Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

tomtom.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 477 posts

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#141

Post by kioleanu »

I used to work with TomTom when I worked on navigation solutions at a former employer. The maps are top notch quality and very up to date, but shit expensive. I think we had a minimum amount of licenses we had to commit to pay (something like a couple of hundred thousand euros per year) and we were a small shop.

We had split the map data sources to not drive customers away and we split our licensing between our app and the map subscription. It was an interesting problem, we had one employee that only did OpenStreetMap - keeping maps up to date, manually solving problems etc - this was actually much cheaper than buying TomTom, but still we couldn’t match the quality of TomTom. So, we would recommend: do you need high accuracy maps, buy TomTom, otherwise use the cheaper variant.

We were also implementing Here Maps (the old Nokia Maps), when I left, and it looked really promising, but I think the same licensing scheme, only “cheaper”, we could make do with only about 100k in pre-bought licenses

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#142

Post by Dinux »

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money.

As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say that it was an absolute nightmare. The small handheld devices took ages before loading up, had bad GPS reception and could only live on battery for 1.5 hours or so. Maps needed to be updated quarterly and would often not fit on the SD CARD. TomTom charged something in the order of 75 euro per map update.

When Google Maps became a viable alternative TomTom continued with the same business model, same paid map updates, same shitty bloatware necessary for map updates etc.. I don't understand the HN sentiment. Things were no better 15 years ago. Google Maps works. It works always. It accurate and uptodate. Dont like Google? There are plenty of OSM apps in store.

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#143

Post by shp0ngle »

habi wrote: post #134
shp0ngle wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I gave up trying to edit mistakes on OSM. I edited something, one month later someone reverted it back without any explanation. And the UX for discussion is even worse than on Wikipedia, which is saying something. So I have no idea why it was reverted, no idea how to contact the guy and no mood to investigate. So my street has a wrong name and I am too lazy to change it

Every item on OSM (node, way, relation) is versioned and has a history. If you can link us to your changes I’m happy to try to help find out why your change was reverted. Usually that’s only the case for blatant errors, copying from proprietary maps (ehm, Google Maps) or vandalism. We’re trying to be a friendly bunch, and I’d like to get you back as an editor.

I don’t want to ask here (don’t want to mix up my identities), where should I actually ask? In what forum

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#145

Post by thedougd »

kleiba wrote: post #3

For the youngens here on HN: TomTom was once one of the leading manufacturers of GPS navigation systems for cars - purchased as an accessory that was stuck to the wind screen. This was in a time before every car had a screen built in, and before everyone had a smart phone with Google Maps in their pocket. I guess that product is a prime example for becoming irrelevant by society progressing. I actually still use an o…

The portable GPS market was a blip on the timeline; popular for only about 5 years. Several technologies converged to make them possible: public GPS, sensitive GPS chips that didn't require large antennas, cheap solid state storage (this was huge), and high resolution color displays. As soon as they all existed, we could get portable GPS units for $400-800 USD.

Unfortunately for these manufacturers, all these technologies also enabled smart phones with GPS which quickly destroyed the market.

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#146

Post by afknewsagency »

Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

This works for the consumer who wants to get from a to b. And doesn't mind being advertised to or tracked via Google.

But companies, uber, lyft, carmakers, location intelligence firms etc need commercial mapping and location tech. What TomTom offers exists more for these people than the end consumer these days.

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#147

Post by stevage »

Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

Google Maps works for certain, pretty common, use cases. That doesn't mean it works for everyone or for every business. Monopolies are bad, near monopolies slightly less bad. And especially when it comes to a platform that significantly influences how millions of people perceive the world around them.

(Source: making web maps is my career. I don't touch Google Maps professionally but use it a lot personally.)

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#148

Post by Dinux »

afknewsagency wrote: post #146
Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

This works for the consumer who wants to get from a to b. And doesn't mind being advertised to or tracked via Google. But companies, uber, lyft, carmakers, location intelligence firms etc need commercial mapping and location tech. What TomTom offers exists more for these people than the end consumer these days.

We use maps extensively in our products and Mapbox has been a belessing eversince we started using it. I would argue Mapbox is far better suited for development and product integration than Google Maps is. It is developer and user friendly, offers a wide range of mapping and layering products. It easy to use and affordable small and medium sized businesses.

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#149

Post by martyvis »

The article says "Many of us know TomTom for its PNDs" - yet I am sure nobody would know what a PND is as that acronym. (I haven't looked it up, but from the context I am sure it is Personal Navigation Device - you know the thing that everyone wrongly calls a GPS)

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#150

Post by Aachen »

jbaber wrote: post #92
Semaphor wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And if you are on android, there’s a super simple and easy, lightly gamified, app to help improve their data: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/StreetComplete

My kids loved using this on long walks in the neighborhood. Until we'd heavily trodden some paths and the only questions were about road surfaces and streetlamps :)

Street lighting is useful though! My partner wanted to go running but when it gets dark early it would be after dark, and there wasn't a good map of which roads are lit. I since filled in the data and OsmAnd can display it (map settings -> details -> street lighting), but it took a while to get stuff filled in and my partner has since stopped running x). It may help other people plan such trips, or tell people where they can feel more safe while walking after nightfall.

The data is virtually nonexistent in most places, at least until StreetComplete started asking for it, but I imagine that many will find it a useful addition if it starts being rendered or used in route calculations now that it's available here and there. (Which then leads to more people seeing the use and contributing that data, which again makes it more useful.) Finding your way in an unfamiliar place in pitch blackness is a lot harder regardless of safety.

Post reply on HN