2022-10-17
Service Google Maps: how to lay the best route on Google Maps, quickly find traffic jams, where to download offline maps for Google Navigator for free. Detailed review of android application.
Google Maps is a widely known free service that facilitates navigation using your Android or iOS mobile device. Free satellite maps and images of cities and countries - showing streets, house numbers, main points of interest - are available to the user of Google Maps.
The Google Maps service can be used as a gps-navigator and as a road map. And there is no need to pay either for the maps or for the application: all of the features in Google Maps are available absolutely free of charge.
By the way, the Google Maps application is preinstalled in the Android OS. Please read our tutorial to learn how to use it.
Contents:
- Where to download Google Maps for Android in Russian
- How to navigate with Google Maps
- How to obtain information about traffic
- What are the alternatives to Google Maps?
Where to download Google Maps navigation for Android (apk installer)
You need to download Google Maps to your phone - as an apk application. It is best to download the current version (for 2017) of "Maps" through the official Google Play website or at this link:
Download free Google Maps on Android
By the way, the Google Maps installer can also be found on the forum 4pda. However, there is no special need to register and download the apk-file of the application through the forum: it is more convenient to download Google Maps through the already mentioned Play Market or to update your already installed version through the Internet.
How to plot a route in Google Maps
Google Maps, in general, is designed to plan convenient/optimally routes. This feature is essential for travelers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Indeed, you will have no problem building a route on Google Maps in an optimal way. Moreover, Google will offer you several route options, depending on the mode of travel and other settings. It should be noted right away that Google Maps does not always build the best route, but inaccuracies are possible in any gps application. So, to make a travel plan, do the following steps.
1. Access the Google Maps service with your web browser
To use the maps, it is advisable to have a stable and fast Internet connection, because without it you will not be able to comfortably create your route with Google Maps.
Let's take the route from Minsk to Moscow as a reference. Go to the Google Maps service. You can do this through the start page of the Chrome browser. In the right menu, click the Maps item. If there is no such item, enter maps.google.ru into the address bar of your browser, and you will access the Google Maps service.
2. Use the "Getting there" feature of Google Maps
The Google Maps service displays your current location by default. Click on the "How to get there" button to indicate the address you want to navigate to on the maps.
3. Specify the route and the way to navigate
In the window that appears, you will see fields that you will fill in to specify the route you want to take on Google Maps. You need to indicate how you are going to get there - for example by car, by public transport or on foot
In the top line indicate the address of departure (Minsk). At the bottom, respectively - the approximate coordinates of the completion of the route. No one forbids specifying the departure and arrival addresses as precisely as possible - right down to the house and street number. The more details - the more accurate the route will be.
4. Explore the laid route
At the end, the Google map will display the variant of movement taking into account the circumstances - for example, ongoing repairs, traffic jams. If required, you may have the possibility to choose between different Google Maps display modes, for example, Satellite View, terrain view, etc.
How to navigate in the android version of Google Maps
- Select the location you wish to reach on the map
- Press the blue circle at the bottom of the screen
- How to navigate: by car, public transportation, taxi, on foot, etc.
- The panel at the bottom of the screen displays a list of routes, the time, and the distance to your destination.
In order to build another route, mark the destination on the Google Maps. The time and distance will be updated.
It is possible to know the timetable of the public transport, although this can be done online. Also, the timetable may be missing in some regions, cities, villages.
How to find information about traffic jams
The Google Maps service allows you to find out about traffic jams on the roads, which will greatly facilitate the navigation of the car in the city. To use this tool very simply:
- In the top left side you should click on the menu icon and select the section Traffic.
- There will be marked on the map the problematic routes with heavy traffic.
How to download Google Maps maps in Russian and how to use them offline
There are two modes of Google Maps navigation: on-line and off-line. If you have an internet connection, the maps will be downloaded and displayed when needed
What to do if you are going on a journey but expect to be without internet at any moment? Not a problem! You can download Google Maps to your phone by saving a map for offline access. In the latest versions of the Google Maps app, this feature is available and works without problems (the developers once removed this feature, but then thankfully brought it back on Android).
For Google Maps to work offline, you must:
- connect to the Internet
- find a city or a country on Google Maps, display it
- select the "Save" option and download the file to the memory of the mobile device
Note . As a rule, each map takes between 100MB to 500MB. We advise you to check in advance if you have enough space on your memory card to load it. After 30 days of usage the offline maps are not available, the map has to be updated on the device.
Google Maps is available in the Russian language as well. However, descriptions, reviews may be missing - let us say, if the map does not apply to the Russian-speaking region.
What alternatives does Google Maps have?
While the Google Maps application has caught the fancy of many users as a gps-navigator, for motorists it is not the ideal choice. We suggest to pay attention to the following navigators:
Navitel Navigator from Navitel is the leader in the field of automobile gps-navigation. The application is paid, but the quality and detail of the maps is at a high level. This product is the most often installed by motorists. Navitel Navigator is convenient to use, maps work in offline mode. It is suitable for motorists, tourists and pedestrians in CIS countries. Maps are provided by online service "Yandex.Maps". Accordingly, for the correct operation will need Internet.
Resume . Google Maps is a very convenient service for creating routes, navigation, reference information about the area. The mobile application is constantly evolving, it is also convenient, and local maps are provided for offline mode. We would recommend Google Maps primarily to pedestrians and tourists because of its excellent integration with Google maps. Motorists can safely use the Android mobile application, but here Google Maps has a strong competitor in the form of gps-navigator from Navitel.
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