Not only is it a fun phrase to say (“What’s your map app?”), but in addition, it’s an important question for at least one cross-cultural worker who wrote in to Brigada this past week. What we’re seeking is the ability to make a custom map, like with Google Maps, but with the easy ability to download it onto an iPhone/iPad with zooming capability. So how ’bout it, mapmakers? What are the options for this cross-cultural worker? (Thanks in advance for any help you can give by giving your best advice in the comment box following this question in the web version of Brigada.)
YWAM has great maps… Interactive and displaying reached, unreached, info, etc
http://4kworldmap.com/map/
Is this for offline or online work?
Global Mapping International (GMI.org) will design custom maps which could then be .pdf or .jpeg for offline work. A worker could then zoom in and search as appropriate on just about any device.
Most mapping apps require some sort of internet access. The answer also depends if field workers want to add data in the field and what type of data layers you want included in the map.
Just stumbled on My Topo Map and Trimble Outdoors Navigator apps for Android/iOS by Trimble Oudoors (www.trimbleoutdoors.com) this weekend. It has several features for topographical maps, hiking maps, street maps, aerial shots and hybrid for pretty much everywhere in the world. Maps are downloadable to phones with the paid versions. The Navigator app includes waypoint tracking and video/photo tagging as well as map packs – customized map setup pre trip. Looks like fun, can’t wait to try it out.
Wow. Remember the days we used to have to send a check for these and wait until the National something-or-other service mailed tem to us on poster-sized paper in big carboard tubes? :-)
ArcGIS has a similar solution for Android and iOS phones, search for ArcGIS in the stores. Currently, these solutions are strictly online basis, but offline is suppose to be implemented within the year.
WebMapSolutions.com in Utah has reported to have an offline solution, but I don’t have experience with it.
With ArcGIS you can both get customized data layers, secure datalayers, and content in many languages. The trick is in finding the ArcGIS server to connect to.
An offline solution on Android is City Maps to Go. I have not had a chance to experiment with it, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go&hl=en
OZiExplorer is a paid app for PC, droid and more that can handle almost any type of offline map or even hand-drawn graphic. Many popular converters/downloaders (eg Mobile Atlas Creator) understand the OZi file formats.
You should probably also know about MOBAC (Mobile Atlas Creator) :)
Pete, it’s great to hear from you, brother. You were there “in the room,” virtually, guiding us on the start-up of Brigada from the very beginning — December 1994 and January 1995! Thanks for checking back in !!!