Google to Show Off 'Next Dimension' of Maps on June 6

kdarling said:

There's a time for adventure and a time for being smart and planning ahead.

I peek ahead at turns and destinations when I need to be somewhere on time that's new to me. E.g. doctor's offices, or meeting someone to look at a car, or getting to a party.

Countless times Street View has saved me searching for parking, or finding an office building that would not have otherwise been obvious, or missing a poorly marked exit... which in this part of the country can mean driving quite a distance before being able to turn around.

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Another nice use of Street View I found was when home shopping 2 years ago. The pictures posted by real-estate agents don't always tell the whole picture about the neighborhood around the property you're looking at. I would always grab the street address if possible and check out the surrounding houses. Sometimes, a nice home on a real-estate ad looked very different when you saw the neighbors...

Using Street view in that way saved me quite a bit of trips.

This better be apple's map + navigation

Google's event naturally

KnightWRX said:

Another nice use of Street View I found was when home shopping 2 years ago. The pictures posted by real-estate agents don't always tell the whole picture about the neighborhood around the property you're looking at. ...

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I've done something similar when booking hotels / condos / houses for vacations.

Often the "rent me" photos don't show how little privacy you have and/or the noisy bar across the streeet

One Bad Duck said:

I suspect shares in Garmin and TomTom have just tanked. As the service of navigation turns to being better and better as a free service.

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"Free" supported by ads, that is.

Maps is great, because by default you will have to tell them where you are in order to use it. Cue the sounds of virtual location based billboards popping up....

The problem with Google isn't their tech, it's their business model. Peddlers of ads.

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MozMan68 said:

As soon as there is a phone GPS that will tell me where a POI is along my current route, I'll switch. Stand alone GPS units can hold WAY more data than a current phone could.

I'm just waiting for a GPS/phone that uses it's cell data capabilities to constantly update and have every POI possible.

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I am waiting - probably in vain - for a GPS that doesn't suck. I like Google maps - that's how maps should work.

But if you look at the 3rd party GPS apps, they have garish graphics, and they work as if it was a physical device with 5 buttons on it and no software intelligence to speak of. Bought MotionX GPS for its ability to cache map data - what a hunk of crap.

So... I am hoping for iOS 6 with Apple Maps with the following features:
- Can cache data
- Based on Openstreetmaps, which is much better data than Google maps, and keeps improving all the time. Using open street maps also makes it _legal_ to cache the data - even if you wanted to, you wouldn't be allowed to cache Google maps data.
- Navigation
- As easy to use as Google Maps - e.g. just enter a destination, and go.
- Hoping for, but probably won't get: Ability to load maps. I don't know why 3rd party GPS app can't do that, when any stupid Garmin GPS piece of crap can...?!

And then you can kiss your standalone GPS goodbye. This will combine the best of Google maps and Open Street maps with Apple's usability.

Konrad said:

Maps don't matter much for people with traveling experience and a brain.

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Computers don't matter much for people with pen, paper, and a brain.

In fact, I even wrote this post by mailing a letter to MacRumors staff with instructions on how to post. Those computer-reliant fools.

KnightWRX said:

Good timing by Google. If Apple does annouce something at WWDC, at least now no one will say Google scrambled and "copied" Apple in less than a week. I guess we dodged that bullet.



Or you know... they could stick with Google Maps and dedicate the ressources to another project, making iOS even better.

Why *must* Apple even replace their maps back-end ? Google Maps work. They need to fix the front-end to put in the features that are missing that the back-end already supports (turn-by-turn navigation, etc..).

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Because Google and Apple are competitors now. Using Google's backend is lining their pockets with cash. Why should Apple line a competitor's pockets with cash and let Google data-mine for ad revenue off of iOS users?

orthorim said:

"Free" supported by ads, that is.

Maps is great, because by default you will have to tell them where you are in order to use it. Cue the sounds of virtual location based billboards popping up....

The problem with Google isn't their tech, it's their business model. Peddlers of ads.

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People keep saying that about Google and Android, and yet Android is still as bereft of ads as iOS is in its default state. App makers do add ads, but so do iOS app makers.

mbarriault said:

The timing is way too suspicious for this to have been independently scheduled.

And the likely, most hilarious thing is, Google will be having their collective asses handed to them just days later.

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What? I just used an HTC One X w/ google maps navigation yesterday. Damn...I had no idea how awesome that would be. I was one of those guys that just thought Apple did everything better, but after using Google nav w/ satellite imagery and traffic layers added, it was sublime. I thought for sure I would have to wait for screen redraws as it downloaded data on the fly, but it was as if it were preloaded on the device already. Just smooth photo realistic motion the entire trip. Reroutes were instant, and I mean INSTANT. With the press of one button, say your POI and it WILL find it very quickly. No more Garmins for me. Apples mapping solution better kick ass, because Apple hasn't even caught to Google present offering and they're going to get better?!? Can't wait to see what both companies bring to the table. Great time for consumers.

KnightWRX said:

People keep saying that about Google and Android, and yet Android is still as bereft of ads as iOS is in its default state. App makers do add ads, but so do iOS app makers.

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typical accusation and false info from the mac fanatics, Apple will never do anything wrong, and everything they make is better than their competitors, rofl.

Hurm.

At 9:30 AM, the shadow on the pin should be cast left, not right as it currently does.

But hey it's Google. Attention to detail is not a priority.

RebelScum said:

Hurm.

At 9:30 AM, the shadow on the pin should be cast left, not right as it currently does.

