While everyone was getting all excited about Google's 3D announcement today, Google revealed an even more useful, if less sexy, feature: an offline mode. Today's Next Dimension event, as the name indicates, was supposed to introduce Google's 3D technology ahead of Apple's event next week, where the Google-rival will put out its own three dimensional enabled maps apps. Google met expectations, demoing life-like 3D maps that will be available on both Android and iOS enabled phones in the coming weeks. Take that Apple. But, before talking extra dimensions, Google slipped in something much more practical: maps you can use without a network connecton.

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