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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm
Posts: 5490
Location: just behind you!
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  | | | | jonbwfc wrote: The interesting thing here is Google are quite open about beta testing their software on the people who use it - even gmail was marked as a 'beta' for ages. Most of their free stuff - at least the bits they didn't buy in - are in almost perpetual beta of some form. And, to be honest, nobody really minds because, well, it's free.
Now, Apple Maps is patently in reality a beta. The major functionality parts are working but there's large faults in the data set and more than a few bugs. And, well, it's free. But people are up in arms. Why? Because Apple didn't say it was a beta. With Siri, they more or less did. They didn't use the word 'beta' but they were pretty careful to state that it wasn't finished yet but they thought people might like to give it a try. They never did that with Maps. So people expect a finished, polished product.
More fool them, frankly. | | | | |
Nope, more fool on Apple. The selling point on Apple gear is its suppose to be a polished product. With the software working seamlessly with the hardware. To have a core App that is at the moment a polished turd that has replaced a functioning App shows IMHO somebody really dropped the ball on this. The difference with Siri was that was an added feature, which quite correctly Apple placed the beta tag on because they knew that it needed more work and the way it functions the more people use it the better it will become. Also they knew that it needed more work to understand all those pesky accents and languages. _________________Finally joined Flickr
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| Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:38 am |
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big_D
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:25 pm
Posts: 10691
Location: Bramsche
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One of the reasons the YouTube app on iOS was never updated to match the features available through iOS Safari, was that it was an Apple App and, because they were fighting Google, they didn't feel the need to update it. Their licence for using Google's Map API came up for renewal and they decided to go elsewhere. If it had been a Google app, Apple would have needed to come up with a new icon as well... http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/0 ... -obsolete/
_________________
"Do you know what this is? Hmm? No, I can see you do not. You have that vacant look in your eyes, which says hold my head to your ear, you will hear the sea!" - Londo Molari
Executive Producer No Agenda Show 246
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| Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:43 am |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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I actually meant Apple, that was badly worded of me. If Apple had said with apps what they said with Siri, they would at least have some level of deniability. It was foolish of them not to be honest about what Maps was initially going to be. Jon
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| Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:40 am |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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I am not so fussed. I do not use the Maps app enough for it to be an issue for me. So I can wait for the bugs to be ironed out and will correct any mistakes that I know of then hopefully it will become a better app. It does find the important addresses that I need so I can still use it as a map when necessary. _________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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| Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:20 pm |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm
Posts: 5490
Location: just behind you!
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yup, it was  To be fair to Apple I don't think it would have looked good if they came out and said "our new revolutionary map app its in beta and thus will be hilariously awful in its total application. Play hunt your home town and when you do tell us so we can put on the map" _________________Finally joined Flickr
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| Sat Sep 22, 2012 1:43 pm |
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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm
Posts: 12251
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Seemingly, yes. It was showing me where I was on Mersea Island today (not best known for its phone coverage) to a good degree of accuracy.
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| Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:18 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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I believe HTML5 has a location API. So any web page could use it.
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| Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:07 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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JasmineA better youtube app than the Google one. Supports the iPad for a start.
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| Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:24 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm
Posts: 17040
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Interesting TheoryApple dropped Google maps in iOS6 not because the license ran out or to spite Google but because only Google is allowed to do turn by turn navigation using Google Maps data. The Public APIs disallows use for that purpose by any third party. Apple believed they were falling behind by not having 'built in' turn by turn navigation so they had to go with some other mapping data set. And thus.. Maps in iOS 6 and the current debacle.
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| Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:30 pm |
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EddArmitage
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:40 pm
Posts: 5288
Location: ln -s /London ~
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That's been my understanding from the off, and I thought Apple near-enough-as-they-ever-would said this was the case months ago?
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| Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:46 pm |
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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm
Posts: 6580
Location: Getting there
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Lol, that's what I said at the beginning of the tread 
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| Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:40 pm |
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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm
Posts: 12251
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Tim Cook, Apple CEO, has written an apology about the Maps app. http://www.apple.com/letter-from-tim-cook-on-maps/
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| Fri Sep 28, 2012 2:17 pm |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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It is a good apology. It does give alternatives for those that are frustrated by the problems. I have already made a half a dozen error reports but have yet to see any changes to the data. They need to get the results updated quickly before people adjust to a new app. Though if absolutely necessary, I have set up a app link to Google Maps.
_________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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| Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:23 pm |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm
Posts: 5490
Location: just behind you!
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We [LIFTED] up so badly that we are suggesting people use other solutions.  Someone must have seen the approaching train and yet they still sent out the door an app that just wasn't up to the expectations of the users.... well except some of the more virulent disciples to the joy and amusement of the haters. _________________Finally joined Flickr
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| Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:01 pm |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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Well you are completely right about raising expectations. They should have downplayed it. Then people would not be so critical. I appreciated it as a new product with potential teething problems so was not so critical, or have I been absorbed by the reality distortion field? The fact that they did means that all the jokes about the maps app are justified. A friend emailed me a joke about the missing schoolgirl Megan saying that they had bought an iPhone 5 and because of the maps app were now lost in France. _________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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| Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:54 pm |
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