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DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

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Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#211

Post by squeaky-clean »

sethhochberg wrote: post #129
dybber wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple Maps doesn’t do bike routes which is reason enough not to use it. Google Maps does a very nice job for bikes. If I should wish something of Google Maps it would be “I bring my bike on the train” routes, which is a very common and nice way to get around here in Denmark at least.

I'm not aware of any major mapping platform which does multimodal journeys very well yet, whoever figures it out first will probably see me switch to their app immediately. Bonus points if they build in cost optimization, ie, "take the train 80% of the way there and then Uber for the last leg, optionally saving you 20 mins for an extra $8, or bring a bike to save 10 mins for no extra cost". I'm reading that Citymappe…

You have to go into your settings and enable CityMapper Labs, as the multimode is still in beta.

It works alright. Sometimes it works really well, but I just tested it out now for a short trip and it suggests going too many stops out of my way to get a citibike. Not sure why, as there are bikes available at closer stations.

I also don't think it supports the idea of "I have a bike". It's mostly transferring from public transport to a bike share and vice versa.

> Bonus points if they build in cost optimization, ie, "take the train 80% of the way there and then Uber for the last leg,

It does do this (or at least is doing it in my current test). If I ask for directions from home to LGA, one of the Labs options is to take the G to the 7 to Junction Blvd and then take an Uber for $10-14. An UberX from my home to LGA right now costs $24.60

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#212

Post by heed »

nerdponx wrote: post #178
m-p-3 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish DDG had the ability to also use OSM for data/map tiles and not just for direction. IMO it would help to make it grow if more people used it and contributed business data on it.

It would have been pretty interesting if Apple had integrated with OSM instead of building their own solution. Kind of a pie in the sky concept, but I still would have liked to see it.

Apple Maps does utilize and contribute to OSM data to some degree:

https://github.com/osmlab/appledata/

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#213

Post by eric_khun »

Talking about maps, is anyone has a "Direction API" cheaper than Google maps? Google maps is excessively expensive ( 5USD per 1000 queries [1] ) for my side project. I'm trying to get an estimate time (driving and public transport) between 2 places in large city.

Any suggestions welcome!

[1] https://developers.google.com/maps/billing/understanding-cos...

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#214

Post by Spooky23 »

nine_k wrote: post #210
Spooky23 wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Google mapping properties are definitely on the decline. My theory is that they are less critical to the advertising business. For navigation, Waze can't find a route 1/5 times for a longer trip, and Google Maps gets weirder and more hostile to use every few months. For me, they have tweaked their routing engine to be more "creative" and direct you in weird ways. Big G is too fat and happy and they need a challen…

Directing drivers "weird ways" may be a strategy to lower congestion. If all drivers take the same optimal route, and the route exceeds its capacity and clogs, everyone loses.

The last trip I encountered this was on a Saturday night around 11pm north of Syracuse, NY. Drove about 20 minutes in empty, industrial areas to get to a restaurant. It was one expressway exit from our hotel, 5 minutes tops. I think that the app did that to avoid a u-turn or a left turn.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#215

Post by sethhochberg »

squeaky-clean wrote: post #211
sethhochberg wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not aware of any major mapping platform which does multimodal journeys very well yet, whoever figures it out first will probably see me switch to their app immediately. Bonus points if they build in cost optimization, ie, "take the train 80% of the way there and then Uber for the last leg, optionally saving you 20 mins for an extra $8, or bring a bike to save 10 mins for no extra cost". I'm reading that Citymappe…

You have to go into your settings and enable CityMapper Labs, as the multimode is still in beta. It works alright. Sometimes it works really well, but I just tested it out now for a short trip and it suggests going too many stops out of my way to get a citibike. Not sure why, as there are bikes available at closer stations. I also don't think it supports the idea of "I have a bike". It's mostly transferring from publ…

Ahh, I hadn't thought to check in Labs - thanks for the tip!

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#216

Post by Austin_Conlon »

PunchTornado wrote: post #137
dmix wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That looks more like it has to do with query detection than the lack of results. It clearly didn’t understand the Hong Kong part, which is the main issue.

are people using apple maps completely different than google maps? 90% of the time I use map for searching places, shops etc. If apple maps is not excelling at that, why do people use it?

I use it for transit times to a handful of places in the Bay Area I regularly visit, and it works well for that. One glaring search problem I have though is for a contact, it will only show the result for the first two letters of the name and then when I continue typing it shows anything that’s not the contact’s address. This is even despite getting directions to the contact several times.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#217

Post by zshbleaker »

inferiorhuman wrote: post #53
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not saying it’s clearly better than Google If privacy is worth something to you, it’s clearly better than Google. I, too, use Apple as my primary map. In many cases, Apple Maps is better Google. The ones in which it’s behind are more than made up for by Apple’s values.

If privacy is worth something to you, it’s clearly better than Google. Is it? Has everyone forgotten the Yelp tracking beacon? Good thing Apple relies on Yelp for business info and has pretty deep Yelp integration with the mobile app.

It is. Apple Maps uses various POI info providers including Yelp, Foursquare, TripAdvisor and even more in global. Yelp has to track user data as their business model required, but nor Apple. The integration of Yelp app is made by Yelp, through the open system API by iOS, which is definitely not exclusive to Yelp.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#218

Post by victor9000 »

scottmcf wrote: post #146
iamaelephant wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now imagine how bad it is outside of the SF bubble. I searched for coffee shops and the closest result to me is 7 hours drive away.

Coffee shops gets me 3 results in my city, coffee shop gets me 4 results with the closest 45 miles away. Totally useless.

I don't really understand how it's this bad when OSM data alone can get you much better results.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#219

Post by zaptheimpaler »

zshbleaker wrote: post #217
inferiorhuman wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If privacy is worth something to you, it’s clearly better than Google. Is it? Has everyone forgotten the Yelp tracking beacon? Good thing Apple relies on Yelp for business info and has pretty deep Yelp integration with the mobile app.

It is. Apple Maps uses various POI info providers including Yelp, Foursquare, TripAdvisor and even more in global. Yelp has to track user data as their business model required, but nor Apple. The integration of Yelp app is made by Yelp, through the open system API by iOS, which is definitely not exclusive to Yelp.

Nice! Its awesome to see Apple use their market power to help their customers rather than exploit them. It doesn't happen often.

Re: DuckDuckGo Expands Use of Apple Maps

#220

Post by inferiorhuman »

ilikehurdles wrote: post #128
inferiorhuman wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Click the information button "i" and then "Report an Issue". There is no "i" button from the navigation screen and there's no "i" button from the search results either if you want to report entirely irrelevant results.

> There is no "i" button from the navigation screen This is likely an intentional design decision, and it sounds like a common-sense safety feature. > there's no "i" button from the search results either if you want to report entirely irrelevant results. You can hit the (i) after you make the problematic search.

This is likely an intentional design decision, and it sounds like a common-sense safety feature.

Great feature for walking and public transit directions. They still have interactive bits for the driving directions — I can't imagine what sort of "common sense" simply hides the report a problem thing until you dig through a few levels of mediocre UI.

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