After the news that Google maps will rename the gulf of Mexico to the gulf of America I finally decided to change maps app(not confirmed).
What recommendations do you have? What to look out for?
Google has many faults, but the one responsible for this one is someone else :)
The FOSS google maps alternatives I hear recommended most often are OsmAnd+ and, especially, Organic Maps.
Personally I don’t use maps very often (I know my way around my area pretty well, so I usually just lookup the location of wherever I want to go before leaving home), but I’d say Organic Maps is simpler and more user friendly than OsmAnd+.
Both can work offline if you download the maps for your area.
The maps are pretty good (at least in my area), but compared to Google Maps you’ll have to rely more on street addresses as there aren’t as many points of interest.
Google in 2008:
By saying “common”, we mean to include names which are in widespread daily use, rather than giving immediate recognition to any arbitrary governmental re-naming. In other words, if a ruler announced that henceforth the Pacific Ocean would be named after her mother, we would not add that placemark unless and until the name came into common usage.
The maps are pretty good (at least in my area)
For the unfamiliar that’s another cool thing about using OSM data. If some of your favorite places are missing from the map you can just add it!
There’s several ways to do it but if you have a laptop the easiest way is to use the editor on openstreetmap.org. They have a quick and easy interactive tutorial to show you the ropes and then you are free to add what you feel is important!
Google has many faults, but the one responsible for this one is someone else :)
No, the executive order only applies to the federal government. Google chooses to follow it.
T-map, Kakao-map, Google maps, OSM in that order because I live in Korea.
OSM (no “app”, just Web) at https://www.openstreetmap.org/
CityMapper
Magic Earth. Organic Maps as a backup. I’ve found that Magic Earth is the happy middle ground of map apps.
Closed source client, but uses OSM for its map data. European company, so better on the data front.
I tried using Organic Maps as my main navigation app, but there were slightly too many times where it couldn’t find the address, or the navigation got stuck, etc.
My IT job requires me to get to places quickly if they need on-site support. I have to be able to depend on my map app to get me there reliably. Magic Earth does that, Organic Maps is very good, and I keep it around to use in case I have issues with Magic Earth, but at least in my region of the country, it just isn’t quite up to snuff.
Osmand
Open street map with organic map
Besides organic, I use watch duty (fire tracking), MyRadar (weather) and waze (driving)
Waze is owned by Google…
Organic Maps. It is quite fast and I really like its UI.
- For directions, I use OrganicMaps.
- For location bookmarks/pins, I’m currently building an app, so I use that.
- For checking business information, sometimes i’ll still use google maps
Organic maps takes next to forever to plan a route for me, if it manages at all
Huh really? I haven’t had that issue. But we might be totally different use-cases; If I’m routing, I’m usually in major cities mapping a route via public transit. I quite like OrganicMaps for this, because it’s still quite stable in underground subways when internet is sus.
edit: To be clear, I haven’t noticed issues when I map for driving either, but I’m admittedly not driving a crazy amount.
Organic maps doesn’t appear to know public transport exists where I live. We have been trying out different apps for bicycle trips
Hmmm I’m not as familiar with how routing works with OSM, but I wonder if those transits routes show up in other OSM apps, or if Organic Maps is flitering/sorting that in a way where it isn’t used? Like is the data missing, or is the app doing something poorly?
I used 1.5 year ago organic maps on Samsung galaxy S5, what do you mean? It’s usable even on ancient devices, and is definitely the best FOSS maps out there
For my ebike I use OSMAnd with Brouter
OsmAnd~ is really good and feature rich but a bit complex. I use it because it has very good navigation with the public transport where I live. I tryed Magic Earth, it’s simpler but at some point it stopped suggesting me navigation with the public transport here. And if you don’t need public transport suggestions try Organic Maps, it’s very simple. On Linux- Marbel by KDE or Gnome Maps. If I need to check something on the map I just use OpenStreetMap in a browser.
Organic Maps. Living in a somewhat walkable area, it gives me good walking directions. I might be a bit out of touch though since I just commit routes to memory if I’m driving.
For the occasional satellite map, Google Maps unfortunately. If anyone knows of a privacy-respecting map with satellite views, I’d be interested.
Google maps
Organic street maps just don’t have good enough public transit integration where I live
For car navigation: The in the eOS implemented Version of Magic Maps. Im using it on a daily basis in a professional Context and in my Area (Hamburg, Northern Germany) it works as reliable as googlemaps. (My colleagues are using gm) Traffic-Data is mostly not that accurate. And if you need information about special Adresses like opening hours, ill just look it up otherwise, like on their websites.
For Navigation by bike or for hiking I use the paid German App “komoot”. As a bike Commuter - its the (in my opinion) by far best app for Biking But to be honest, I dont know their privacy rules. And i cant tell if they have a translated version for their app
eOS implemented Version of Magic Maps
link?
Apple maps if you have that option. Probably not the best for privacy, but better than Google maps for privacy and better than most of the alternatives for navigation.
