this post was submitted on 14 May 2024
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[–] [email protected] 144 points 3 months ago (45 children)

Headline fix: Google kills the one good thing it has going for it with AI

[–] [email protected] 123 points 3 months ago (36 children)

Search sucks for some time now. I'd say the best thing google offers today is Gmail - but there are plenty of arguments against that too.

[–] [email protected] 148 points 3 months ago (6 children)

Google Maps, their traffic data has no rivals, unlike gmail which has plenty of good competition. It's the one thing I couldn't easily replace yet.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 months ago

True. I wanted to replace it with OSM or similar, but my main use of Maps after navigation is exploring places, reading reviews, and browsing pictures. They have a database that is tough to replace.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 months ago (6 children)

I prefer OSM since I can use the maps offline. Google maps is useless out in the middle of nowhere without any cell service.

[–] [email protected] 64 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Not to discourage usage of OSM at all, but you can absolutely download offline maps on mobile with Google Maps, they've just hidden it a bit. If you tap your account icon in the upper right, a menu pops up that includes offline maps, and it'll let you select boundaries to download.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Its only car routes though, useless for footpaths and public transport

Edit: I may be stupid

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 months ago

It's not only car routes

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago

It has all the path data

Source: I just tested it

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Far from any desire to give kudos to Google: Maps does allow offline maps.I had greater London available on my iphone recently, and that worked.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

But what if you're not in london

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

This is a great question.
The obvious answer is to then go to London.
But if you are unable to do so AND have no mobile network, you can download the maps via avian carrier.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Sorry, only London available

If you want to experience offline maps, you gotta go to London

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I do the same when I go on vacation. Take an old phone, no cell plan, just use the wireless at the hotel and take the phone as a map and camera. No cell plan means work can't call me, map still works bc of GPS and bc the data is manually downloaded (under profile menu.)

[–] kambusha 7 points 3 months ago

Which makes it good for hiking, and I've found it's better for bike routes too. However, I can't easily search for places to go, there's no recommendations, and generally you need to know the address of the place you're going to (not just a restaurant/bar etc.).

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I tried OSM and it completely failed. Downloaded the offline region, loaded it up at home fine. Went to the location and the offline map wouldn't load. Had a connection and tried to load an online map, nothing. Ended up right back using Google maps. I support the concept of OSM, it just doesn't work.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Strange, it's been very very reliable for many years, for me. Did you use OsmAnd?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

No, I used solely on my phone. It worked fine at home and looked promising. When I went out 2 days later it wouldn't load anything, was on cell only with excellent 5g data. Tried for about an hour and it just wouldn't load a map.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Uh, but...OsmAnd is a phone app. So you're saying you used the website on your phone's browser, then? I'm not sure if that has an offline function, though I never used it myself. Does it say it has that function? Otherwise I think you will have to install an app, first.

Maybe you downloaded the offline map files, but had nothing to open them with. Apps use their own versions of the map files, by the way, those files you download from the website are for other use-cases.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Osmand+ paid for it and it didn't work when I left my house. Useless product that doesn't do it basic functions. And no I'm not going to QA it for them.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Shame, it's worked perfectly for me for many years. No idea what went wrong with you, of course, and it doesn't sound like you're up for troubleshooting. Oh well, hope you have a better time with Google or Apple stuff!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

As a paying customer I will not troubleshoot for them. If I didn't pay and had the issues with the free version, I would.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

But what app did you use to access OSM and download the maps for offline use... was it a web browser? OsmAnd? Vespucci?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Osmand+ paid for and it doesn't do it main purpose of loading a map. I will not be providing QA to them since I paid for the product, the product doesn't work I'm not helping them fix a product they sold me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yes, I also use and highly recommend OsmAnd, great for offline maps, outdoor activities and lots of stuff... but no traffic data.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

OSM is great for everything non-commercial. Hiking path, finding a playground, public toilets or even the closest with few benches to eat a sandwich.

But for everything commercial and car navigation google maps is unfortunately much better.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I switched away from google maps to Apple Maps a few years ago and I honestly can’t tell any difference. If google maps traffic data is better, it’s not in any noticeable kind of way for regular day to day usage.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

Honestly Apple Maps is better in my area by a decent margin. It’s up to date sooner and that matters in a rapidly growing city. Google still beats it in search but even then AM finds things it doesn’t at times. i just wish they’d move on from shitty Yelp. I vastly prefer AMs navigation over GM as well.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

That would require me to buy an iPhone which I won't do for many many reasons... but ok, maybe Apple Maps is a decent competitor nowadays, good to know.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

their traffic data has no rivals

do you mean the waze traffic data, or does google actually have some of its own?

[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 months ago

or does google actually have some of its own

every phone running Google's version of Android with location enabled.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

And just like their ridiculous chat apps, they have no beneficial feature integration or consolidation between the two.

Google Maps has the ability to report speed traps and hazards, but none of that data comes from Waze or vice-versa.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

How good can it be? I’ve been driving 35-40 miles to work and the same back for a year now and Apple Maps tells me what minute I’ll arrive and I usually arrive within 3-5 mins either side.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I only use google maps to find bussinesses. It’s pretty awful for navigating, which is kind of what maps are made for.

I’ll plug Mapy.cz here. I’ve been using it for about 7 years now. It has even the most obscure paths that you wouldn’t believe would be on a map (at least in Europe) and the bussiness search is alright.

No idea if it’s based on OSM or is its own thing, but if I were to guess, it is.

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