But hey it's Google. Attention to detail is not a priority.

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At 9:30 A.M., I can have my shadow cast either left or right without any issues. Since we can't infer which side of the picture is east or west, depending on if the photographer is facing south or north, we can't make such a statement.

But hey, let's not let logic get in the way of a useless bout of bashing.

live stream

live stream now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMBJ2Hu0NLw&feature=player_embedded

Engadget: "Google's Maps event has just given us a much-requested feature: true offline map support. Android users can opt to download maps without needing a cellular or WiFi connection."

3d maps as well...

I see iPad on left corner on the Ariel view of city pics on engadget live blog

Google demoing Maps on an iPad. Sounds like they have admitted defeat in the Tablet market. You couldn't make this thing run on an android tablet? I am just baffled.

Icculus said:

Google demoing Maps on an iPad. Sounds like they have admitted defeat in the Tablet market. You couldn't make this thing run on an android tablet? I am just baffled.

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It was probably done just to show that Google is advancing the Maps tech on the device even when Apple isn't helping (IMO). Plus it will allow for some ribbing next week if Apples Maps doesn't do Offline or 3D (or even the new in depth StreetView).

Icculus said:

Google demoing Maps on an iPad. Sounds like they have admitted defeat in the Tablet market. You couldn't make this thing run on an android tablet? I am just baffled.

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You wish. In reality it will work on Android everything but not on iOS (soon).

diamond.g said:

It was probably done just to show that Google is advancing the Maps tech on the device even when Apple isn't helping (IMO). Plus it will allow for some ribbing next week if Apples Maps doesn't do Offline or 3D (or even the new in depth StreetView).

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Thats a solid point, didn't think about that.

Next week regardless of what apple does you will have the blogosphere complaining to the 9th power. Google really didn't WOW me with this presentation...3D is a gimmick, I will never use that in a real world environment. I just want a better mapping system and only in real world testing will that be determined. Presentations can make anything look/sound like the best thing ever.

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lilo777 said:

You wish. In reality it will work on Android everything but not on iOS (soon).

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Thats fine if it only works on Android....they didn't wow me with anything in this presentation. IMO 3D is a gimmick and nobody will really use it, and offline maps I have never needed. If my iPhone is in airplane mode I am on a plane and don't need maps. I think I can wait to use my phone again to pull up a map so if that was their big thing (sure seemed like it) then whatever I will stick with Apple Maps.

Icculus said:

Google demoing Maps on an iPad. Sounds like they have admitted defeat in the Tablet market. You couldn't make this thing run on an android tablet? I am just baffled.

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It was actually a demo of Google Earth's 3D maps. Google Earth on iOS is not new. So clearly, they will continue to update it with this new tech. I'm not sure how that is admitting defeat. Unlike Apple, Google is trying to bring their maps technology to all platforms.

Icculus said:

Thats fine if it only works on Android....they didn't wow me with anything in this presentation. IMO 3D is a gimmick and nobody will really use it, and offline maps I have never needed. If my iPhone is in airplane mode I am on a plane and don't need maps. I think I can wait to use my phone again to pull up a map so if that was their big thing (sure seemed like it) then whatever I will stick with Apple Maps.

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They just have the best maps and map-related apps (like StreetView) out there. Nothing fancy.

bozzykid said:

It was actually a demo of Google Earth's 3D maps. Google Earth on iOS is not new. So clearly, they will continue to update it with this new tech. I'm not sure how that is admitting defeat. Unlike Apple, Google is trying to bring their maps technology to all platforms.

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I would have done it differently, since Google makes Android phones and tablets in a keynote they should be using android phones/tablets to demo new software. Not a competitor. Thats my .02.

Icculus said:

I would have done it differently, since Google makes Android phones and tablets in a keynote they should be using android phones/tablets to demo new software. Not a competitor. Thats my .02.

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They are not trying to be like Apple. They are trying to show it will work on multiple platforms. They are smart in doing this because the more clients they have, the more data they collect. In the end, to have the best maps, you have to a lot of data. This is the advantage they have right now. I think it was pretty important that they showed that they weren't completely leaving iOS. Smart move imho.

bozzykid said:

They are not trying to be like Apple. They are trying to show it will work on multiple platforms. They are smart in doing this because the more clients they have, the more data they collect. In the end, to have the best maps, you have to a lot of data. This is the advantage they have right now. I think it was pretty important that they showed that they weren't completely leaving iOS. Smart move imho.

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Okay I haven't seen the keynote just followed the live blog, but from what I can tell they didn't demo it on multiple platforms just the iPad...correct me if I am wrong there.

I agree with more devices, more data to collect. Yes that makes sense, and I am not even saying they need to kill off iOS. It would have been nice to show the maps being demoed on android/apple...because it kind of leaves android people in the dark wondering how well it runs on android tablets. Maybe I am wrong but from a geek perspective thats immediately what I thought of when I saw an iPad and no android tablets.

Icculus said:

I would have done it differently, since Google makes Android phones and tablets in a keynote they should be using android phones/tablets to demo new software. Not a competitor. Thats my .02.

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Everyone already knows it's coming to Android. It's an unstated given. iOS? With all the whiny, slap fight contention between Apple and Google on the map front, it's not a guaranteed thing there. Demoing it off an iPad is a not so subtle way for Google to say that it's being supported there as well.

Plus it's a good way for them to rub their maps in Apple's face. Kind of a "why wait for Apple's solution when you have something likely to be better now" type situation.