iPhone 1.1.3 update: Google Maps first impressions
This particular post won't be near as in-depth as one Erica might do (she knows way more about the iPhone than I) but I just wanted to share my first impressions of the new Google Maps functionality on the iPhone after today's 1.1.3 software update. Granted, some would call me crazy for updating such a critical piece of equipment as my iPhone during a busy time like Macworld. But hey, let's live on the edge, shall we?Throwing caution to the wind I made the leap and charged ahead with the update. Before I go on let me mention that I have the most vanilla iPhone out there with no hacks or custom anything (not even ringtones) so the update was a smooth process for me. In and out in under five minutes. Once done and restarted I began to explore what had changed. One of the first things I really wanted to try out was the new maps functionality.
Fortunately, an opportunity put the new Google Maps through its paces presented itself immediately; I had to join my fellow TUAW crew at a Macworld party, but all I had was the address with no idea how to get there. Which direction should I go, and how far? Fortunately, these questions were no match for the iPhone's new maps functionality.
To do this I first clicked on the Google Maps tool on the iPhone and then on the brand new button in the lower left corner of the screen (looks somewhat like a target crosshair) and waited a few moments while my iPhone triangulated my position using nearby cell towers. Impressively, it located my position almost exactly, and displayed it on the screen. Next, I pressed the directions button and in the new window I saw that next to "Start" was "Current Location" -- obviously where I was at the moment -- and below that I entered the address of where I wanted to go.
Once done I pressed the 'Route" button and in about five seconds was presented with a detailed route to my destination complete with a purple line on the map to follow. I admit when I first heard about this feature in the 1.1.3 update I was a bit skeptical about how well it would work. I'm happy to report that, at least in this first-impressions situation, it performed exactly as advertised. Although, I guess I should have expected that from an Apple product. They do seem to pretty much always turn out well.
UPDATE: OK, we fixed the title.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Adam said 6:09AM on 1-16-2008
switch your title...it's 1.1.3, not 1.2.3.
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Bender Bending Rodriguez said 9:27AM on 1-16-2008
TUAW can't afford to proofread. It's not in their budget.
austin said 6:22AM on 1-16-2008
Glad to say it seems to work well in the UK too - I had assumed it would, for now be a US functionality, like traffic seems to be.
But here in London, at least, it works and location seems pretty accurate to me - the middle of my street, where I live!
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pedroQ said 6:26AM on 1-16-2008
UK postcode search, however, doesn't seem to be working any more -- or am I missing something?
I like that they've added hybrid satellite + map view though.
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austin said 6:59AM on 1-16-2008
just punched one in and it worked! it even corrected an extra space with a did you mean...
Try some more - I just literally punched in the code, nothing else
Daniel D said 6:36AM on 1-16-2008
Original title was
"iPhone 1.2.3 update: Google Maps first impressions"
Quoting for massive failure
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larsentobias said 6:47AM on 1-16-2008
I don't think you should give the credit to apple. Isn't it google maps that have made the stuff underneeth?! The locating stuff works on many phones now, so actually not a 'wow' apple feature...
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Paddy said 6:48AM on 1-16-2008
OK, I'm confused. I updated my iPod Touch last night (£12.99 here in the UK, btw). I just tried the "target" button in the Maps app - and it correctly found my location. Given that the Touch isn't a phone, and can't communicate with phone masts, how the hell did that happen?
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iMachias said 7:02AM on 1-16-2008
The iPod touch uses online data on wi-fi hotspot locations to determine your location.
Seamaster said 6:48AM on 1-16-2008
I'm nor surprised to hear that it's working in San Francisco (or London), but I was surprised to find it working up here in Newcastle, albeit in the vaguest way possible (ie no more accurate than a location fix in the city centre - no "middle of my street" pinpointing here).
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Matt said 7:02AM on 1-16-2008
No luck here in Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK with the iphone google positioning.
Tried at home and at work (5 Miles away)
"Your Location could not be determined" on a full signal.
Really annoyed - was looking forward to that feature!
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Ben said 7:03AM on 1-16-2008
As well as the title, it should be "she knows way more about the iPhone than *me*".
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Charlie said 7:50AM on 1-16-2008
Is there anything in cyberspace sweeter than a mistaken grammar Nazi?
If this is troll-bait, it is just my flavor.
Go look it up, Ben.
Tim said 8:27AM on 1-16-2008
Yah, good try, Ben, but the way to see if that's right is to add the word "do" at the end. Like "She knows more about the iPhone than [I/me] do."
With "me," you'd be saying that Erica knows more about the iPhone than she does about him. Although I'm sure that's correct too, in its own way.
Grammar tangent!
Ed said 8:28AM on 1-16-2008
Yep, Ben's got it wrong. But Charlie comes out of this the bigger moron.
Too much of your namesake stuck up your nose perhaps my friend?
Take a deep breath, you'll feel better for it.
By the way, calling someone a Nazi ain't cool, no matter how you spell it.
James said 6:53PM on 1-16-2008
Hey grammar experts. You could all go and look it up in say, the Apple Dictionary. The entry there for "me", and the link to "personal pronoun" both explain why Ben is correct and you are all wrong.
James said 7:21PM on 1-16-2008
Hmmm. OK, so "The correct use of personal pronouns is one of the most debated topics of English usage". It's the location of the subject that's confusing here.
Now I reckon that both of the above usages, while maybe not incorrect, aren't perhaps as clear as they could be. I'd go with Tim's version with a "do" at the end "...more about the iPhone than I do", or you could go with "...about the iPhone, she knows more than me".
I'm just glad that at least there are people out there that care enough to try and get it right (and I think the Apple Dictionary is an overlooked resource).
Now you can all hit me with "your a looser" :)
Jamie said 7:03AM on 1-16-2008
I have tried it a couple of times here in the UK, So far it has managed to tell I am in warwickshire but thats it. Most of the time it doesn't work.
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Chris said 7:25AM on 1-16-2008
@Matt, if you have a WiFi connection active, turn it off and try just over EDGE. Works for me.
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Matt said 9:26AM on 1-16-2008
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the info.
I gave it a go but still no luck.
I have a really horrible feeling that this is only going to work when you have edge coverage.
Where I live this is few and far between.
Pretty poor show that only 30% of the country has it!
I hope i'm proved wrong.