In-depth Review: Apple's iOS 6 Maps & the alternatives - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichL 

You'll be disappointed to know that this is the first of five articles.
Daniel Eran Dilger is like a drunk who can't let things go once he thinks he's been insulted.

Oh well.  Thanks for the warning.

Originally Posted by Rodent 
Apples TOMTOM map sucks in comparison to Goggles map plain ans simple. Apple screwed us.

If only you were telling the truth. But I guess if you pretend that if you repeat something enough, that makes it true, you can pretend just about anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vreeland 

Wow, I like how the world (including Apple) is saying that the new Maps app is garbage yet AI is in some kind of denial.
Yes, Apples Map app works (most of the time), yes it might have some places where the '3D' rendering is better than Google Earth/Maps... but when you look at the big picture, the Google product has time on its side, almost 9 years of development. Just by that alone, Apple has alot of catching up to do in order to even come close to Google and its Maps app.
Over these 9 years they have developed both a web interface (accessible to everyone via the internet) that integrates with your phone/tablet so there is no need to write down or remember that address. Google has built in an optional location history that tells you where you have been (Google Latitude). Google developed navigation for those who use public transit, those who bike, and for those who walk (not to mention the normal driving navigation). Google has introduced offline maps so you don't need to be connected to the internet to access maps (which is nice for a wi-fi only tablet or a phone that doesn't get the greatest of reception). The Google Street View project has put more than 5 million miles on their fleet of vehicles, that's just shy of 10.5 trips to the moon and back. The list goes on and on...
Maybe Apple Maps will one day be on the same level as Google is now. But as of right now, Apple has taken a large step back in ditching Google Maps and their 9 years of development to introduce this experimental app to their users.
And for the record, I do have both a iPhone 4S (that has been downgraded back to iOS5 after 2 weeks of 6) and a Motorola Droid 4 (on Ice Cream Sandwich/Android 4.0.4) & I use both on a daily basis.

It's just too bad that Google didn't provide most of the things you mention to Apple to use in iOS maps, otherwise we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

Google's solution since 2009, for iOS users if you wanted these things was "go buy an Android handset and you'll get them", not exactly a tenable solution for Apple.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

People reporting errors give Apple more to work with to fix things, as long as they can filter out false reporting from Google IP's, things are going to be OK.

btw, this icon looks vaguely familiar:-

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/openmaps-pro/id323114547?mt=8

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazoobee 

 

While I agree that the negative hype is too much and that overall the app isn't that bad (and can only improve), I don't think you could argue that it's "adequate for (most people's) purposes" as you say. 

 

Most people (world-wide not USA) don't drive, so the over-emphasis on car traffic and turn by turn is not helpful for "most."  

The complete lack of transit directions means that it can't really be considered adequate for most people either.  

The walking directions are a joke and best not mentioned at all.  

There is exactly zero information of any kind on bike paths, etc. at least in my area.   

Speak for yourself, mate.

In Australia most of us drive, I have four cars in my household, one for each person.

Transit directions mean nothing to me and hundreds of millions like me.

So how did people manage without these things for thousands of years?

Chill out, relax, enjoy the scenery.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazoobee 

 

Try this same trip anywhere outside of the continental USA and you will be surprised how completely opposite the experience will be.  

In 1984 I did a six thousand mile road trip around Australia guided only by paper maps purchased from service (gas) stations, and managed ok.

Chill out, enjoy the scenery, it's not the destination it's the journey.

Originally Posted by iSheldon 
Right- I'm going to give you the location where I live.
Dream on.

Oh, so it DOES show up in Apple Maps?

Because if it's not there or wrong, there shouldn't be any problem with it. And unless you live in a house at the intersection of two numbered roads in the country, your actual address won't be pinpointable, will it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by iSheldon 


Right- I'm going to give you the location where I live.
Dream on.

Street view for my house shows a fence around a bare construction site, taken from a road outside the fence.

For my father's house it shows a trash can filled alleyway up the side of a house two doors up.

What good is that, for anything, huh?

When will their little car come zooming past again?

I want to hang my bare buttocks out the window.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstone 

The main problem with Siri and Southern California is there are so many Spanish names and when set to English she doesn't understand the names and is awful at pronouncing them. And by the way in my opinion the new Spanish Siri is absolutely unusable. The problem really is that Siri should be in bilingual mode so I can tell her sentences that contain both English and Spanish as that is the way it is around here and also in Central America because there are many English words that have no translation so we use the English words.

