The Beanster Blog

I was hoping Google would have integrated Waze traffic data for Manila into their Google Maps product by now. 

PNDs or Personal Navigation Devices are long gone. Most modern Smartphones now include Map software. The biggest difference between PNDs and these apps are that Map data is now downloaded and not on the device. I am still irritated at both Apple and Google. They can’t seem to get along enough to offer Google Maps built into iOS as in previous versions, so Apple decides to roll their own Maps software. Which in a word: SUCKS! Below is a screen shot of the discontinued Google Maps on the discontinued Windows Mobile 6.1 it still connects to Google Maps and gets the proper data. Lets compare it to Apple Maps on iOS 7 beta 3 The old obsolete version of Google Maps still returns better results than the bleeding edge version of Apple Maps. Apple please get better data for your Maps software so you will be able to compete with Google.

I’ve been bemoaning the total crap that has become of Maps on iOS6 ever since the first beta. As we wait for Apple to fix their maps let’s explore some alternatives… all these are FREE but require an internet connection. Don’t complain, a smartphone isn’t smart without a data plan. 1. WAZE – thanks to @byronini for this tip. It’s free, has turn-by-turn voice navigation, traffic, and a lot more features. Download this now. 2. Google Maps Web App. Go to maps.google.com on Mobile Safari and add to Home Screen for quick access. A far cry from the neutered Google Maps pre-iOS6 but still useful if only for the POI search. NB: Google is rumored to be working on a native Google Maps application for iOS (ala YouTube ) 3. Nokia Maps Web App – remember Nokia? Yeah those guys actually saw the writing on the mobile wall and have been steadily improving their location stuff over the years. Adding the web app won’t hurt. Their web-app also offers saving sections of maps. maps.nokia.com on Mo...

In a couple of weeks we would go into 4th Quarter 2012. So it's time to think about your device road-map for 2013.  I have analyzed my use case and I mostly use Google services like GMail, Calendar, YouTube, Maps the only thing I leave on iCloud is Contacts and Notes. So for PIM (personal info management) it would be a minor issue to move over to an Android device. A big plus would be getting Google Maps back since Apple has decided to discard it and YouTube in iOS6. Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube all are free and all are great! Good job Google.  However when I look at applications, games, media (basically entertainment) it is clear that I am trapped in the iTunes ecosystem. I have spent a lot on the AppStore and I do not think it would be possible to make a clean break with it any time soon. Good job Apple.  I have always been pro-convergence. One device preferably pocket-able for communications, work, and play. However the escalating pla...

Let me preface this by saying that 1) iOS6 is currently in beta 2) I am posting from a Filipino perspective. Ok so Apple and Google have been going at it for awhile and another salvo in their war is: Apple dropping Google Maps from version 6 of their iOS platform. Let me show you in five pictures... The first two Google Maps images are a hybrid and map only view of Greenhills. The third image is staples center in 3D, the last two are Greenhills hybrid and map only using Apple's new Map app. The Google Maps images are from my old palm Treo Pro (yeah, remember those?) because I only have one iOS device and I'm not flashing back to iOS5. If you do not reside within the US, maps will most likely suck. If you reside in the Philippines you should stick with the map only view because the hybrid view is useless, we never got street view but you will miss that when you are traveling. I might compare navigation as the beta progresses. Google Maps, Hybrid view: Greenhills Sho...