Since getting an Android phone, I’ve been installing (and uninstalling) lots of different apps. The creativity and variety is fantastic and the way the phone works with Google maps is incredible. But I still haven’t found the app I’m looking for.
I’m a backpacker and although GPS is a wonderful thing, you really need to couple it with a set of good Topo maps to make it useful when you are on the trail. Oh, and no cell service – the maps have to be locally stored on the device. Getting maps is not difficult – the USGS offers free downloads of the entire US (download here). These are extremely high quality maps which also makes them very large files – some approach 15MB for a single 7.5 minute square.
The app I want uses the phone’s GPS to show me where I am on a USGS Topo map. It should be able to zoom in and out (within reason) and it should not kill the phones memory, which means smaller map segments tiled in the same way the Google maps does.
Right now I’m just sketching out ideas on how to pull it off. Oh and I guess I should finish learning how to program in Android too.
This is exactly the application that I’ve been looking for as well.
Well, when I get it finished, you can help me test it. What phone do you have?