Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Marta Strickland — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:33:32 -0000

Luckily, Google Maps did just add walking directions, although it is certainly "beta":
http://threeminds.organic.c...

My biggest biggest complaint is the failure to fully realize the power of My Maps. There is so much more that can be done with this, and a big component of it is taking it to mobile.

I should be able to build My Maps on my mobile phone using GPS capability. I want to remember all the places on the pub crawl and pass it along to my friends later.

And I should certainly be able to access My Maps on my phone. I use My Maps extensively to plan my vacations, as a sort of place to take notes about restaurants and activities I hear about before I go. Finally, when it is time to leave, I want to do two things... 1. port the data into my GPS device for driving directions and 2. access the data on my mobile device when I'm out walking around.

Right now, the only good way to port My Maps points to a GPS is through a combination of using http://www.takitwithme.com/ and then a GPX editor (GeePeeEx Editor is great).

And then how about being able to share that information... Marta's guide to the best Wine Bars in Rome or Walking Tours of Paris. The social aspects of My Maps leave SO much to be desired. These trips should be able to be shared, rated, commented on. I'd much rather trust a well-rated Google user than a biased travel publication.

There are GPX social networks out there, there are social travel sites out there where you can show and rate itineraries. But Google could OWN this space. It has the data and the interface that others don't.

Marta Strickland
Executive Editor
threeminds.organic.com

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Kristin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:40:44 -0000

I agree. I went there the other day and it was very low tech compared to Google, but Google should do more with "search for" like MapQuest does.

Three other suggestions:
*Show altitudes on the satellite view that would be very helpful
*Partner with one of the GPS companies, tomtom for example and provide alternate routes when construction or traffic changes arise. GM would need to be slightly more updated but they're working on this, right?
*Vacation planner

You want walking directions?
http://lifehacker.com/39902...

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Shawn — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:42:19 -0000

I don't know ONE person that still uses Mapquest. Googlemaps is superior in every way, but these listed improvements would be nice.

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Andrew Turner — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:18:14 -0000

There's something to be said for companies like Google or Microsoft to provide underlying toolsets and then other companies to build specific applications like you're asking for on top of these tools.

TripIt, Dopplr, etc are building travel and suggestion applications.

Mapufacture (disclaimer: my company) allows you to layer multiple KML, GeoRSS, and Web Services from multiple sources as layers and get GPX, Mobile, Paper, etc. access to it.

GeoCommons and Swivel can display in quantitative data

OpenStreetMap provides fully customizable maps in languages, styling, areas, and offline use.

There should be encouragement for third-parties to innovate and provide compelling niche applications and the larger providers to serve the common, simple use cases.

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Alex — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:08:57 -0000

Meanwhile I don't know anyone who uses MapQuest. I give them 2 years before they are dead.

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Kuroki Kaze — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:46:16 -0000

Haha, Google Gears Maps? I see it this way: you point a rectangle area to save. Entire globe is just too big for Gears, you know. It's like "print map", but with all the contents saved. And maybe the options ("Exclude satellite photos", for example).

Sorry for bad english :)

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

AC — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:29:35 -0000

Do you must need realy google implement?
I guess it's okey to use API.

>GPS data
google maps read KML. need GPX?
You can logging GPS data by japanese mobile phone with googlemaps API realtime.
http://maps.ah-huh.net

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Adam — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:40:02 -0000

Great ideas. I especially like the offline mode. The worst it trying to look up directions on your mobile and then you lose the signal or have to wait for it to load as you blow by the exit. You should post these to the Google Maps SuggestionBox here http://googlemaps.suggestio...
Maybe Google will actually implement them...

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Anrkist — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:07:06 -0000

Mapquest is the verb to use, much like when you say "Coke" you really mean Dr. Pepper.

Last time I tried to use Mapquest, I was unable to use my middle scroll wheel to zoom in/out. How lame.

Sadly enough, as good as all of these services are, we still want more.

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Nathan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:04:12 -0000

you mean to tell me that Mapquest is still in business, well, i can hardly believe it!

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Adam Ostrow — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:05:02 -0000

that would be great ... currently I use HopStop for that

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

Lindsay — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:50:14 -0000

I don't know anyone who goes to google maps first off. Mapquest is still the verb to use with everyone I know.

Re: Wish List: 8 Ways to Improve Google Maps

sahil — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:42:24 -0000

All I ask for is 1 simple feature: Biking/Walking directions. PLEASE BE WORKING ON THIS!