4 ms·

Google Maps is for car drivers. CityMapper is for multi-transportation within a few metropolis. The UX of Google maps for routing when driving is incredible a

by buro9 12y ago

Google Maps is for car drivers. CityMapper is for multi-transportation within a few metropolis. The UX of Google maps for routing when driving is incredible and beats everyone: Apple, TomTom, Garmin... everyone. Down to showing labels on side streets "3 minutes slower" allowing you to evaluate every decision you could make when faced with traffic. But... for public transport, or mixed transport solutions like crossing a city when so many external factors are at play... CityMapper wins. It's not an either/or, and it's not that Google Maps don't understand UX. Google Maps just has a different focus... the car.

gknoy 12y ago
Now if only I could easily set up waypoints on my navigation, so that I can plan a trip. (Leave in the AM, stop at X in 150 miles, stop at Y or Z in 2 hours, stop at Q for lunch, arrive at destination)
- SixSigma 12y ago
  Oh yes it please. I ride a motorbike and I usually don't want to go on any of the suggested routes. I have to pick a waypoint, go to that, stop, take my gloves off, get the phone out of my jacket, pick another waypoint, put my phone away, put my gloves on, repeat. The other annoying thing is it uses street names as in "turn right on to Main Street" but often the streets don't have name boards and there could be two close together. Still, first world problems eh?
  - smt88 12y ago
    I don't know about the mobile app, but Google Maps on the desktop has supported multiple waypoints for many years. Edit: as someone else mentioned, the app does support it.
    - SixSigma 12y ago
      I just double checked, in case of update, no such option.
cbsmith 12y ago
Came here to say this. Saying someone doesn't understand UX, when in fact they just have a different user context, suggests the one pointing fingers doesn't understand UX.
aembleton 12y ago
You should try Waze. That also has an excellent car driver focused UI. Now, bought by Google.
c23gooey 12y ago
In other words - Google Maps will become the interface to your Google Car.
Vik1ng 12y ago
Probably depends where you live. Google isn't as popular as in the US everywhere so in countries where they lack this user provided traffic data the differences aren't as big.
woobar 12y ago
The UX of Google maps for routing when driving is 7-10 years behind Garmin or built-in car navigation systems. Very rudimentary lane/intercharge information, no waypoints, no POIs along the route.
- cbsmith 12y ago
  > Very rudimentary lane/intercharge information, no waypoints, no POIs along the route. The quality of the lane/interchange information is kind of subjective, so I will give you that, but Google Maps fully support waypoints, and POIs are available from roughly a billion overlays available. On mobile, I'd argue the Google Now based POI feedback from Field Guide presents a much nicer UX than anything Garmin offers.
  - woobar 12y ago
    Lets stay focused on Navigation within Google Maps, not some other Google products. When I am driving on freeway at 70 mph I am not interested on billions POIs. I want restaurants within 5 miles _along_my_route_. On the navigation screen like [1] what should I click to get this information? Can I add a waypoint by clicking anywhere on the map? My car had these features 9 years ago. Also look at the "lanes support" on the same screenshot. Compare it to [2] [1] http://www.techfaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Maps.png http://www.techfaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Maps.pn... [2] http://www.sportys.com/morepics/14164m.jpg http://www.sportys.com/morepics/14164m.jpg
    - raisedbyninjas 12y ago
      POI on google maps is terrible. However the fullscreen lane guidance takes away a usable map for a generic artist's rendering. Guidance can get in your way or just be wrong if you're driving through an area with multiple interchanges or the highway numbers/names don't match the numbers/names that the signs happen to be using or your GPS sensor is being glitchy, or there is construction.
    - cbsmith 12y ago
      > Lets stay focused on Navigation within Google Maps, not some other Google products. That's kind of an arbitrary division, right? Doing POI through Google Now actually makes for a much better user experience than anything I've ever seen with a GPS. It's pretty great really. > Can I add a waypoint by clicking anywhere on the map? Yes. Oh wait, you meant on _Mobile_ Google Maps! But that is a different product. Let's stay focused on Navigation within Google Maps. ;-)

by buro9 12y ago

gknoy 12y ago

Now if only I could easily set up waypoints on my navigation, so that I can plan a trip. (Leave in the AM, stop at X in 150 miles, stop at Y or Z in 2 hours, stop at Q for lunch, arrive at destination)

SixSigma 12y ago
Oh yes it please. I ride a motorbike and I usually don't want to go on any of the suggested routes. I have to pick a waypoint, go to that, stop, take my gloves off, get the phone out of my jacket, pick another waypoint, put my phone away, put my gloves on, repeat. The other annoying thing is it uses street names as in "turn right on to Main Street" but often the streets don't have name boards and there could be two close together. Still, first world problems eh?
- smt88 12y ago
  I don't know about the mobile app, but Google Maps on the desktop has supported multiple waypoints for many years. Edit: as someone else mentioned, the app does support it.
  - SixSigma 12y ago
    I just double checked, in case of update, no such option.

cbsmith 12y ago

Came here to say this. Saying someone doesn't understand UX, when in fact they just have a different user context, suggests the one pointing fingers doesn't understand UX.

aembleton 12y ago

You should try Waze. That also has an excellent car driver focused UI. Now, bought by Google.

c23gooey 12y ago

In other words - Google Maps will become the interface to your Google Car.

Vik1ng 12y ago

Probably depends where you live. Google isn't as popular as in the US everywhere so in countries where they lack this user provided traffic data the differences aren't as big.

woobar 12y ago

The UX of Google maps for routing when driving is 7-10 years behind Garmin or built-in car navigation systems. Very rudimentary lane/intercharge information, no waypoints, no POIs along the route.

cbsmith 12y ago
> Very rudimentary lane/intercharge information, no waypoints, no POIs along the route. The quality of the lane/interchange information is kind of subjective, so I will give you that, but Google Maps fully support waypoints, and POIs are available from roughly a billion overlays available. On mobile, I'd argue the Google Now based POI feedback from Field Guide presents a much nicer UX than anything Garmin offers.
- woobar 12y ago
  Lets stay focused on Navigation within Google Maps, not some other Google products. When I am driving on freeway at 70 mph I am not interested on billions POIs. I want restaurants within 5 miles _along_my_route_. On the navigation screen like [1] what should I click to get this information? Can I add a waypoint by clicking anywhere on the map? My car had these features 9 years ago. Also look at the "lanes support" on the same screenshot. Compare it to [2] [1] http://www.techfaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Maps.png http://www.techfaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Maps.pn... [2] http://www.sportys.com/morepics/14164m.jpg http://www.sportys.com/morepics/14164m.jpg
  - raisedbyninjas 12y ago
    POI on google maps is terrible. However the fullscreen lane guidance takes away a usable map for a generic artist's rendering. Guidance can get in your way or just be wrong if you're driving through an area with multiple interchanges or the highway numbers/names don't match the numbers/names that the signs happen to be using or your GPS sensor is being glitchy, or there is construction.
  - cbsmith 12y ago
    > Lets stay focused on Navigation within Google Maps, not some other Google products. That's kind of an arbitrary division, right? Doing POI through Google Now actually makes for a much better user experience than anything I've ever seen with a GPS. It's pretty great really. > Can I add a waypoint by clicking anywhere on the map? Yes. Oh wait, you meant on _Mobile_ Google Maps! But that is a different product. Let's stay focused on Navigation within Google Maps. ;-)