Nokia to Launch Free Maps App with Offline Mode and Transit Directions for iOS

[The Phazer]

Originally Posted by dv8r

No by doing a real app. Why Google is ********* about with the app in development still is beyond me.

Then why are you saying this "shows them", given this is also not a real app but a crappy webapp?

I'd also note that a release timescale of a "few weeks" may well mean Google Maps hits the App Store before this ships anyway.

[Marvin Gerbilma]

If you change the voice to "English (US) announced street names" on your 920 it will say them to you.

Originally Posted by b166er

my only beef with maps on the 920 is that it doesn't speek the street names. It will say "get on the highway" or "take the exit" which is kind of a nice simulation to having a passenger navigate, but sometimes I need to know the street names and I can't be staring at the screen.

[b166er]

Originally Posted by Marvin Gerbilma

If you change the voice to "English (US) announced street names" on your 920 it will say them to you.

Right you are. I just realized that I had to download a new "voice" that includes the street names. It wasn't there by default and I made an assumption. This way you can also get a female voice rather than the male voice that was pre-loaded. Good to know. It's weird to me that you have to download each map you want separately, and the voices too, but I'm seeing how this is actually a huge benefit. If I just need the PA map for a while that's all I need to download. If I am going on a road trip I can download each state or just the whole US. I did use the GPS on the 920 the other day and it was very nice. I really like how it actually gives me enough of a warning instead of telling me to turn 20 yards after I was supposed to. This is a problem I've had with virtually every GPS I've used. Now to find a car mount....

[Sensa]

think back to last week's PR spin from google saying they didn't think their map app would be approved and this announcement by Noika.

Google suckered the majority of you into negatively commenting on apple's policies and practices when in reality they were really trying to cover up for the fact that they had months to prepare a new maps app for IOS and couldn't be bothered to devote adequate resources to it and/or wanted to see Apple squirm.

Please try to remember this lesson for the future and learn to be able to recognize blatant PR dirty tricks / bull crap when you see it.

Originally Posted by pooleman

So you can link to the posts where you saw this coming right? I'm sure your not just another "Monday morning quarterback".

well yes actually...it was in the thread I referenced:

PR spin & Pot Stirring 101

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...r#post16233247

and as to someone else who tried to claim I have no evidence that google didn't have plenty of notice about apple maps coming to IOS and that they couldn't have possibly been prepared...

well, maps was previewed at WWDC back in june and the macrumors report back in may that said apple was switching

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/11/...iews-in-ios-6/

which I'm sure google saw and was probably well aware of considering the extensive and bitter negotiations with apple over maps (again according to macrumors

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/26/...ation-dispute/

[pooleman]

Originally Posted by Sensa

well yes actually...it was in the thread I referenced:

PR spin & Pot Stirring 101

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...r#post16233247

and as to someone else who tried to claim I have no evidence that google didn't have plenty of notice about apple maps coming to IOS and that they couldn't have possibly been prepared...

well, maps was previewed at WWDC back in june and the macrumors report back in may that said apple was switching

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/11/...iews-in-ios-6/

which I'm sure google saw and was probably well aware of considering the extensive and bitter negotiations with apple over maps (again according to macrumors

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/26/...ation-dispute/

Oh god. Dude?.....ugh.

[deannnnn]

I don't care what anybody says, Apple Maps is still not good.

Here's something I noticed while driving around South Florida today, Apple has misplaced the entire city of Weston. Weston is a large suburban city that is in far west Broward County, yet Apple Maps depicts it by the ocean.



Additionally, I live in a nearby city where Apple Maps directs me to enter my neighborhood on a road that does not exist.

[wetrix]

Originally Posted by deannnnn

Here's something I noticed while driving around South Florida today, Apple has misplaced the entire city of Weston. Weston is a large suburban city that is in far west Broward County, yet Apple Maps depicts it by the ocean.

Make sure you report the error to Apple.

I can't imagine ever needing voice walk navigation. Is it for visually impaired or is there something I'm missing?

[deannnnn]

Originally Posted by wetrix

Make sure you report the error to Apple.

I can't imagine ever needing voice walk navigation. Is it for visually impaired or is there something I'm missing?

I did. I always do. I've yet to see one actually rectified, though. This one is pretty big so I feel like they'll get enough error reports to actually fix it but we'll see.

[patent10021]

Originally Posted by madmaxmedia

Word is they hired Scott Forstall to lead their new mapping efforts-

I was wondering why the menu was covered in fur when I was beta testing their maps app. This would explain it.

[wutang01]

Originally Posted by xofruitcake

Nokia map will gain users and benefit from the chaos... What does it leave Google map in the future? The only alternative seems to be staying in the Android environment right now.

I would disagree.
Once people find out there's a Google Maps app again, they'll flock back to it.
The YouTube app consistently being #1 free app on the App Store is an example of this.

Most non-tech heads won't ditch the monopolies e.g. Google, Google Maps, YouTube, Facebook ...

[xofruitcake]

Originally Posted by wutang01

I would disagree.
Once people find out there's a Google Maps app again, they'll flock back to it.
The YouTube app consistently being #1 free app on the App Store is an example of this.

Most non-tech heads won't ditch the monopolies e.g. Google, Google Maps, YouTube, Facebook ...

But the question is whether Apple will let Google map back on if Nokia Map is available? All Apple need to do is to delay the approval. And as time go by, everyone will find their favorite alternative map solution including Nokia map (and may be Apple map will be usable in more areas by then as well.) and has less and less incentive to go back to Google map.

[wutang01]

Originally Posted by xofruitcake

But the question is whether Apple will let Google map back on if Nokia Map is available? ... less and less incentive to go back to Google map.

