Jesus, that is a gross way to inject advertising into turn-by-turn navigation.
Edit/update from 9to5google so this post does not spread what is apparently inaccurate information: https://9to5google.com/2024/07/08/google-maps-pop-up-quick-detour-ad/
How long before they weight routes based on the billboard ads you’ll see along the way.
Man. I almost downvoted you purely outta anger for that idea lmao. Fucking hell.
Google execs already thinking “shit, buy some electronic billboards and show relevant ads as each phone goes past”.
Sad that will be the only part of Blade Runner we get. Where’s the flying cars, dammit!
With gmaps constantly suggesting off-ramp->on-ramp detours at over/underpasses to help you shorten your eta by 1 minute increase merging traffic, I doubt they would have any ethical hesitancy behind it.
Honestly, I imagine they may already have a deal (possibly under the table) with clearchannel and the likes.
Unfortunately not, and the time estimates are quite inaccurate. Sigh, it’s the price for not having to deal with Googles shit
No.
The only OpenStreetMap based navigation app with live traffic data is Magic Earth. It’s not foss, but gratis.
They get the traffic data from some third party, not by following their users like gmaps. That is the reason live traffic is only available in just some countries: https://www.magicearth.com/feature-availablity/#hd_traffic
They get the traffic data from some third party, not by following their users like gmaps.
https://www.magicearth.com/faq-en/
Do you share data with third parties?
We send position data to our traffic provider to generate real-time traffic information. The data is anonymized on the phone, using a changing key (so it’s not linked to you), and it is deleted after 5 minutes.
They have a good privacy policy though. I haven’t really had many issues with their app.
Thanks for this, I’m going to try this out on my way home. My main use for Gmaps is to determine the quickest way to and from work during peak hour, so keen to see how Magic Earth’s traffic data compares.
But at that point what are you even gaining? If you’re looking for privacy you’re just trading Google tracking you for “third party service provider” tracking you
No, if you want that, just use Magic Earth. It’s a great app, btw.
Organic Maps is fine. It’s what I use, although I am not located in a great area for OSM. Are there any specific benefits to OSMand?
Contributing by updating roads and POIs is fairly straightforward and can be pretty fun ^^ https://openstreetmaps.org/edit
Is there any way I can help contribute public transport information to OSM? It’s the one thing that Google maps does that I can’t replace.
If public transport mapping is your goal, it might make sense to try out the MapComplete Train Station https://mapcomplete.org/stations and Bus Routes https://mapcomplete.org/transit themes which give an easier, more focused, mapping interface. Quest apps like Street Complete can also make getting into OSM a bit easier, though OSM Beginners Guise is great too. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Beginners'_guide
Yes! https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Public_transport though it is a bit complex to fully add routes, adding stops is super easy!
OSM doesn’t really track live and exact public transport schedules (you can define static routes and say which interval the tram/whatever comes but that’s about it). Organic Maps is working on implementing live data: https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps/issues/5331
Is it too much to ask for an app that just does one single thing. Everything doesn’t need to be an advertising platform.
Is it too much to ask
Are you willing to deliver them consequences if they don’t do it the way you want?
Interesting to observe how our intuition is failing us while dealing with digital products. When someone gives you something for free on the street, naturally you get suspicious and start asking yourself “where is the catch?” But when there’s a free app - no second thought. Everyone is using it so it must be ok. Well, Google and Facebook are nothing but glorified advertising agencies. The whole reason of their existence is to make money on ads. Edited: typos.
Damn Google be speed running how quickly they can make me replace all their services. Google Maps and Youtube are about the only 2 I still use.
They used to have a reputation for employing smart people… Dumbass middle managers took over a while back and started making the stupidest decisions.
That’s what happens when MBAs start to weasel their way into any business.
Heard someone assert that MBA’s have ruined the world. Seemed a hyperbolic statement at the time. Though casting my eyes around an ever more enpoopified landscape, it’s tough to disagree.
I’ve been getting a lot of ‘suggested’ locations and sponsored pop ups in Google Maps the few weeks. I get that it’s a ‘free’ product, but ugh. My GPS while I’m driving down the highway is one of those things that really, really needs to be clutter-free.
It is by no means free tho. They are making lots of money from selling your location data and furthering their market dominance by forcing it on everyone by default
They get that same location data with or without maps. As long as you are using stock android, Google knows exactly where you’ve been even if you enable airplane mode. They get your position with WiFi networks and other phones around you and store that data with timestamps. Maps doesn’t give them any extra data, it simply binds you into their ecosystem.
I know. I’d assume everyone on Lemmy knows. That’s why I said ‘free’ in scare quotes and not free.
clutter-free is OsmAnd (Open Street Map) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OsmAnd
