I've been using Here maps since it was Nokia Maps, and apart from recommendations on local businesses I haven't missed anything.
Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
321–330 of 447 posts
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#322Earlier quoted context omitted.
From TFA: > A business corporation is organized and carried on primarily for the profit of the stockholders. The powers of the directors are to be employed for that end. The discretion of directors is to be exercised in the choice of means to attain that end, and does not extend to a change in the end itself, to the reduction of profits, or to the non-distribution of profits among stockholders in order to devote them…
Yes, I knew that when I posted this the reply was coming. I'm not parent commenter so I won't defend _everything_ part. But it is clear that decisions must be made with the intent to benefit shareholders (or as you pointed out, at least not intentionally as charity (unless that could be construed as benefiting shareholders)). It's clear there is a lot of ambiguity involved. I believe this is covered in the wikipedia…
Thanks for answering! I don't feel like arguing with the funny armchair lawyers leaked from Reddit who have never heard of fiduciary duty.
I'm an armchair lawyer too, and, yes, it's a bit more nuanced, but not really meaningfully so. If a board member found out about Smile, they'd be legally obligated to put reasonable efforts into ensuring it's in the best interest of the company.
Might not apply in all jurisdictions or corporate structures (probably most, but happy to learn where it doesn't!), applies to companies not shareholders (sometimes different), and I am still not a lawyer.
Would love to find out where I'm wrong, but as far as I can tell from what the citations of other non-lawyer "I did my own research" posts, it's not going to happen here.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#323Try OSMAnd. I started using it because it allows you to download huge areas as vector maps for offline use. But I find myself slowly using it more and more. The only things missing that keep me using gmaps are search, reviews / places, and directions that factor traffic (not a biggie tbh). However, I've been playing with mapbox and, without any prior experience whatsoever got a traffic overlay working within a few ho…
I love OSMAnd too and used it in places where Google Maps was subpar, e.g. in India or places in the middle east. But also all over Europe when roaming data was still expensive and recently when I crossed Canada east to west by car. The benefit of the map data coming from the open street map community paid off massively where there was little commercial interest for Google to map the area in detail.
I also love that you can edit and add POIs to OSM right from within OSMAnd.
On a side note: If you like to improve details of OSM, have a look at Street Complete, a gameified app to add details of your area to OSM. One of the tasks is to check/provide opening hours of nearby facilities.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#324Here we go again. Users desperately need an abstraction layer in Android that can spoof sensor data on a per-application basis. In this case, the spoofing layer could be set up such that whenever Google Maps uses the Android API to ask "Is wifi location sensing turned on" the spoofing layer would say "Yes." When GM asks "What wifi networks are around?" the spoofing layer would say "None." (Even better would be for it…
Xprivacy basically did this. I supported the developer by buying the "pro" version and he promptly stopped maintaining it...and started a new project that was substantially more complicated/difficult to use, requiring writing blocking rules by hand...or paying him for the "pro" service that included 'recipes' for blocks. Which users of the old app didn't get. Fuck you, Marcel Bokhorst.
Wow, this seems like overly harsh feedback for stopping maintenance work on a project.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#325Refusing service when the user does not consent to non-essential data sharing is illegal in the EU, and it also breaches Google Play's developer agreement. WiFi scanning is not essential to navigate with an app, and the least they could do to follow the law is to gracefully degrade the service if the user does not consent to share data about nearby devices, such as disabling traffic predictions. Of course Google's la…
> non-essential data sharing But it is essential. Google (and Apple) maps provide lane specific navigation directions, which are really only possible with assisted GPS. In theory GPS has the accuracy, but remember you are in a big metal box filled with electrical wires. Not to mention other applications like isle specific navigation within stores, which is made possible by bluetooth beacons. Heck, we are on the verge…
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Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#326Refusing service when the user does not consent to non-essential data sharing is illegal in the EU, and it also breaches Google Play's developer agreement. WiFi scanning is not essential to navigate with an app, and the least they could do to follow the law is to gracefully degrade the service if the user does not consent to share data about nearby devices, such as disabling traffic predictions. Of course Google's la…
> non-essential data sharing But it is essential. Google (and Apple) maps provide lane specific navigation directions, which are really only possible with assisted GPS. In theory GPS has the accuracy, but remember you are in a big metal box filled with electrical wires. Not to mention other applications like isle specific navigation within stores, which is made possible by bluetooth beacons. Heck, we are on the verge…
This reason is complete nonsense. Google tells you that you need to be in the right lane for a turn regardless of which lane you are actually in.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#327Has anyone else found google maps will turn your position icon into a pop up saying “accuracy: low, tap to improve”? It is the most obnoxious UI “feature” I’ve seen in maps (one of many I suppose). When you click on it, it wants you to take photos of the street around you to improve accuracy! What bullshit. No, google, I am not going to give you free streetview photos because you are lying about location accuracy.
It isn't about generating "free streetview photos" but actually about matching the imagery around you to the database of Street View photos they already have. If there is no match, it isn't going to take your photos and keep them... it has no accurate idea of where you are. The service is called Live View and is exceptionally useful (and optional) if you are in a foreign country where you are unfamiliar with street s…
I guess this is good to know. But doesn’t fit well with my experience with it. I am getting the pop-up while living in a first world city. Google maps is allowed to use wifi to help find me. And the dot representing my location is invariably in the correct spot. Yet, the pop-up still shows. Forgive me my suspicion since there is no practical reason why I need to improve my location accuracy when it is already very accurate.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#328For a while now, Google Maps has entered end stage monetization mode.
I am now using Apple Maps.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#329Refusing service when the user does not consent to non-essential data sharing is illegal in the EU, and it also breaches Google Play's developer agreement. WiFi scanning is not essential to navigate with an app, and the least they could do to follow the law is to gracefully degrade the service if the user does not consent to share data about nearby devices, such as disabling traffic predictions. Of course Google's la…
Can't believe I'm on this side of the debate, but at what point are we asking too much for free? Google provide Maps for free to an incredible accuracy and value. Unlike Apple, the user is welcome to use any other app, and yet chooses to use Google Maps. You could maybe argue that Google Maps is part of a package you bought the phone for, but realistically I think the solution is Google are just open about the use of…
Not been free for me, pre-installed on all the Android Phone I have bought, part of the purchased product.
Re: Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation
#330I occasionally use OsmAnd+ by picking up my destination from GMaps. It works nicely (I like the offline option it provides). The one drawback is perhaps the traffic data, but otherwise it's really good with a good choice of different map types.