If you have an iPhone, you can use the GPS navigation apps TomTom or Navigon to fill in if you can't use the maps app. Both apps are large in size, but they include all of the maps for whatever region/area you paid for.

I would love a decent app for Android too. I've tried mapdroyd - the maps are pretty low resolution, and the gps tracking is very poor. I've downloaded locus free, and the UI is so bad (or I am so stupid -- either are quite possible) that I have no idea how to use it.

My solution is that with google maps, one can load an entire city in the cache when online. I just go to city of choice, zoom in to highest resolution all the areas I'm interested in, and then use the map offline. It can get a bit buggy, and requires switching phone off/on, but otherwise fine. No directions, however. Of course, the major limitation is that this works for only one city at a time.

tb

there is a cache limit (dont know the size) and it will start deleting the oldest tile loaded once you go over

if you are on ios jailbroken, it then is unlimited by installing the app above, then you can get multiple cities. there may be an app for android similar i dont know. i doubt you'll be able to fit everything into the limited cache even just 1 city depending on how much you detail you load/how big the city is

I think the cache limit on Android for Google maps is fairly large, I've been able to cache map data for the whole of Belgium (not the largest country, but still) on my phone (HTC Desire running insertcoin 2.3.3 ROM)

I've tried to use Google maps on my phone (HTC Touch Pro 2 with WinMo 6.5) by downloading the map when I have wifi, then viewing it later without internet. The problem is that after about 10 seconds, the app starts searching for an internet signal, and when it doesn't find one, an error message pops up, (blocking my cached map), which forces me to either change my internet/wifi settings, or exit the program. Does anyone else have this problem?

No such problem on the iphone. If its cached it will display when offline if not it will just show empty tiles. If the iphone is jailbroken try Maps Enhancer.

Doesn't quite help anyone in the short-term, but:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/g...armin-and-tom/

man i seen that cant wait. too bad my only planned trip starts next week :td:

best map apps for Android: rmaps & Locus Pro

Both can use SQLite databases for offline map caching.

if you use the Mobile Atlas Creator software http://mobac.sourceforge.net/
you can use it download Google Maps files into an offline SQLite Database.

Unfortunately Google Maps have threatened these software developers with legal action for allowing people to "steal" their maps so Google Maps support has now been removed in said software. However if you use v1.8 you are still good to go!!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=763575