http://tidbits.com/ Although the new Google Maps for iOS hasn’t been out long enough to get significant use in the wild, a close examination reveals some pros and cons in comparison with Apple’s new-in-iOS-6 Maps app. Follow along as Adam Engst compares the two. en-us Copyright 2012 TidBITS Publishing Inc. Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:00:00 EST Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:00:00 EST editors@tidbits.com (TidBITS Editors) editors@tidbits.com (TidBITS Editors) http://tidbits.com/images/tb_logo_152x55.png http://tidbits.com/ 55 152 TidBITS badge http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17174 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:55:00 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17174 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17140 Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:20:24 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17140 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17128 Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:15:31 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17128 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17096 Thu, 20 Dec 2012 04:53:58 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17096
I had at least one instance where I got lost because Apple Maps led me into a dead end in Washington DC which Maps claimed to be a through-street (in September 2012).]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17091 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:28:18 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17091 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17090 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:24:48 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17090 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17068 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:51:42 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17068 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17067 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:35:02 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17067 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17063 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:56:02 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17063
I have loved Apple Maps since my iPhone5 added Siri, but not on my iPhone4 without voice. I can listen to my audiobook, and Siri tells me where to go, without eyes off the road. Google Maps does the same, but is awkward linking, or requires manual data entry, unsafe driving. Ideally Apple should put google maps & search into Maps.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17062 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:32:12 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17062 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17060 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 06:38:31 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17060 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17059 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 06:37:38 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17059
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/here-maps/id577430143?mt=8]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17057 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 05:18:57 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17057 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17055 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:17:16 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17055 http://www.waze.com. Adds an element of social networking to mapping and navigation, and a reasonably easy way to edit the map.

Also, I believe another difference is that you get turn by turn directions on Google Maps on an older device (I have an iPhone 4), but you have to be on a 5 (perhaps 4S?) to get the same on Apple Maps.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17050 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:38:28 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17050 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17049 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:26:31 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17049 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17044 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 08:02:42 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17044 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17042 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 07:58:27 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17042
Not only do the commercial maps offer offline access, their maps are also updated more frequently to reflect changes such as new or changed streets, roads, highway exits and rest areas. I can also used them without accruing roaming and or data charges. Here in Germany cell phone data connections on the Autobahns are really bad or slow. I have an older TomTom Car Kit for iPhone with an integrated GPS receiver which can be used with other companies maps. I acquired the kit as well as TomTom's nav app more than 2 years ago and it has more than paid for itself. The only issue is that the kit can't be used with the iPhone 5 due to the form factor change.

Ian]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17039 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:55:40 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17039 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17035 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:35:59 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17035 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17033 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:46:29 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17033 is this really true? I've reported several location errors (mostly misplaced local glyphs for stores) and apple hasn't fixed any of them over the following month. did you actually test by reporting errors and watching for fixes?]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17027 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 05:35:11 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17027 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17021 Sat, 15 Dec 2012 12:28:41 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17021 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17020 Sat, 15 Dec 2012 12:26:22 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17020
But wow, is Google Maps bright at night! It really needs a light-on-dark night mode.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17019 Sat, 15 Dec 2012 12:24:56 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17019 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17018 Sat, 15 Dec 2012 08:10:45 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17018 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17014 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:35:35 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17014 Type "210 W 12" or "210 W 12th" and it sends me to 210 Old State Route 12 in NJ. Typing "210 W 12th St" gives me only two choices: Wilmington, DE or Beach Haven, NJ. When I type "210 W 12th St, NY" or "210 W 12th St, New York" it offers three (different) choices, all in NJ. Only when I type "210 w 12th st, New York, NY" does it point me to 210 West 12th St. - about 8 blocks from where I am. And, I've found that if there's the same address in Brooklyn, Maps sends me there even when I type "New York, NY" as part of the address or click on the "New York, NY" address that pops up as a choice.
Google Maps recognizes every one of those, including "210 W 12," as the nearby 210 West 12th St.
Also Maps doesn't even show which trains go to subway stations on the map. Click on the station and it gives the address but not the train lines.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17012 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:44:25 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17012 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17006 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:45:09 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17006
Navigon will still be essential for me because we go to national parks and other similarly remote places and you can't rely on having a connection. But Navigon is lousy at finding things like parks (and museums and theaters). You can use Google from the app. Navigon shows more detailed information about exit lanes and upcoming turns which is helpful in complicated interchanges. Maybe not a biggee in Ithaca, but it is in LA.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13459?rss#comments_17002 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:49:23 EST http://tidbits.com/article/13459#comments_17002
I'll see if I can reproduce the rotate bug too. That's the sort of thing that's likely to be fixed in a quick 1.0.1 update.]]>