Gadget Reviews, Product News, Electronic Gadgets

Finding where to go in a foreign place just got a little bit easier with Maplets. The developers at Zaia Design have created Maplets as a companion to Google Maps to help users find the most useful maps in their area. Maplets can find and download maps for bus and train routes, ski resorts, national parks, and many more.
Maplets allows the user to do a geographic search of the area to find the most relevant maps. If ever in a foreign state, it is a very good resource to find public transportation routes. This app could have been really helpful during a recent trip to New York City and Washington D.C. Anyone who visits these cities knows that it is necessary to have a train map handy at all times. I also really like that I am able to get all my favorite ski resort trail maps. Although I primarily do my snowboarding at one resort, I occasionally go to other resorts that are not so familiar. If ever I want to find my way, a Maplets map of the resort is sure to be able to help.
Finding a map can be done in a few ways. As mentioned before, a geographic search will show all the maps that are available in the user’s area. However, a manual search option is available if there is ever a need to find a map of an area that is not close by. The user interface is very intuitive, easy to use and I have not had any trouble finding a map that I’ve wanted yet, including those in other states. The best part about this app is that maps can be viewed offline once they are downloaded. Just in case I find myself on top of a mountain without cell service and need to know how to get down to the ski resort lodge.
Maps within Maplets can sometimes be a little blurry. For instance, I found a nice bike map that shows all the bike routes in my area. It’s a pretty detailed map and when I zoomed in, the lines and words were very blurred and I had a hard time seeing the routes. While there are some maps that are not very easy to read, the majority seem to be legible enough for every day use.
Overall, Maplets is a very handy little app for any user’s arsenal. It comes to the App Store at $2.99, which seems to be a fair price considering the amount of maps that are available. This price may be a little steep for some, given that some free app alternatives are out there. However, the quantity of maps available and having every map all in one place are two benefits that make it well worth the price.