Correction for Bogus locations on iPhone GPS Goolge Maps? Hello? Anyone there?

[Rybold]

Since I got my iPhone3G five weeks ago, I have constantly been finding pins in the GPS Google maps search results that simply don't exist! There's a Starbucks at Main St. and Apple Boulevard, according to the map, but when I get there IT DOESN'T EXIST!!! A few days into it, I got wise on the terrible accuracy of this software and started calling every business to make sure they physically exist. Now, I understand that some businesses go out of business, but some that I know of have been gone for two years (I'm being totally serious here), yet they still show up in the search results. What infuriates me is that there is no way while in the GPS Google maps iPhone screen to report locations as "this no longer exists" or "this is not a restaurant, this is a gated distribution center," and Google will call the businesses to verify the reported corrections and actually update the map BEFORE THE BUSINESS HAS BEEN GONE FOR OVER TWO YEARS!!!!!!!

(Hopefully, someone can help me here. Is there a way to report errors in the search results on GPS Google maps on the iPhone?)

 

[X5-452]

I don't know about reporting those "features" but I've encountered a couple myself. The city of Calgary is divided into 4 quadrants according to the compass (NE/NW/SE/SW) and there have been times when a restaurant is listed at being at the same address but in more than 1 quadrant of the city (IE, both 1301 17th Ave SW AND 1301 17th Ave NW) when the other location simply doesn't exist.

 

[Rybold]

Does anyone know if there is a way to submit corrections ?

 

[nparmelee]

Try doing a search for the same place in Google Maps, that's what feeds the iPhone maps. There is an option to remove the place and why and send the suggestion in to Google Maps.

 

[kdarling]

If it's off by just a block or so, you can use regular web-based Google maps. Enter an address, then click the Edit button on the map marker, and move the arrow.

Otherwise, submit changes here:

http://maps.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=data_errors

Be sure to let them know you're talking about Mobile Maps, as it's different:

Google Mobile uses TeleAtlas map data. Web-based Maps uses NavTeq map data.

 

[Rybold]

Thanks for the link. I'll try it, but I'm skeptical about whether they will make the corrections. And if they do, will it take six weeks? I'll give it a try though.

 

[PNutts]

Thanks for the link. I'll try it, but I'm skeptical about whether they will make the corrections. And if they do, will it take six weeks? I'll give it a try though.

Thanks for the heads up. I haven't used that feature much, but it is good to know that it might lead you to an empty lot. The way businesses come and go it would be hard to keep up, but if Google is going to drive down every street then they could analyze the pictures?

Does anyone the source of Google's data? That would also be another means to correct errors.

 

[Rybold]

Thanks for the heads up. I haven't used that feature much, but it is good to know that it might lead you to an empty lot. The way businesses come and go it would be hard to keep up, but if Google is going to drive down every street then they could analyze the pictures?

Does anyone the source of Google's data? That would also be another means to correct errors.

It would not be possible for Google to drive down every street in America every month and update their map database. HOWEVER, thanks to the Internet and the word "interactive," just like Wikipedia, individual users can add, remove, and update business info. A computer can even be programed so that members within the Google community can "endorse" a given correction, then zero Google employees will be needed. For example, if I make an edit, and then fifteen other people in my area read my edit and select "I have verified this," then the correction becomes permanent. If it has been three weeks and no one else has supported the correction, then a Google employee will call the business on the telephone (which only takes three minutes for a small business) and verify the info. That is the system that Google needs to implement.

 

[Rybold]

WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO ON GOOGLE'S WEBSITE:

http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=80683

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tauj...answer=80683&topic=&useful=1&expand_useful=1&



-I submitted a "suggestion" to correct a business by my house that no longer exists. I used the "edit" method shown in this Youtube video. Let's see how long it takes Google to remove the business. The clock is ticking.
-With a different business, a distribution center, I edited the name from just the store name to add "distribution center" after the store name. The edit showed up immediately on Goolge Maps on my PC, but the change has not yet shown up on my iPhone's Google Maps. Let's see how long it takes. The clock is ticking.
.

 

[Rybold]

Here's an update: I just looked back and they have now removed the businesses that I reported that did not exist. It took them about one week, but they did remove it. If we could all pitch in and make corrections, it will make the Maps a lot better for all of us!

 

[Rybold]

Here's an update: I just looked back and they have now removed the businesses that I reported that did not exist. It took them about one week, but they did remove it. If we could all pitch in and make corrections, it will make the Maps a lot better for all of us!

Update: The corrections have been made to Google Maps on the
regular Internet (PCs and Macs), but NOT on the iPhone GPS Google Maps App! (furious)

Google Mobile uses TeleAtlas map data. Web-based Maps uses NavTeq map data.

Red Tape!

(I submitted a bunch of correction suggestions to the online Google maps and it took them a week and a half to make each correction ... but if it doesn't show up on Mobile Maps then it's pointless! And if I make the update for mobile, then the Internet users won't see the correction. This is ridiculous! If I made all the corrections on both systems all the time, I'd feel like I was working for them! They should be the ones to make sure their maps are correct!)