Who uses maps at all? Do only men use Google Maps? These are the eternal questions, the topic of many books and exasperated discussion – why don’t men ask for directions? Why don’t women read maps? While the argument continues, there’s one thing that has changed – maps have become easy to find and to read. Thanks to Google Maps, so many journeys have had smooth roads without running around in endless circles.

Usually outdoor navigation is done with professional GPS equipment. With Google Maps on your smartphone and tablet device you can access information about roads and destinations while on the move. Just feed in your starting point and destination and Google does the rest. Before you know it you have a map with key landmarks and turns to help you along the way. Now this works provided you have an internet connection. What happens when you don’t? On the subway or in mountainous terrain?

This is where the offline viewing option is so handy. Now you can download Google Maps for offline viewing for those times and places when you’re without a network connection. Once you know your destination, you can find the map and save it on your phone or device for use during the trip. Thanks to the offline option, you can store six metro maps on your phone. That means once the map is downloaded you can access it, without an internet connection too.

Here’s how you do it. You will find Google Maps as a pre-loaded app on your Android phone or device. If you don’t have it, go to the Google Play Store and install the application from there.

To activate it, go to the Maps app ad access Labs through the Menu option. There, activate Download Map Area. Now get to a Place page where you can select ‘More’ to see more; an option to store the location and its surroundings up to a 10 mile radius.

Make sure there’s a reliable internet connection till the entire process is completed. Find the location and the map you aim to use. On the map, go to the portion you need for future use and simply select the ‘Make available offline’ option from the menu. It is that simple to do. If you can’t see the offline option on your Google Maps app, perhaps it is time for an update for the application. You will now be shown the size of the map you’ve chosen and when you choose ‘Done’, your download commences. Save it on your device and use it when required.

You can also use a cross platform app called the gmapcatcher that will capture portions of your map for you. There’s both a command line and a graphical user interface and you can use either to store a map of your choice. It runs on Python so if you don’t have it, you should install it. Python runs on most operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux.

Google Maps is not the only map provider. Nokia’s Drive is a great feature and lets you download tons of information. Apple introduced Apple Maps in iOS 6, but also recommends users to use Google Maps as the Apple Maps service is not yet fully reliable. Apple promisses to improve Apple Maps immediately with the next release of the operating system iOS. So Google needs to be on top of its game to ensure support and loyalty. Offline Maps are a great way to carry your map without having to worry about internet availability and data transfer costs. In fact, if you have GPS on your phone, as most phones do then you can actually pinpoint exact locations on the map, all without internet.

With Google Maps and the offline option, you never have to be lost again

Carlene Masker is a technology enthusiast who is fond of writing helpful tips and fresh tidbits of information about the different fields in technology and innovation. She is currently working with Telco Services where you can find the latest information on Verizon FiOS deals.