The value of maps has increased considerably, compared to what it was. Most people would only use a map for directions to get to where they wanted a few years ago. Nowadays map apps can assist you with traffic, planning a route, getting details on the nearby places, taking on a satellite perspective, saving journeys, getting weather details, offline maps and so much more.
This is useful in various circumstances. You may be in the car to get to work, visiting an unfamiliar city, exploring a city on the weekend or searching for a place to stay. Having the right tools in your smartphone in all these scenarios can make travel a bit easier.
Not all users require the same kind of map application though. Some folks like to see detailed satellite and 3D maps, and some folks prefer to see live location, traffic and route tracking. Here are three Android apps, which take a very different approach to navigation and travel.
You can use the Live Earth Satellite View Maps to explore your area of the world.
A simple road map isn’t always a good idea when traveling to an unfamiliar place.
You certainly know where you want to go, but you’re not sure what the area is like up there. This is where a satellite view and the 3D map can come handy.
Live Earth Satellite View Maps by MZ Tech provides a number of views of a location. The app features Earth Map, 3D Map and 3D Terrain, and you can view cities, roads and landscapes from various perspectives.
Sometimes, a simple map is just a navigational tool and sometimes, a pictorial representation is easier to comprehend than a normal map. It can be useful for traveling to a new place or when just taking a look around a new area.
The app has also a Route Planner.
Prior to departure, one can also view a route and understand the relationships between various roads. This is convenient for driving for short periods of time and longer trips as well.
The other one is Live Traffic.
The traffic situation can be a bit hectic, particularly in the city. A beautiful road can fill up one day. Before heading out on a trip, you can check traffic to see if you should leave earlier or take another route.
The app also contains an Address Finder that is beneficial if you know the name of a location but don’t know the exact address.
The Distance Measure tool can also be used to determine the distance between two points if you just want to know the distance.
If you are frequently visiting the same locations Saved Routes and Recent Routes can make things easier. If you have been to a place before, there is no need to look for it again.
The EV Charging Stations feature can also be used by electric vehicle drivers. It’s handy to have information about nearby charging stations when travelling outside your local area.
There’s also a Nearby Places feature that will let you know where useful places are around you.
The app offers a few extra features for drivers like Speedometer, Speedometer With HUD, Speed Tracking and Speed Alerts.
These are great additional add-on features for everyday driving without the need of separate apps for each feature.
The Live Earth Satellite View Maps also contain Weather, Compass, STD codes and Ask AI.
A compass may be helpful for directions when outside and the weather information may be helpful prior to a long trip.
Install Live Earth Satellite View Maps to get a mixture of all of the above features: Satellite maps, 3D terrain, traffic, route planning and driving tools.
Use Live Satellite Location Maps to determine your location.
Sometimes the biggest problem is not getting directions. It is determining the exact position of a person.
This is frequently in areas that aren’t familiar to you. You might be close to the end but may not know which road, building or entrance is the right one.
Live Satellite Location Maps by VertixSoft is based on location discovery and everyday travel products.
The app features Current Location that can pinpoint the user’s location and Address Finder to search addresses.
It also has Satellite View and 3D Map.
These projections offer a more visual representation of an area, sometimes unavailable from a road map, and are helpful to users.
The app has Voice Navigation for navigation.
Having directions read aloud can be helpful in driving to save eyes on the phone screen.
The app also has a Traffic Map feature that could be useful for users to see if roads are congested before they even head out.
There is also a Speedometer and Compass available for drivers and travellers.
The Tourist Places feature might be useful to the people who like exploring new places. While traveling in a new city, it might give you suggestions on where you can go for a sightseeing.
An additional handy capability is Weather Updates.
Even a short trip can be influenced by the weather conditions and so checking the forecast before leaving can be useful in planning.
The app also has some more useful features like World Clock, Currency Converter, STD Codes, Country Codes, QR Scanner, Sound Meter and Sensor Info.
Some of these resources are particularly helpful for those travelling abroad. For instance, World Clock can be useful in dealing with other time zones, and Currency Converter can be helpful to understand prices on another currency.
It can also be handy for individuals who don’t want to download individual apps for every thing.
You can Get Live Satellite Location Maps if you are primarily interested in getting current location, satellite views, address search and travel utilities.
Track Your Trips – Live GPS Satellite View Maps: Monitor trips in real time with live GPS satellite view maps.
Sometimes getting from one place to another is the easy part.
You might consider saving the route, remembering where you went or even using a map when there is limited internet connectivity.
Live GPS Satellite View Maps by The Apps Land is more about tracking a route, saving a journey and going offline.
Self Tracking is one of its major components.
This can assist users to follow their movement during walking, driving or travelling in an area they are not familiar with.
The app also has Saved Tracks so that you can save a trip for later.
This can be helpful if you find a path you want to take again or just want to remember what path you took.
The app also provides Route Navigation and Saved Routes.
Users can save the places they go often so they don’t have to look for the same location again and again.
One of the most useful tools is Offline Maps.
Access to mobile internet is generally good, but can be spotty when on the go or in more rural or remote locations. It may then be helpful to have maps available offline as an alternative.
If you are in a bigger city there is also a Subway Map.
The subway information can be interesting in a new town, and simplifies the arranging process.
Live Traffic allows drivers to see the condition of the road and the built-in Speedometer will display the speed.
For those who like to look at it, the app also has Earth Map, 3D Earth and Height Map.
The use of the Height Map can be particularly interesting if you have mountains, terrain or areas where elevation is important.
The app has Location Finder for location search.
There’s also Area Finder and Saved Area which can be helpful if you’re using a larger area than just an address.
Tourist Places allows travellers to find interesting places and Weather to get a weather forecast before travelling.
Other tools like Compass and STD Codes offer additional everyday functionality.
To gain tracking and saved routes, offline maps and GPS based navigation features, you can Install Live GPS Satellite View Maps.
What type of App do you need for your trip?
Navigators are used in a wide variety of ways.
They don’t care so much about traffic, just route planning. Some like to use satellite imagery, location tools or maps that can be used offline.
Live Earth Satellite View Maps is better for users looking for satellite exploration, 3D terrain, route planning, traffic information, EV charging points and driving tools.
Live Satellite Location Maps is more geared towards current location, satellite views, address finding and additional travel aids.
Live GPS Satellite View Maps is ideal for those who prefer route tracking, saving of journeys, offline maps and GPS.
This will be dependent on your usual mode of transport.
Traffic can be the most important consideration for someone who commutes daily. When a visitor visits a new city, he might choose the satellite maps and the tourist destinations. Routes and offline maps may prove helpful to someone who is making a long road trip.
Maps are no longer simply used for finding the quickest road between two locations. They can be used to explore, plan, learn about the world around you and to keep all useful travelling information together.
