Yeah, Waze isn't in Canada yet. They actually started out in Israel, with *no map at all*, relying on the GPS from drivers to build the map as they went along. It proved quite successful.
However, in the US, they figured that they needed a starting point for people to actually use it, so they're using the free Tiger map data and refining as they go along. I expect them to push into other countries in the same manner, after they work out the kinks.
Still, talk to them directly, they're quite responsive to feedback: http://waze.com
Only thing I don't like about Waze is that the directions it gives you tend to suck at first. See, it has a notable preference for routing only on streets that it knows actually exist, where it has gotten GPS data from them before. It won't route you on a street that it knows about, but has no data. This means that until somebody confirms that street, it will avoid it, and the directions therefore can be quite humorous until the map gets filled in well. Gave me an 8 mile trek for a 1 mile drive once..
Still, it's a self-solving problem, because as people drive around with it, it fills in the streets and the routing gets better and better, especially since it will then know the average speeds for streets as well.
Yeah, Waze isn't in Canada yet. They actually started out in Israel, with *no map at all*, relying on the GPS from drivers to build the map as they went along. It proved quite successful.
However, in the US, they figured that they needed a starting point for people to actually use it, so they're using the free Tiger map data and refining as they go along. I expect them to push into other countries in the same manner, after they work out the kinks.
Still, talk to them directly, they're quite responsive to feedback: http://waze.com
Only thing I don't like about Waze is that the directions it gives you tend to suck at first. See, it has a notable preference for routing only on streets that it knows actually exist, where it has gotten GPS data from them before. It won't route you on a street that it knows about, but has no data. This means that until somebody confirms that street, it will avoid it, and the directions therefore can be quite humorous until the map gets filled in well. Gave me an 8 mile trek for a 1 mile drive once..
Still, it's a self-solving problem, because as people drive around with it, it fills in the streets and the routing gets better and better, especially since it will then know the average speeds for streets as well.
I would think that in a country that's pretty small, like Israel, it could work quire well. But in the US, it would have major problems. Israel has a small number of cities and towns, connected by few roads. NYC alone is perhaps ten times as complex as the entire country.
One driver in Israel could map out a large portion of the country, but here, it would take thousands to just get it started.
Comments
STILL waiting for Apple to add built-in FREE voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation!
Why should we expect that? The free apps offered by others are simpler versions, missing features.
STILL waiting for Apple to add built-in FREE voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation!
$%#%^$^ !!!
What should it look like
The Canadian store does not have Waze on it.
Yeah, Waze isn't in Canada yet. They actually started out in Israel, with *no map at all*, relying on the GPS from drivers to build the map as they went along. It proved quite successful.
However, in the US, they figured that they needed a starting point for people to actually use it, so they're using the free Tiger map data and refining as they go along. I expect them to push into other countries in the same manner, after they work out the kinks.
Still, talk to them directly, they're quite responsive to feedback: http://waze.com
Only thing I don't like about Waze is that the directions it gives you tend to suck at first. See, it has a notable preference for routing only on streets that it knows actually exist, where it has gotten GPS data from them before. It won't route you on a street that it knows about, but has no data. This means that until somebody confirms that street, it will avoid it, and the directions therefore can be quite humorous until the map gets filled in well. Gave me an 8 mile trek for a 1 mile drive once..
Still, it's a self-solving problem, because as people drive around with it, it fills in the streets and the routing gets better and better, especially since it will then know the average speeds for streets as well.
Yeah, Waze isn't in Canada yet. They actually started out in Israel, with *no map at all*, relying on the GPS from drivers to build the map as they went along. It proved quite successful.
However, in the US, they figured that they needed a starting point for people to actually use it, so they're using the free Tiger map data and refining as they go along. I expect them to push into other countries in the same manner, after they work out the kinks.
Still, talk to them directly, they're quite responsive to feedback: http://waze.com
Only thing I don't like about Waze is that the directions it gives you tend to suck at first. See, it has a notable preference for routing only on streets that it knows actually exist, where it has gotten GPS data from them before. It won't route you on a street that it knows about, but has no data. This means that until somebody confirms that street, it will avoid it, and the directions therefore can be quite humorous until the map gets filled in well. Gave me an 8 mile trek for a 1 mile drive once..
Still, it's a self-solving problem, because as people drive around with it, it fills in the streets and the routing gets better and better, especially since it will then know the average speeds for streets as well.
I would think that in a country that's pretty small, like Israel, it could work quire well. But in the US, it would have major problems. Israel has a small number of cities and towns, connected by few roads. NYC alone is perhaps ten times as complex as the entire country.
One driver in Israel could map out a large portion of the country, but here, it would take thousands to just get it started.