Google Maps 5.0 for Android hits the Market

By on Dec 16, 2010 at 1:59 PM
Software December 16, 2010

So you just read our Nexus S review and are feeling a bit jealous of the new device, it’s understandable. Your current Android handset may not have all the computational prowess of the latest and greatest “pure Google” offering, but rest assured knowing that you can get your hands on some of the software goodies the device runs (no, not Android 2.3… yet). Google has just dropped Maps 5.0 into the Android Market for your downloading pleasure. The new bits include 3D mapping, vector-based mapping, offline rerouting and navigating, as well as offline map storage. It all looks so sexy. Hit the jump to check out a quick promo video from Google then be sure to download the new goodies from the market. Enjoy!

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  • Anonymous

    Offline caching = win.

    • Anonymous

      Offline navigation using ovi maps is a win. This is just a lame attempt to make google maps users think they have offline maps.

      • JoelWRX

        What part of offline navigating do you not understand?

      • http://www.google.com/profiles/flavio.ribeiro Flavio Ribeiro

        Wake me up when it can store maps for an entire country.

      • Anonymous

        I recommend that you take a look at what ovi maps is and compare it to google maps. Then you will realize how far behind google maps is.

      • JoelWRX

        It can, just because you don’t download them doesnt mean it doesn’t.. and actually instead of wasting space you get to choose what you want to be offline… taking a trip to san fran from la just load the map and sweep up towards san fran boom cached ready to go

      • Anonymous

        @JoelWRX Then while driving, you zoom in and realize you have NOTHING because those zoom levels aren’t cached, nor any POIs, nor any local details, nor on and on….

        Although nice update, why isn’t it caching to SD so it can REALLY cache?

      • JoelWRX

        @NuShrike while you have a good point although the average navigator is going to put the navigational route on and listen to the driving instructions.

        I can’t think of too many situations where I would navigate and need to zoom while im driving, maybe if im free lancing it and don’t have a SPECIFIC destination

      • Anonymous

        @JoelWRX well, a lot of times for me, it’s for rerouting because of traffic/obstruction and need a detour, or missed a turn. These are things that GoogleMaps still doesn’t deal well with.

      • Anonymous

        I have a new example of how online-nav fails: navigating while on EDGE and then calling somebody. BOOM, no more navigation graphics updates once again.Dedicated off-line nav is just that much better.

      • RT

        but wouldnt ovi maps require me to use nokia? I’ll pass on compromising my entire smart phone experience in order to use ovi maps.

      • Anonymous

        Great, so where can I download ovi maps for my Nexus One?

  • Bringit

    verizon.

    iphone.

    • Fa-Q

      meh.. Why? iPhone is outdated, old news and kaka.

  • http://www.superstrongjohn.com superstrongjohn

    is that the nexus one? why are the 4 buttons on the bottom arranged differently?

    • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

      No, its the Nexus S.

      ah, I see your next post. The buttons looks the same as my Galaxy phone and from what I’ve seen so far on pics of the Nexus S.

      • superstrongjohn

        all the other pics for the nexus S have buttons that go “back, menu, search, home.” the phone in the video is “menu, home, back, search.” i think that’s a galaxy phone, not a nexus S.

        although, the two are essentially the same phones. not much of an upgrade from google’s new flagship. :( .

      • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

        Its neither.

        put the video in 720p and make full screen. When it gets to around 0:20 mark a sunlight glare will go across the top of the ‘phone’. You can clearly tell it has no speaker, sensors, or camera.

        It must be some kind of Galaxy S inspired drone device, like a iPod Touch to iPhone.

  • superstrongjohn

    *nexus s

  • Anonymous

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Grandhustler619

    what the hell i just updated it and i did the same exact thing as the video and i still dont get the 3d buildings

    • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

      Just like Google Earth/Maps online… its not in every city.

      • http://twitter.com/atlharry Harold Min

        It’s actually not in sat view only map view, but he is correct about it not being in every city.

  • JJCool

    anyone else notice how the map starts to zoom in before he actually starts pinching at :04?

  • Unseen

    I love Google.

  • Spizamforshizam

    How about the ability to tap on a piece of the route and choose “avoid”? I sat for 4 hours along with hundreds of other commuters trying to go home yesterday on icy roads because I couldn’t get past the closed bridges, and Google Maps/Navigation kept pointing me at the most direct path, which always had a closed bridge. Each time, I had no way to tell it to avoid that road, so I couldn’t get it to map an alternate route for me. I tried long-pressing on the road name in the list of directions – no dice – it just showed me the intersection image in Maps or the road on the map in Navigation. I finally managed to pinch zoom out on the map, pan around, and see an alternate route to take on my own that didn’t cross any bridges.

    Now, I’m bringing my TomTom to work with me each day. It has the “avoid road or intersection” option that Google so obviously overlooked.

    • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

      lol, you realize its a free app and its really not that hard to look around the map, right? While that’s a nice feature, its not detrimental to the use of the product.

      • Spizamforshizam

        It’s detrimental to my use of the product (if you mean Maps as the product). I need to be able to avoid frozen-over (and therefore closed) bridges. If Maps won’t let me do that, I go elsewhere. I’m not uninstalling it, and I’m normally a Google fan, but I’m sure not counting on Maps next time I hear the bridge is closed ahead and see a line of cars as far as the eye can see in both directions. LOL

      • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

        No, its not detrimental. Either way you would have to do something to the app once you learned of the issue. Difference is a one step solution is faster/simpler than the multi-step involved with current Google Map setup. However, Google’s is still free and therefore far better for that scenario than TomTom or any other one trick pony device.

        Only time I’d ever consider buying one of those would be for better traffic conditions if I drove all the time in a large city. But, even then I’d just buy a different app for my phone.

    • Anonymous

      That’s why I’m either bringing my HD2 for Garmin Mobile XT, or I’ll try to pick up Navigon fro Android. Google Maps is nice, but Google Navigate needs to be entirely offline except for traffic/incident rerouting, WHICH IT STILL DOESN’T DO!

      Tried Waze, but it’s so dependent on a remote-routing server that it just doesn’t work.

  • Thelios

    only works on galaxy s 2.2+ devises. which means at&t captivate will never get 3d. :(

    • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

      I have 2.1 (Fascinate) and get 3D for the area of town 3D is also on Google Earth.

  • Anonymous

    What does this mean for the iPhone? Currently, that’s the Map app. But with Android and iOS going head to head, and turn by turn directions and offline maps coming to Android, that could be the “killer app” that makes people choose one. Apple bought a mapping company, didn’t they? I wonder if they’re keeping tabs on this or if Google will release an update for iPhone as well.

    • http://www.vgchartz.com SuperChunk

      iOS already has Google Maps. Google announced that this update will eventually go to all areas with Google Maps, however, it would initially only be on Android devices.

      So, it will be there soon too.

      • Anonymous

        Ok. I didn’t realize they announced that this would be available for all devices. Thanks

  • http://www.hot.com.au/ Luis Garcia

    Is this available worldwide already, or just in the US. I just checked the market, and I can’t find Google Maps. I have it installed (pre-installed), but nothing show up on the market.

  • Spazmogen

    It’s useless mapping.

    I have a Garminfone. FULL offline mapping all of the time. I do not even want this on my phone, how can I remove it? Google Maps were set up to auto update!

    Garmin maps are set up as my default.

  • http://techglobex.blogspot.com Gadgets Review

    Google Maps new versions would surely turning out the way of Navigation map today, Because it seems that Google have introduce this new maps for android and new technology revolving all time. Which is great

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