You are hereForums / Android Software / Android Development / Another map source
Another map source
While not specifically Android in nature, Google terrain maps are quite nice looking. And, I think they are opensource, but I am not sure. There are times when they are cleaner than mytopo. Thanks again for being so open to suggestions and development requests.
Tags
Share This Page
Share |
Google Maps are not Open Source. There are some big restrictions in their terms of use that prevent us from using it:
Offline Use: You may not scrape or otherwise export Content from Google Maps or Earth or save it for offline use.
Use on a mobile device: Is only permitted via our APIs and under the Google Maps/Google Earth APIs Terms of Service.
If I make any headway here, I'll report back. It's a legal issue, not a technical one.
I am no lawyer, but work with a good one. However, I teach and am on Summer break. I will send the agreement her way. I am curious how Trimble does it though. However, they do not download as easy or nice as you do (which is why I am trying to help make this product as good as it can be. I am sorry about the double post, I just saw others have asked this before. If I find any info out, I will let you know.
Sincerely,
Leko
Is it Google Terrain or Bing Terrain? Bing Terrain does seem to have some of those same restrictions, but has a commercial license that I don't know all the ramifications for. .
There is some open source desktop software that seems to access and repackage these and other maps. I won't link to it here since I am not sure how/if it is legal.
I think what people would like is a topo map that adds the nice shadows on inclines to make the maps almost 3d. Both Bing and Google terrain do them nicely. My topo does it too, but it is not as defined so when you are in a flatter area, you do not see it at all.
I have some ideas here. I'll have to do some experiments to know what will work.
I was wondering if BCN could handle satellite data.
There is a piece of software called Google Satellite Maps Downloader. Could these files then be uploaded on to an android phone and used offline to show gps position and tracks?
I have also been looking at Instamapper for 3rd party monitoring - wondering how it compares to BCN.
We do have satellites data from Landsat, but it doesn't look like much like Google satellite maps. That downloader would not be very helpful and we'll try to find something more suitable.
There's no real comparison with Instamapper because the apps do different things. I don't know why you need a comparison, because there is no problem with having both apps installed and running. Unlike another phone that starts with i, Androids can multitask.
For hiking in Malaysia, I need topo and/or satellite maps. So, have you had any luck licensing Google terrain maps, or could I do the licensing?
Cheers,
Fred Putnam
It is best to use Mobile Atlas Creator, an open source desktop tool
You are responsible for fair use of any maps.
If you do succeed in getting a license from Google, do contact me and we'll compare notes.
http://www.backcountrynavigator.com/content/creating-offline-maps-android