So what's all the brew-ha about the new google maps? I don't have my android yet but keep hearing...

[Paisley]

that there is a problem going on with google maps, can someone catch me up on this? i love my google maps and even in nyc it's kinda helpful. What the drama about? thanks.

 

[tat21985]

Honestly, there is nothing wrong with it.. It's just something new that started an unnecessary fire in some people's britches, and they wanted to complain.. It is much more streamlined, a better UI, and just all around better lol

 

[Paisley]

Honestly, there is nothing wrong with it.. It's just something new that started an unnecessary fire in some people's britches, and they wanted to complain.. It is much more streamlined, a better UI, and just all around better lol

Phew! thanks. : ).

 

[cyberchief]

I disagree. The previous platform needed no updates. Now, everything is much more difficult requiring many more additional steps to get directions, etc. Can't stand using it anymore and considering purchasing a different GPS app or a stand-alone GPS device (yeah, it is that bad).

 

[tat21985]

People fear change, and it is different I'll give you that.. As bad as you may think it is, at least it isn't giving you directions to drive into a lake coughapplecough

 

[gone down south]

I disagree. The previous platform needed no updates. Now, everything is much more difficult requiring many more additional steps to get directions, etc. Can't stand using it anymore and considering purchasing a different GPS app or a stand-alone GPS device (yeah, it is that bad).

Drama much? It'd just different, give it a week and you won't even remember how the old one looked.



Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[B. Diddy]

My only misgiving is that they did away with the Labs option. There were some neat options available there, like measuring distances.

 

[EvilMonkey]

Agree on labs. I miss a couple of them.

It took me about 2 days of hating it before I realized it was better (for the most part). However, from what I can tell you can't navigate to your starred places, or pull up contacts from the map. The old navigation app had options for both of those. Maybe I'm just missing them?

 

[B. Diddy]

Agree on labs. I miss a couple of them.

It took me about 2 days of hating it before I realized it was better (for the most part). However, from what I can tell you can't navigate to your starred places, or pull up contacts from the map. The old navigation app had options for both of those. Maybe I'm just missing them?

If you start typing one of your contacts in the search bar, they should come up pretty quickly. Also, if you press your profile icon in the upper right, a screen pops up with your Home and Work addresses, a big box that says "Saved places" (although I don't have any, so not sure how that works), and then a list of Recently accessed places. Is that what you're looking for, EvilM?

 

[cyberchief]

As bad as you may think it is, at least it isn't giving you directions to drive into a lake coughapplecough

I will give you that... The Google Maps is still head and shoulders above apple maps...

 

[robsawalker]

The problem is, it's flaky as Hell and fb's all the time. It was released way too soon and if you're in the UK it no longer correctly marks motorways and dual carriageway. It's a piece of crud.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[adventure95004]

Try using it one handed!! I uninstalled update as I use it work and it was really unusable for me. UI required many more steps to get the job done. Also the loss of cached maps would not work as I am in marginal signal areas much of the day

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 4

 

[zkSharks]

They're going to roll out additional features and functionality over time, but I agree completely that there are inconveniences about the current state of the Google Maps app... namely Labs functionality and custom maps. What I'd like to see make a return is the buttons to zoom in and out. Right now, zooming in and out while using the phone one-handed is a tricky proposition at best on larger phones like the One. Having said that, the new Maps (desktop and mobile) takes a very efficient and elegant approach to the UX, and the UI is as clean and sharp as ever. Once you get the hang of the new ways to browse search results, toggle layers, etc. it becomes second-nature and, in my opinion, is definitely an improvement over the former Maps.

I could get into the technology used (such as native hardware-accelerated 3D Google Earth in the browser) and where the improvements are being made, but that's less relevant here.

Edit: adventure95004, keep in mind that you can use the "OK Maps" search hotwording to quickly cache the currently visible map areas for offline use.