cant work out why, then i will change somethign, eg set a new destination and the google view re appears.
selecting google eaeth view doesnt fix it.

Any ideas?
Are you on Vodafone, perchance?

[Timothy Nathan]

I am talking to someone at Audi UK about this and he is very keen to tie down whether this is a Vodafone specific issue, so any feedback would be great.

[aurora7]

I have used a 3G sim from 3 and more recently from GiffGaff (which is O2). Both have worked really well with Google maps, and even when the GiffGaff sim is only on 2g it continues to display excellent quality mapping, and so far has not once cut out. So it might be a Vodafone problem?

[MFGF]

The only time mine totally refused to display Google Maps was when I started the car with a Vodafone sim in the dash and programmed a destination. I got a message that Google Maps was restarting (it crashed) and asking if I wanted to revert to standard maps. I answered No and google maps wouldn't reboot. I had a full 3G signal showing on the screen, and after 15 minutes or so I rebooted the MMI. This allowed Google Maps to restart successfully but lost my destination (it wasn't saved in the Recent list)

MF.

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[Timothy Nathan]

Thank you. That is the kind of evidence Audi UK need. It would be nice rondapt105 establish if this only happens on Vodafone.

I have a Voda and a T-Mobile SIM. Crashes all the time on Voda, fine on T-Mobile.

[MFGF]

Thank you. That is the kind of evidence Audi UK need. It would be nice rondapt105 establish if this only happens on Vodafone.

I have a Voda and a T-Mobile SIM. Crashes all the time on Voda, fine on T-Mobile.

Sorry, Timothy - was this for me? I can't see any posters with a name that resemble rondapt105 in the thread?

Interestingly, I have found google maps to be more stable when using my Voda sim in a Nokia handset connected via rSAP than when the same Voda sim is in the dashboard slot. I'm not sure whether this is just pure luck, though.

Cheers!

MF.

[Timothy Nathan]

I can't see any posters with a name that resemble rondapt105 in the thread?
Oh really, Mark! if you can't work out that I was staying in a hotel in Ronda, Andalucia, last Winter, in apt 105, where the WiFi was so unreliable that I created an auto correct on my iPad to be able to put in the username and password quickly when I typed "ro" and then, when I miss type "to" as "ro" it substitutes "rondapt105", then it is hard to know what to say!;)

[aurora7]

Oh really, Mark! if you can't work out that I was staying in a hotel in Ronda, Andalucia, last Winter, in apt 105, where the WiFi was so unreliable that I created an auto correct on my iPad to be able to put in the username and password quickly when I typed "ro" and then, when I miss type "to" as "ro" it substitutes "rondapt105", then it is hard to know what to say!;)

That is just priceless.... ! Who needs standard IOS autocorrect issues when there is a whole world of personalised ones we can create :-)

[MFGF]

Oh really, Mark! if you can't work out that I was staying in a hotel in Ronda, Andalucia, last Winter, in apt 105, where the WiFi was so unreliable that I created an auto correct on my iPad to be able to put in the username and password quickly when I typed "ro" and then, when I miss type "to" as "ro" it substitutes "rondapt105", then it is hard to know what to say!;)


I laughed my socks off at that one! :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh: I will be chuckling all evening! :)