How about a map like thing

[axlgreasetires]

Like you type in where you are and where you want to be and rockbox brings up like a mapquest map and draws a line to the next intersection and tells you where to turn then you click the middle button when you reach the point it wanted you to get to then it draws another path.

Get my drift.

It would be complicated but it would be useful.

[Yotto]

I think "complicated" is an understatement.

I've saved screen captures of maps as JPGs and used my ipod as a poor-man's GPS.  It impresses the natives something fierce when they see google maps on the screen

[Febs]

What you're describing is something like this:

http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html?utm_source=us-ha-syn&utm_campaign=gmm&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=florida%20directions

[soap]

The data used by Mapquest et al may be compiled from (mostly) public domain sources, but is not public domain itself.  High quality mapping data with all the metadata needed to calculate routes is not cheap.

[axlgreasetires]

Yes febs something like that but without the satellite images and maybe without the zoom feature and especially not the realtime traffic because it and the satellite images are not possible.  What would be useful is a program that allows users to create their own map drawing lines for roads.  

I don't know exactly how it should operate but it would still be cool.

[Yotto]

I agree it would be nice.  Even the low quality maps on $100 GPSs would be useful, with good pan and zoom.

[Febs]

What would be useful is a program that allows users to create their own map drawing lines for roads.  

Cartographer-box?

[perfectdrug]

oke...a few links
http://www.isubwaymaps.com/
http://www.mibasoft.com/podquest/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/ianmeyer/PhotoAlbum17.html

there was another podquest like one but freeware
can't find it at the moment

\edit
ah here it is
http://www.ipod-directions.com/
only for canada and united states
but maybe someone can try it out and adapt it to rockbox...

[Multiplex]

Wasn't there a developer of comercial portable maps trying to work out a way of delivering a plugin without infringing the GPL or leaving his IP wide open - maybe that was a metro/underground tool...

[nimdae]

I could dig an app for viewing directions on my ipod.

What about some kind of regional mapping from something like google maps?

[Hellworm]

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org

[BigMac]

This would be really helpful if someone got this going, and that is actually a brilliant idea yotto (the screen captured maps).
Keep ROCKing on!