Interesting future hey?
I know I'm stubborn. I'm waiting out for a Google Maps iOS app by carrying a Galaxy Nexus with me, even though iPhone 5 is my primary phone.

I can understand that for most people out there, Apple Maps meets their needs (or they didn't notice a change?). But maps is an important feature to me, and I've grown too accustomed to Google Maps ... making it very difficult for me to leave.

[Vip]

off line here...

m.here.net

[Vegasman]

Originally Posted by b166er

my only beef with maps on the 920 is that it doesn't speek the street names. It will say "get on the highway" or "take the exit" which is kind of a nice simulation to having a passenger navigate, but sometimes I need to know the street names and I can't be staring at the screen.

That being said, as far as accuracy and telling you to turn with enough time to actually react and not cause an accident- yeah maps on the 920 rule hard. As far as using them as a GPS I think the experience is nicer than google, although the data is probably not as accurate. POI's seem to be ok where I am.

Use the "Announce Street Name" voice and the Lumia 920 will say the street names.

[ictiosapiens]

Originally Posted by dv8r

No by doing a real app. Why Google is ********* about with the app in development still is beyond me.

Well, whatever the delay is, I think it's working in their favour. They got me to at least start considering a non-apple phone for the first time in 4 years...

[johngordon]

My benchmark to check is the Museum of Transport in Glasgow, UK. Its a major museum in a major UK city which relocated in April 2010. Apple Maps shows the new location, but still also shows it its old location. If I ever spot that has been corrected, I might be convinced that something positive is happening.

I just checked it on the Here website, and they still show it in its old location too.

One thing that looked good on the app though was the ability to show mapping at the bottom of the screen when in street view, which seems like a great way to get your bearings, which is one thing that isn't always easy in street view.

[Stella]

Originally Posted by theBB

Funny. A week ago, I've used Navigon, which proudly announces its Navteq maps, and it told me to turn left into a one way street in the wrong direction.

I used Apple Maps and it told me to drive through some ones backyard...

The point is - no navigation tool is 100% correct so of course you'll get errors.

Over the weekend Navigon told me to do a left turn when it was impossible, I would expect a small amount of inaccuracies.

Navtech maps are high regarded to be one of the best mapping dataset around.

[vastoholic]

Originally Posted by Dizzy11523

This sucker can tell how fast I'm going in the car and knows the speed limit of the street!

So did my Navigon app. I could even set it to warn me vocally when I was over the speed limit by a certain amount.

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by Macist

Apple Maps in getting better for vanilla address searches. But for, say, finding the nearest Indian Restaurant from your current location you're still likely to get shown something in another country.

Could we please all say _where_ we are when commenting on Apple Maps? My current address in the (South East of UK) has a nice satellite image with my car and my neighbours' car clearly recognisable, while my previous address shows both my home and my old neighbours' home covered by a single pixel in the satellite image. So the people who bought my old home will be a lot, lot less happy with Apple Maps than I am.

[Heb 7:4]

Nokia maps are significantly better than apple's, but lacking the POI data that google has.

Already available as a web app (here in the UK at any rate).

m.maps.nokia.com

I've used it a few times over the last few weeks to see if I could get used to it (went back to 5.1.1 as apple maps sucked so much, but want to upgrade at some point!)

[theBB]

Originally Posted by Stella

I used Apple Maps and it told me to drive through some ones backyard...

The point is - no navigation tool is 100% correct so of course you'll get errors.

That was my point as well.

Over the weekend Navigon told me to do a left turn when it was impossible, I would expect a small amount of inaccuracies.

Navtech maps are high regarded to be one of the best mapping dataset around.

So is TomTom.

[theBB]

Originally Posted by wutang01

I would disagree.
Once people find out there's a Google Maps app again, they'll flock back to it.
The YouTube app consistently being #1 free app on the App Store is an example of this.

Most non-tech heads won't ditch the monopolies e.g. Google, Google Maps, YouTube, Facebook ...

Most non-techs stick with default. Youtube app gets downloaded because there is no default alternative.

----------

Originally Posted by deannnnn

I don't care what anybody says, Apple Maps is still not good.

Here's something I noticed while driving around South Florida today, Apple has misplaced the entire city of Weston. Weston is a large suburban city that is in far west Broward County, yet Apple Maps depicts it by the ocean.

Ouch, that is awful.

[mazz0]

Originally Posted by AppleInMyBlood

"The application is scheduled to be available for free download from Apple's App Store in the coming weeks."

How did I miss that!? <slaps face>

A native app written in HTML? Sounds a bit disappointing to me.

Edit: Oh, that's what the original Facebook app was, wasn't it? That was awful!

----------

Originally Posted by jayducharme

It can't be web-based, since it will supposedly work offline.

Yeah, I was assuming web-based as it was HTML5, but as somebody else has pointed out to me it says ti's to be in the App Store, so I suppose that means it'll be an app displaying HTML content, like the old Facebook app that everyone hated.

Although, HTML5 has offline content mode doesn't it?

----------

Originally Posted by Speedy2

There's no such correlation.
Facebook had an HTML5 based app until recently and then switched to a native app. Both were regular apps that needed to be approved.

Yeah, I missed the bit about it being in the app store. Ugh, that Facebook app was awful

[madmaxmedia]

Originally Posted by patent10021

I was wondering why the menu was covered in fur when I was beta testing their maps app. This would explain it.

He was also demanding that all smartphones using this app have crinkly weathered paper for the screens, preferably with burnt edges.

[smoledman]

No wonder Nokia is going out of business, giving away valuable products. What does Nokia hope to gain by giving away free mapping?