You should try being an English speaker in any foreign country. It sucks on all devices.

My Lumia 800 doesn't recognize any Finnish names for voice dialling or messaging, and my iPad can't recognize or pronounce any street names what so ever. But somehow I doubt very much if this will ever be fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hill60 

 

In 1984 I did a six thousand mile road trip around Australia guided only by paper maps purchased from service (gas) stations, and managed ok.

 

Chill out, enjoy the scenery, it's not the destination it's the journey.

Well, of course once you get out of a city in Australia, there is only one road and it goes straight for 800km.

I find there are a lot less arguments about directions when you don't rely on your passenger to read the paper map.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazoobee 

 

While I agree that the negative hype is too much and that overall the app isn't that bad (and can only improve), I don't think you could argue that it's "adequate for (most people's) purposes" as you say. 

 

Most people (world-wide not USA) don't drive, so the over-emphasis on car traffic and turn by turn is not helpful for "most."  

The complete lack of transit directions means that it can't really be considered adequate for most people either.  

The walking directions are a joke and best not mentioned at all.  

There is exactly zero information of any kind on bike paths, etc. at least in my area.   

If someone can buy a smartphone it is probable he/she can buy a car; with over a billion cars I would say turn by tun navigation is helpful for most.

J.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vreeland 

Wow, I like how the world (including Apple) is saying that the new Maps app is garbage yet AI is in some kind of denial.
Yes, Apples Map app works (most of the time), yes it might have some places where the '3D' rendering is better than Google Earth/Maps... but when you look at the big picture, the Google product has time on its side, almost 9 years of development. Just by that alone, Apple has alot of catching up to do in order to even come close to Google and its Maps app.
Over these 9 years they have developed both a web interface (accessible to everyone via the internet) that integrates with your phone/tablet so there is no need to write down or remember that address. Google has built in an optional location history that tells you where you have been (Google Latitude). Google developed navigation for those who use public transit, those who bike, and for those who walk (not to mention the normal driving navigation). Google has introduced offline maps so you don't need to be connected to the internet to access maps (which is nice for a wi-fi only tablet or a phone that doesn't get the greatest of reception). The Google Street View project has put more than 5 million miles on their fleet of vehicles, that's just shy of 10.5 trips to the moon and back. The list goes on and on...
Maybe Apple Maps will one day be on the same level as Google is now. But as of right now, Apple has taken a large step back in ditching Google Maps and their 9 years of development to introduce this experimental app to their users.
And for the record, I do have both a iPhone 4S (that has been downgraded back to iOS5 after 2 weeks of 6) and a Motorola Droid 4 (on Ice Cream Sandwich/Android 4.0.4) & I use both on a daily basis.

well, newbie, you miss the basic point. the article is hardly "in denial," given how it lists the advantages of Google Maps - esp. for Android - in much detail. as to when the "one day" comes that Apple will catch up, you should reasonably expect that by this time next year.  but most of all, the point is that Apple (a) will no longer depend on Google for a crucial technology and get stuck with an inferior product as a result, and (b) is ripping away 10's of millions of Google's most valuable Search users right now. if you don't think that both really hurt Google bad and boost Apple a lot, you're blind.

Yet another comparison of map apps that doesn't compare the actual maps? Has the world gone crazy? Why has the media completely ignored that topic? Are there no journalists that have the ability to compare and analyze the visual design of maps?

It seems that the effectiveness of a map, as an actual map, should be paramount in any map app comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfiler 

Yet another comparison of map apps that doesn't compare the actual maps? Has the world gone crazy? Why has the media completely ignored that topic? Are there no journalists that have the ability to compare and analyze the visual design of maps?

 

It seems that the effectiveness of a map, as an actual map, should be paramount in any map app comparison.

but that would take actual work! "journalists" just repeat what others say. that's much quicker. checking the facts for themselves? you gotta be kidding. that's called "investigative journalism."

and of course on the WWW, plain old bullshitting is also considered "journalism."

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacBook Pro 


Oscar the Grouch?
You can resolve the issue yourself in just a few seconds. Siri integrates with iOS phonetic name records to speak contacts correctly.

Good tip, but doesn't help for navigation much if Siri doesn't recognize any local place names or addresses.