Apple’s maps are not off to a good start. They’re getting killed by critics and users alike. And rightly so! They don’t hold their own against last generation’s Google Maps on iOS 5. And what’s worse for Apple and its fans? Things probably won’t be getting better any time soon. More »
We’ve talked plenty about the flaws inherent in Apple Maps, and where it differs from Google Maps on paper. But how wide is the disparity between the two in actuality? We stacked two iPhone 4Ses side-by-side (one running iOS 5, one running iOS 6, both on wi-fi with GPS on), and let the two mapping apps do battle. More »
Devious developers have already cooked up a way to bake Google Maps mass transit directions into Apple’s iOS 6 Maps app, though the workaround isn’t quite ready for primetime yet. Google Transit for iOS 6 is the handiwork of Simon Maddox, adding a Google Directions option to the list of third-party plugins Apple offers for alternative routing, and pulling up results in Safari.
Apple does not offer mass transit guidance in this first generation version of Maps, and instead leaves the field open for third-party developers to do so instead. Those options – such as Garmin’s newly updated Navigon and StreetPilot Onboard – show up in a Routing Apps menu after you search for directions.
However, for Maddox’s Google Directions plugin to be broadly available, it would need to be approved by Apple itself for distribution in the App Store. Right now, it’s only useful for registered iOS developers, who can deploy it to their devices using Xcode.
Maddox isn’t confident that Apple would ever approve his code, and so the likelihood of an official release seems low. Google is yet to confirm any plans for a Google Maps for iOS app distributed via the App Store, and it’s possible the company will decide to keep it as an Android perk altogether.
Update: Looks like Simon wasn’t the only person working on something along these lines. Fellow iOS developer Jesse Vincent also cooked up a Google mass transit directions plugin for Apple Maps, and has submitted it to Apple for approval.
Apple Maps hack adds Google public transport directions option is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Apple’s Maps app is horrifying—in its apocalyptic world, the Statue of Liberty is no more, the Brooklyn Bridge is blown out, and everything is awful. Desperately searching for an alternative? Conveniently enough, Garmin has getting ready to release a huge update to its iOS navigation app, Navigon. More »
Apple’s free iOS 6 update pushed out to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners yesterday, has already begun provoking strong reactions from users, with the homegrown Maps app singled out for most criticism. Replacing Google Maps on the iPhone 5, Apple’s version has won praise for its eye-catching “flyover” 3D mapping and slick integration with iOS as a whole, but also come under fire for patchy and inaccurate data.
The mounting tensions between Apple and Google are believed to be the root cause of Google Maps’ being replaced, with Apple looking to control its own navigation experience instead of preloading its rival’s software. TomTom and OpenStreetMap have provided the underlying data on top of which Apple built its own interface. However, the usefulness of that data is in question today.
Much of the frustration appears to have come from international users, rather than those in the US, with Apple’s mapping data and satellite imagery for locations outside of the US coming in for criticism. The software suffers from out-of-date points of interest, the BBC reports, with some towns in the wrong position geographically or missing altogether, and search results prompting unlikely suggestions for straightforward queries.
TomTom has denied culpability, pointing out that it’s up to vendors like Apple who license its data to add “additional features to the map application such as visual imagery” and describing its mapping content as only the “foundation” of any service. Google has invested significantly into collecting its own location data, for instance dispatching Street View vehicles around cities to gather street-level photography.
Although there’s no way to avoid installing Apple Maps as part of iOS 6, and no option to reinstall Google Mpas from iOS 5, there are several third-party alternatives on offer. Some are available via the App Store, with ZDNet flagging up a soon-expiring deal of a year’s free Telenav premium service (the offer runs out by the end of the week), while others can be accessed via the browser.
Google Maps itself can of course be found at google.com/maps, but another solid option is Nokia Maps, which was launched as an HTML5 option for iOS and Android users earlier this year. Accessed at m.maps.nokia.com, it includes turn-by-turn navigation for cars, mass transit, and pedestrians, including optional audio guidance, satellite view, live traffic data, and more.
If you’re determined to stick with iOS 6 Maps, however – which also includes turn-by-turn navigation, for the first time in the native iOS mapping app – it’s worth remembering that you can report incorrect locations via the map itself and help Apple refine its data that way. Apple told SlashGear after the iPhone 5 launch last week that it expects third-party vendors to deliver mass transit guidance for users, at least initially.
Unhappy with Apple’s own Maps app? Happy with iOS 6 in general? Or holding off from upgrading until any early bugs have been ironed out? Let us know in the poll below, and then head over to our iPhone 5 review for more details.
iOS 6 Maps polarizes Apple fans is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
If you are an avid user of Google Maps, then surely you would know that the latest version of Google Maps will bump it up to version number 6.12, and the good people over at Google have thrown in additional useful and comprehensive features, where the few improvements made are able to better sync your maps experience across all the entire collection of your devices. The updated Google Maps for Android will allow you to perform faster and more accurate searches right there and then on the browser of your Android-powered smarphone.
