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Paper map sales are booming

wsj.com

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Re: Paper map sales are booming

#261

Post by eCa »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #200
massysett wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a lot of ways, electronic maps are still inferior to the Triptik. Even the Rand McNally showed highway rest areas and picnic areas. The Triptik also showed gas stations. Electronic maps often lack this entirely, at least in easy form. The Triptik shows what you need to know while on a long motor trip. The electronic map emphasizes details I don't need. At a glance the paper map tells me whether a road is free limi…

I'm pretty convinced that Google just doesn't understand information economics. In case you haven't noticed, Apple maps are getting better and better and I prefer their turn-by-turn directions over that of Google. The interesting thing is that Apple now offers "explore" vs "driving" maps, I hope they also add "walking" or "Cycling" maps. And because they aren't driven by advertising sales, the maps can be more useful…

When it comes to cycling maps, I’d recommend checking out cycle.travel[1], its routing (at least over here in EU land) has been awesome. I’ve done a couple of week long trips planned on it.

No affiliation, just a happy user.

[1] https://cycle.travel/map

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#262

Post by nomel »

now__what wrote: post #179
joshstrange wrote: post #2

> His customers, he added, aren’t just looking to maps for directions, but as inspiration for future trips or even as art worth hanging. I think that alone accounts for the vast majority of this increase. The article throws that in as a minor detail but I'd bet money it's the only reason. Of course you don't get as many clicks for "More people are buying maps as art". 2 of the 3 examples of maps they give at the end…

As a hiker I find paper maps absolutely essential and far easier to use than anything digital. Maybe it's because of that familiarity that I print or buy paper maps whenever I'm going on a trip more than a few hours' drive from home. I also rely heavily on printed maps and guidebooks for any extended travel and for trip planning, which are excruciating if you're relying solely on the internet. Can't say I've ever use…

> and far easier to use than anything digital.

Paper maps are great for knowing where to go, but a little less great for knowing where you are. Off/deep trail hikers will have a stand-alone GPS, because climbing trees/hills to get your bearings ends up being a serious risk, with just a compass: https://gripped.com/gripped-outdoors/how-100-hikers-got-lost...

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#263

Post by mmahemoff »

This has been a recurring pattern with other forms of media, e.g. vinyl records, typewriters, Atari cartridges. An uptick many years after the technology became obsolete, which generates intriguing headlines. More recently, it's been happening with digital cameras from the early 2000s.

Of course, it follows a long period of decline, so it's like a stock price that's dropped from $100 to $1. Should it suddenly increase 30%, it will attract attention, but it's still down 98.7%.

There's usually a gap of a decade or more because it can't be retro-chic until its replacement has saturated the market. The last of the laggards keep a baseline demand for the old thing, while the hipsters come in and increase its demand for a while. Then they get bored and the laggard market keeps declining, so the market falls back down again.

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#264

Post by mangoleaf »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #206
criley2 wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple's solution isn't a serious contender because it's hardware locked to high end devices that the majority of people don't use / can't afford (the demographics of this community not withstanding). While it's nice that their users can have an alternate first-party experience, that experience is not a publically available map. For example if you go to maps.apple.com you are told "Open this on your Apple Hardware". (…

One could argue that "most" people[1] have iPhones (at least in the US). And yes it is only 22% world wide. But putting aside the currently available "seats" for a moment, at the point where is it clearly the better product then two things start happening 1) People start buying Apple hardware because it has a better map experience. 2) Apple can produce the iMap device, likely in cooperation with their maps partner To…

I live USA, Stanford engineer, have an Android phone and will likely never have an iPhone. My other gender breeding partner has to have an apple, so I use hers at times and am appalled at how difficult things are. But if she can't facetime friends, then she will lose face. I get free phones, and see pays large fees for hers. Sorry, I pass. I work in finance BTW.

