MWC mobile navigation: Nokia Ovi Maps doesn’t need a connection to work

Spending time in the Nokia suite because the Nokia announcement was very anti climactic, I got to chatting with the maps guys and I learned something interesting. Ovi Maps can be used out in the field entirely without a data connection.  Yes you read that right, no data necessary to run Ovi Maps.

The key is sideloading, meaning you load the maps before you head out the door onto your phone.  By doing this your handset is fully loaded with the maps and anything that you would search the map for, including directions and services like restaurants and movie theaters.

I got a chance to get a few words from Dan Marinescu-Gava of Nokia who told me a few very interesting facts.
1. Nokia can put all of Ovi Maps, being most of the world (but not all) on about a 5gig memory card.
2. The entire United States is only about 1.4gig
3. All of Spain is only 194mb

Here is Dan talking a little about Ovi Maps

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