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How Google Builds Its Maps

theatlantic.com

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Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#71

Post by sxp »

twelvechairs wrote: post #66
taligent wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually Apple does have a big part in it. They bring together all the data from Tom Tom, Waze, OSM etc as well as the two teams they purchased: C3 and Placebase into one coherent product. It's amazing that Apple has nearly matched Google in some parts (maps, directions) and far exceeded them in others (3D).

> far exceeded them in others (3D). Actually Google and Apple have pretty similar systems for 3d maps. Apple are in beta with their new version for ios6, which will have slightly better resolution than (the current, been there for a while) Google Earth, but not hugely so. See for comparison http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/iphone-news/3d-maps-comparison-... Nokia are producing similar 3d maps, although again slightly low…

This might be the 3D map that Nokia will use in their phone if you want to compare: http://maps3d.svc.nokia.com/webgl/index.html

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#72

Post by spaghetti »

Angostura wrote: post #30
spaghetti wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google maps is possibly my favorite app that currently ships with iOS. I think I might give up email and texting on the device before I'd give up maps. I'm disappointed that Google maps isn't shipping with iOS 6.

I though Google was committed to producing a Map app for iOS 6, no?

I've heard this too. However there's a huge difference between having a nice, working maps app on my phone and a promise from Google to make an iOS app. To be fair I'll have to try out the maps from Apple.

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#73

Post by spaghetti »

rogerchucker wrote: post #41
spaghetti wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google maps is possibly my favorite app that currently ships with iOS. I think I might give up email and texting on the device before I'd give up maps. I'm disappointed that Google maps isn't shipping with iOS 6.

I freaking hate the Google maps app on iPhone - I don't have any need for a map app on a mobile device unless it has turn-by-turn voice navigation along with re-routing capabilities. It's only good for looking up locations/directions when I am stuck somewhere for traveling. If I'm home, my macbook's google map is good enough to serve that purpose. So I have no clue why on earth Apple created such a neutered mapping a…

I forgot about the lack of turn-by-turn driving instructions. It's strange but I've actually never had any desire to use that feature on any product. When I use maps I just look once, memorize the major pieces of the trip (freeways, exits etc) and then just go and try to find my way.

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#74

Post by trips2 »

taligent wrote: post #61
trips2 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe he works for Apple, they're his main client or owns lots of stock or something. The Apple worship is truly mind-boggling. OpenStreetMap is where the crucial data comes from. And if I'm not mistaken it's submitted by volunteers.

Yep. You don't like my opinion so clearly I must be working for Apple or own stock. In fact it is neither. And at no point did I say that OSM wasn't responsible for the map data. Only that Apple added other pieces from other companies.

No, no, no. No problem with your opinion. You can love Apple if you want. I just struggle to understand how you and others can see Apple in the light that you do, and be blinded to all else. I mean, the value to me is the data and the fact it's online. The database itself. I have my own systems for manipulating the data the way I want it (I would think most HN nerds would have similar skills, but maybe not). That's just me. Others seem to love things because they are produced by some popular company. And for no other reason. I just can't really understand it. These are computers produced in Chinese factories. Getting cheaper everyday. Data can be visualised in myriad ways.

Call it like you see it. Minds may differ.

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#75

Post by kalleboo »

czhiddy wrote: post #44
rogerchucker wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I freaking hate the Google maps app on iPhone - I don't have any need for a map app on a mobile device unless it has turn-by-turn voice navigation along with re-routing capabilities. It's only good for looking up locations/directions when I am stuck somewhere for traveling. If I'm home, my macbook's google map is good enough to serve that purpose. So I have no clue why on earth Apple created such a neutered mapping a…

> So I have no clue why on earth Apple created such a neutered mapping app for a mobile device. The terms of the license agreement with Google for maps data likely didn't include the ability to perform turn-by-turn navigation. Another reason why they moved to their own maps backend for iOS 6.

What I read was that Google would allow Apple to do turn-by-turn in exchange for ads. Apple don't want to sully iOS with ads so they refused those terms, and Google wouldn't agree to anything else.

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#76

Post by kalleboo »

You really don't appreciate how much great data Google have in their maps until you try to use anything else. Apple have a lot of work to do to get iOS 6 maps on-par (for instance, I still haven't managed to do a successful search here in Japan - I have to carry around an Android phone for maps and train directions)

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#77

Post by a3_nm »

femto wrote: post #54
yellowbkpk wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After seeing tons of videos detailing the tools Google uses for their maps and using Google Map Maker, the OSM tools are much better at empowering the mapper to create map data. OSM might not have the computer vision tools or the Street View imagery, but there's still plenty of work to do with the existing tools and data.

I'd anticipate that OSM will get machine vision in the future. Consider that that a typical phone/tablet now has a GPS, camera and decent computing resources. It's begging for a machine vision application, which records video and automatically extracts mapping information, ready for uploading to OSM. Begging to the point, where I think it's just a matter of time. As an aside, are there any efforts afoot to decentrali…

> It's begging for a machine vision application, which records video and...

A simpler use case for computer vision I could think of with Openstreetmap would be to automatically extract roads and building shapes from satellite imagery (though I hope that the license to use Bing would extend to something like this).

> As an aside, are there any efforts afoot to decentralise OSM?

Well, even Wikipedia's not decentralized yet and has no obvious plans to, so...

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#78

Post by molmalo »

magicalist wrote: post #60
molmalo wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And Navteq, Tele Atlas, TomTom, and a few more... They don't have the marketing skills of Apple and Google, but they don't need it because they are not consumer-focused companies.

TomTom owns Tele Atlas and Nokia owns Navteq, just FYI.

Yes, you are right. I knew that, but I listed them because they were kept as independent subsidiaries, but thanks for making it clear.

I remember when that happened, and was pretty sure that a bidding war would start involving Garmin and Google, first for Navteq, and then for Tele Atlas, when they both were acquired (Google Maps used data from them, and it seems like they still do for some countries according to their Terms of Service: [1] and [2] as as examples).

[1] Canada: http://www.google.com/intl/en_ca/help/terms_maps.html [2] Argentina: http://www.google.com/intl/es_ar/help/terms_maps.html

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#79

Post by rmc »

tonfa wrote: post #29
taligent wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually Apple does have a big part in it. They bring together all the data from Tom Tom, Waze, OSM etc as well as the two teams they purchased: C3 and Placebase into one coherent product. It's amazing that Apple has nearly matched Google in some parts (maps, directions) and far exceeded them in others (3D).

I thought OSM was copyleft similar to the GPL. Can you combine OSM with proprietary data and without the licence forcing you to open up everything?

The old OSM licence was CC-BY-SA, but it is being changed to a new 'database licence'

Re: How Google Builds Its Maps

#80

Post by overcyn »

trips2 wrote: post #74
taligent wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. You don't like my opinion so clearly I must be working for Apple or own stock. In fact it is neither. And at no point did I say that OSM wasn't responsible for the map data. Only that Apple added other pieces from other companies.

No, no, no. No problem with your opinion. You can love Apple if you want. I just struggle to understand how you and others can see Apple in the light that you do, and be blinded to all else. I mean, the value to me is the data and the fact it's online. The database itself. I have my own systems for manipulating the data the way I want it (I would think most HN nerds would have similar skills, but maybe not). That's j…

So much condescension...
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