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#266

Post by sukilot »

brightlancer wrote: post #235
InitialLastName wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On one hand, I get the concern about this because mechanical clocks still exist, familiarity informs me that they're easy to read, and nostalgia tells me they're important. On the other hand, they are unintuitive, less common with every passing year, and I'd rather my children get any recess than add "learn to use another antiquated tool" into the school curriculum. I do complicated math for a living, but nobody's of…

I cannot speak for everyone, but my elementary school had analog clocks (which kids learned to read) while maintaining recess, art, music and gym. Having taught math to children, analog clocks are a great way to learn and apply fractions. I suspect that children's inability to read analog clocks tracks pretty well with their abysmal math skills, like fractions. So maybe we don't "add" analog clocks to the school curr…

A year of school is already dedicated to fractions.

Kids were bad at fractions even before digital clocks.

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#267

Post by rgmerk »

fbdab103 wrote: post #120
kulahan wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Travel is such an personal thing - it's people in an environment at least somewhat foreign to them. Trusting someone to plan it is a pretty intimate thing, and companies don't do intimate things very well anymore. Too many people, too few companies. I'd pay good money for more personal experiences from companies, especially when it comes to something like this, but it's not easy. The wife and I were looking for a hon…

I am boring, but one of the reason I keep wanting to take a cruise is because I do not want to plan anything. Show up at this place, at this time and then there will be a bunch of exotic* stuff to see/do/eat. *Exotic very much being in the eye of the beholder, but something different from my daily costal urban experience.

For mine, the thing with group tours (aside from Other People) is that they are often the Disney World version of the place you’re visiting.

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#268

Post by wpietri »

colanderman wrote: post #259
tokenadult wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My user experience on several recent trips is that Google Maps showed me the exit number for the exit I would use next very prominently on top of the display (where it shows the direction of the next turn). Maybe that isn't rolled out consistently for all trips.

Context is when you are not using GPS. (Personally I despise being talked at by a computer for an hour, especially one that's bad at directing a driver.) With paper maps, you can just look at them -- a single page, no pinch zooming or scrolling! -- to see what exit is appropriate for your destination. Not possible with Google Maps -- you either have to zoom in until the exit ramp fills the screen, or make up a fake a…

I feel you on the talking part. Especially maddening to me is where it talks over an in-progress conversation to tell us things we already know.

I now generally turn the audio part off except for alerts. I like that better, not only is it more soothing, but it forces me to engage my brain a little more.

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#269

Post by sombragris »

lmm wrote: post #252
tannhaeuser wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple isn't a serious contender because their devices aren't sponsored by tracking/ads? You can also get an iOS device (partly) included with a post-paid mobile plan, can't you?

> Apple isn't a serious contender because their devices aren't sponsored by tracking/ads? Apple isn't a serious contender because they don't sell anything in the low-end segment. Ferrari make great cars but you can't expect everyone to drive a Ferrari. > You can also get an iOS device (partly) included with a post-paid mobile plan, can't you? That acts as a payment plan, but you're still paying the full cost (usually…

About your second response (which is quite right), let me add that in my neck of the woods (and in many others), there's no way to get an iOS device with any postpaid plan, or any other cell phone plan, for that matter.

Re: Paper map sales are booming

#270

Post by mycall »

now__what wrote: post #179
joshstrange wrote: post #2

> His customers, he added, aren’t just looking to maps for directions, but as inspiration for future trips or even as art worth hanging. I think that alone accounts for the vast majority of this increase. The article throws that in as a minor detail but I'd bet money it's the only reason. Of course you don't get as many clicks for "More people are buying maps as art". 2 of the 3 examples of maps they give at the end…

As a hiker I find paper maps absolutely essential and far easier to use than anything digital. Maybe it's because of that familiarity that I print or buy paper maps whenever I'm going on a trip more than a few hours' drive from home. I also rely heavily on printed maps and guidebooks for any extended travel and for trip planning, which are excruciating if you're relying solely on the internet. Can't say I've ever use…

My favorites are the waterproof versions.
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