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maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

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Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#51
post #30
post #7

https://www.openstreetmap.org

Unfortunately this is really not an option for (some) areas in the US. After having moved to a populous LA area from Germany I was baffled at the lack of detail in the maps. Basic things like building numbers are entirely missing. Even after adding more and more details I would never fully rely on OSM here sadly. And if it only works sometimes why even bother using it in the first place? At least this was my progress…

Not heard of MagicEarth before - looks interesting but what's missing is a "Why/how is it free" statement. They don't cover how they monetise this, what's their business model.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#52
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Setting cookies doesn't allow using Browser APIs lie GEO-Location

Can you load, let's say maps.google.com/somepage in a hidden iframe and use postmessage to send location data if it already has access? Or do browsers force top level navigation for such permissions?

There were probably covert ways to obtain the same information but it's now easier for Google to grab the information using regular APIs.

It also means if app X and app Y on their own subdomains were previously using location APIs without any tricks, you are now effectively opting into both apps.

Bottom line: technically it doesn't matter but it probably makes a difference in practice.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#54
post #39
post #7

https://www.openstreetmap.org

I found OsmAnd absolutely essential in my extensive off-road travels in Central America and Spain, paid to support it via Google Play, but i could not for the hell of it figure out how to submit photos and places. It forced me to create a separate account and then always gave me errors when i tried to submit

The separate account is needed for openstreetmap uploads/notes/corrections. You can add places on osm.org also or retry with the osm account using Osmand.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#55
post #24
post #10

I'm wondering how much time browsers will take to implement URL match permission granting.

If that was the goal, google could simply &tbm=maps it further.

Nah, Google will never do it because url parameters have terrible SEO... Um wait

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#56

Privacy and intimacy, As we know it, Will be a memory, Among many to be passed down To those who never knew. Living in the pupil of one thousand eyes.

Are you missing a Not operator in that last line?

It's lyrics from a song - the last line sounds like a new sentence, so it's punctuation that I'm probably missing.

I've added it for clarity.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#57
post #30
post #7

https://www.openstreetmap.org

Unfortunately this is really not an option for (some) areas in the US. After having moved to a populous LA area from Germany I was baffled at the lack of detail in the maps. Basic things like building numbers are entirely missing. Even after adding more and more details I would never fully rely on OSM here sadly. And if it only works sometimes why even bother using it in the first place? At least this was my progress…

Makes more sense to switch to bing maps, since they have ever so slightly better satelite imagery and there's no way in hell anyone would use bing for anything else anyway.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#58
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately this is really not an option for (some) areas in the US. After having moved to a populous LA area from Germany I was baffled at the lack of detail in the maps. Basic things like building numbers are entirely missing. Even after adding more and more details I would never fully rely on OSM here sadly. And if it only works sometimes why even bother using it in the first place? At least this was my progress…

Also, do not fully rely on Google Maps knowing house numbers. Looks like in some areas (in UK for example) Google used some sort of OCR to find house numbers. There are houses and Wales with random house numbers that only have a house name; Numbering ends a few houses into dead-end alley where the Street View car didn't come; Or totally wrong numbers where house number sings are hard to read.

House names, rather than numbers, are very common in rural UK.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#59
post #7

https://www.openstreetmap.org

If you need OSM on Android, I can recommend:

- "Organic Maps" (a fork of the old MapsMe codebase) if you want a clean, simple user experience

- "OSMAnd" if you want a very powerful, highly customizable map application, which comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve

Both apps are open source and support navigation, offline maps and POI search.

The things I miss most compared to Google Maps is live traffic information and the powerful search. However, this has a privacy cost, so I generally try to use OSM first, and only fall back to Google Maps (in the browser) if I really need to.

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