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MapQuest still exists

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51–58 of 58 posts

Re: MapQuest still exists

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked at two companies in the last 3 years that both used MapQuest a lot. Both companies had fleets of drivers (one had about 200 trucks and the other had about 500). The first was pretty low tech and just distributed MapQuest printouts to drivers that had to go somewhere. The other was quite a bit more technically sound and had a pretty cool dispatching and routing system. All the maps were rendered using MapQues…

Fair enough - perhaps the "Legacy" domestic market is bigger than I would imagine/believe. But, I can say this - MapQuest doesn't have much of an international presence. I just typed, "10 Anson Road, Singapore" (and then "10 Anson Road, Singapore, Singapore" just for safe measure) - It showed me a map of Norwalk, CT. So, even if I wanted to try it - pretty much out of luck.

That makes me wonder if the stat about 25% was referring to a specific market. Like the US or something.

Re: MapQuest still exists

#52
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After spending 10 minutes trying to find where Google moved their menu so I could print directions, (I completely missed the hamburger menu blended into the text box) I gave up used MapQuest instead. Instead of focusing on the quality of their map data, MapQuest can just compete by not ruining their UX.

the real question here is, what was the reason for printing directions? I think I also used MapQuest the last time I printed directions, 7 or 8 years ago? My phone just tells me when i need to turn now....

In my case, I was just trying to get a simple copy of the map image. Since the map is made up of a grid of smaller images (and besides, google intercepts the right click), I can't just right click and save as. So, I would just go to the print version to get access to the map as a single image I can right click on.

I just visited another google map page and even after this discussion, I still don't see where I can get to the printer-friendly page. Does it even exist anymore?

Re: MapQuest still exists

#53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fair enough - perhaps the "Legacy" domestic market is bigger than I would imagine/believe. But, I can say this - MapQuest doesn't have much of an international presence. I just typed, "10 Anson Road, Singapore" (and then "10 Anson Road, Singapore, Singapore" just for safe measure) - It showed me a map of Norwalk, CT. So, even if I wanted to try it - pretty much out of luck.

That makes me wonder if the stat about 25% was referring to a specific market. Like the US or something.

Yes, the US - "domestic"

Re: MapQuest still exists

#54

Google is the "always online" company. So MapQuest should be the anti-Google: make a good, free offline maps app. All of the ones I've tried (on Android, at least) either had too little detail or a cumbersome user interface. But all of them were promoted to me directly by word-of-mouth. Make a great one, and people will spread it around. Become the fanatic's map app. The MapQuest brand could have the perfect retro-ni…

Have you tried HERE maps?

HERE maps are very nice, they are Nokia/Microsoft and app is very polished on Android. Only thing is Google Maps have slightly better routing options.

Re: MapQuest still exists

#55
post #38
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried OsmAnd? Rather nice, free / open data, offline.

OsmAnd is pretty good, but it's freemium. You only get 10 dowbloads.

It is not freemium! It is open source and uses open data!

BTW: The deployment in google play is freemium but there are other storages without that restriction

Re: MapQuest still exists

#56

I've been using their API just last week. As far as I know, this is the only free service for driving distances that can be used with maps other than Google's.

The services from GraphHopper are free too and the core router is even open source too. (It is based on OpenStreetMap)

Re: MapQuest still exists

#57
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OsmAnd is pretty good, but it's freemium. You only get 10 dowbloads.

It is not freemium! It is open source and uses open data! BTW: The deployment in google play is freemium but there are other storages without that restriction

It's open source and open data, but at least on Android it ain't free. (And I'm OK with that)

I guess I could build it myself from source and side load it? I'd rather just pay them the $6. It's a nice app.

Re: MapQuest still exists

#58
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Openstreetmap doesn't provide driving distances or routing itself. Project OSRM uses Openstreetmap data to provide this service: http://project-osrm.org/

There are many projects[1] and services[2] using OSM data for route planning. As your sibling comment mentions, Mapquest Open is among them. [1] http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Routing#Developers [2] http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Routing/online_routers#Ro...

I don't disagree. mayneack indicated that he/she thought OSM provided an API for driving distances (they don't).
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