Google Maps vs the Rest

Andrew writes "Shortflip.com has an interesting article on the history, present, and future of 3D satellite imaging applications. Obviously they focus on Google Maps, but they make a good case for Google's competitors, although it's hard to imagine anyone being able to challenge Google's market share in the near future. Emphasis is on user features, map accuracy, and future technology."

Comments

Waypoints, anyone?

[Tackhead]

IMO, the only thing missing from Google Maps is the concept of waypoints when making directions.

By default, you probably want the fastest (hourly) route from A to B.

Sometimes, you want to take the scenic route.

If there's a city on the scenic route, it's often too small to appear in Google's database of place names, and/or you'll have to Google for the ZIP code for East Bumfuck, Mississippi.

Furthermore, the more miles you want to log on the scenic route, the more likely it is that even if you are able to find city/ZIP combinations that correspond to places on the scenic route, the direction-guessing software will still suggest that to drive the 60 miles of scenic winding road between "East Bumfuck, MS" to "West Bumfuck, MS", for example, is to backtrack 5 miles, get on the Interstate, drive 50 miles at 60 mph, until you're 5 miles past your destination, where you backtrack to your destination. (Because 70 miles, 60 of which are at highway speeds, takes less time than 60 miles, all of which are at 25-30 mph.)

So - waypoints. A UI feature in "Directions" to say "add waypoint", such that directions from A to B are be calculated such that you pass through each (arbitrarily) selected waypoint in between.

Google for the images... Anything else for a map..

[PeteQC]

Well, for a non-US resident (Canada in my cae), I would say that if I want to know the directions from point A to point B (in Montreal for example), I'd rather use either Yahoo! Maps or Mapquest. The results are better.

Luckily, I know Montreal Streets a little, so I can judge the value of the directions given. And Google never makes the mark for me (almost never the most efficient road.)

However, if I want to see interesting pictures, Google Map/Earth is the best thing I know.