Originally Posted by
ajGoes
The new Maps for Android has at least one big improvement: it calculates new routes based on traffic conditions. I'm not driving a lot these days so I haven't had the chance to give it an exhaustive workout though.
The older version did that, too.
Another hard-to-find feature is local map caching. You can enable this two ways: enter or say "OK Google now" (why that should be the magic phrase, I have no idea), or drag the Explore card that sometimes appears at the bottom up till you find the "Make this map area available offline" option.
That's good to know! Thanks for sharing this tip.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to revert to the last pre-redesign version before I go to Europe in a few weeks, but meanwhile I'm living with the update to see whether I can figure it out.
Me, too.