All you need to do is make sure that you remain signed in to Google Maps, and enable your web history, and you are set to enjoy a slew of new benefits that will include search and directions history. The moment you begin to type a place or directions into the search box on your Android device, the most likely suggestions from Google for both directions and locations that you’ve previously searched for will pop up, making the entire process far more efficient than ever before. Not only that, you are also able to check out your mapping search history and directions history on your Android phone by going to the “Search” or “Directions” tab under My Places.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google Maps now guides you through museums, Google Maps 6.5 for Android released,
Welcome to Wednesday evening everyone! Today brought us HTC’s highly-anticipated event, and it did not disappoint. It was there that HTC revealed two brand new Windows Phone 8 devices, the Windows Phone 8X and the Windows Phone 8S. Went went hands-on with both devices not long after they were announced, and shortly before HTC announced that these new phones will be landing at Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile in November. HTC released a video detailing the “design journey” of the 8X and 8S, and Nokia had some choice words about HTC’s “innovation” later on in the day.
Today was also a pretty big day for the Apple fans out there, as the company officially released the final version of iOS 6, and we were there with the full iOS 6 changelog. A new version of OS X Mountain Lion launched alongside iOS 6 (10.8.2 to be specific), and new benchmarks show that the iPhone 5 is a beast when it comes to browsing. IHS iSuppli says that the 16GB iPhone 5 costs Apple $207 to make, and a Samsung Facebook campaign has been invaded by the pro-Apple crowd. Samsung ultimately got the last laugh though, as it released a new commercial informing the consumers of the world that the best has already arrived.
T-Mobile USA has named John Legere as its new CEO, and he sat down for a hello to everyone on YouTube. AT&T brought its 4G LTE service to 8 new cities today, and ZTE gave us an idea of when it will launch its first phones running Firefox OS. The Samsung Galaxy Note II has been announced for all major US carriers, and US Cellular gave the new device a price tag of $300 and a late-October launch. Earlier in the day, we heard that Google was planning to launch a new update for Google Maps on Android, and sure enough, that update arrived just a few hours later with a couple cool new features in tow.
Tobii and NTT DOCOMO will soon be showing off a new tablet with Tobii’s eye-tracking technology, while the Raspberry Pi’s turbo mode gives it a 50% boost in power. After its two co-founders announced yesterday that they were leaving the games industry, BioWare outlined its plan for the future (spoiler: it includes more Mass Effect and Dragon Age), and Toshiba announced the latest in its line of Camileo camcorders, the rugged BW20. Finally tonight, we have a review of the all new Kindle Fire HD for you to check out – does Amazon’s latest impress or does it fall flat? Read the review to find out!
That’s all for the Evening Wrap-Up, folks. Now go out and enjoy the rest of your night!
SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: September 19, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Earlier today, we brought you the news that Google was planning to launch a Google Maps update for Android to coincide with the launch of iOS 6. In iOS 6, Apple has cut Google out of the loop, instead opting for a Maps app of its own, so it makes sense that Google would want to launch an Android update around the same time that Apple released iOS 6. The only problem was that when Google announced the update, it didn’t give us a specific time for release.
That time is apparently now, as the update to Google Maps for Android has gone live on the Google Play Store. One of the big features in this update is that Google Maps will now sync your search queries and previous maps over multiple devices. This means that when you search for a location on your Android phone, Google will suggest locations and direction data that you’ve previously searched for, allowing you to pull up maps and get directions quickly. Of course, for this syncing to work, you’ll need to be logged into your Google account while searching and have web history enabled, but those are kind of no-brainers in this case.
Users can also access their map and directions history by going into the “Search” or “Directions” tabs in My Places. In addition to giving you the ability to quickly pull up your map history on mobile devices, this Google Maps update also brings a new way to zoom with one hand: just double tap the screen, hold your finger down, and then slide it across the screen to zoom.
In the grand scheme, these features aren’t groundbreaking, but they will certainly have their uses. Making it easier to bring up previous maps and direction data will be considered a godsend by those who hate typing on a small smartphone screen, and these new features complement the “always moving” society we live in nicely. Expect to hear more about Google Maps soon, because with new competition on the scene, you can bet that Google wants to make Maps the best app it possibly can.
[via Google Maps Blog]
Google Maps update for Android available now is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
While Google Maps may have found itself on the outside looking in on the just-released iOS 6, it’s got a fresh update for Android devices that makes sure any locations you’ve searched are right at your fingertips. Rolling out now in Google Play, it includes results from your search and directions history (whether on your phone or on a PC that you were logged in to) whenever you start a new search, and in the search or directions tab under My Places. The other tweak noted in the changelog is the ability to zoom with just one finger — double tap the map then hold down your finger and slide. There’s no word specifically on what’s in store for Apple’s hardware but the final line of the blog post mentions improving the Google Maps experience across all devices — draw your own conclusions from that.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile
Google Maps for Android update brings your full location search history to handhelds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The move from Google Maps to Apple’s homespun cartography in iOS 6 has been a sticking point for people, largely because it’s the turd in a very ornate punch bowl. And while Apple’s fancy 3D maps were supposed to tide us over until the rest of Maps got better, they seem to be having their own problems. So we’ve gone ahead and rounded up some of the more… interesting deviations. More »
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