Nokia Maps is a giant step backwards

[MaulerX]

I like it much more than before. Any address searched or clicked on that brings up Nokia maps, can get directions from Nokia Drive (they are both tightly integrated) which is a million times better than before. Being able to download maps for offline use is HUGE imo. You're basically getting a full-on GPS navigation system for free. Maybe people have to learn how to use it, because for me, this destroys the old system.

 

[Gken]

yeah Nokia provides the data for Bing maps, but still I miss the local traffic quick view. Wtf I would have thought that would be effotless to integrate.

 

[MaulerX]

Lumia 920 does it a bit differently. After doing a Bing search, the Local tab will still show all local establishments with that name. However, if you click on the establishment there is no "Directions from my location" anymore. Now there is just Address and Drive. Address launches the Windows maps app. If you click Drive it directly launches Nokia Drive+ with that place as the destination.

Ok, why would you want (or miss) "Directions from my location" when Nokia Drive automatically routes a route from wherever you are?

 

[lordofthereef]

Ok, why would you want (or miss) "Directions from my location" when Nokia Drive automatically routes a route from wherever you are?

The confusing thing for me is why they didn't just make it one app. Kind of silly to have a map app and a whole other routing/gps app.

 

[Pete C]

Ok, why would you want (or miss) "Directions from my location" when Nokia Drive automatically routes a route from wherever you are?

I don't...I was just pointing out that his method wouldn't work in WP8. It is better now obviously.

 

[hellboarder]

yeah Nokia provides the data for Bing maps, but still I miss the local traffic quick view. Wtf I would have thought that would be effotless to integrate.

I posted a quick tip on how to get that back (sort of) on page 1 of this thread, that will give you the full traffic back until Nokia fixes their app.

 

[PhilR8]

It's not, he posted the same thing in another thread. The "normal" maps he's referring to is the old Bing maps, and he just doesn't realize it's basically Nokia maps on WP8.

Do you have a Nokia WP8 device? Because I do, the Lumia 920, and you are totally wrong. Nokia Maps is the only mapping app that is available from the App List in WP8, but as the others have said, if you go into the People hub and tap the address of one of your contacts, a DIFFERENT mapping application will open, one that looks EXACTLY like Bing Maps from WP7/7.5.

There are two different mapping applications on the Nokia 920. And I agree with the others: Nokia Maps doesn't hold a candle to the hidden Bing Maps.

 

[Landsharkk]

1) Touch your search button on the bottom right of your phone
2) Search for any location, business, etc using they keyboard or your voice.
2b) If you need to find a specific address, just open the nokia drive app and use 'set destination'.
2c) If you want to use a contact address, open the contact, hold on the address and choose 'copy'. Open Nokia Drive, use "set destination" and paste the address into the search box.

3) Once you have selected your destination, the 'about' page will open. Touch the 'Drive' option on that screen.
4) Nokia Drive automatically opens up, finds your location and maps your route, immediately starting the navigation process via voice directions.

It's so extremely easy to use and YES it is integrated into your search button on the bottom right of your phone.

Nokia Drive even tells you when you are exceeding the speed limit for the road you are on (you can adjust this setting in nokia drive settings).

 

[MaulerX]

I don't...I was just pointing out that his method wouldn't work in WP8. It is better now obviously.

Gotcha!

 

[lordofthereef]

I think there seems to be some confusion, and dare I say anger, between posters here.

Everything I am reading shows that Nokia Maps has replaced bing maps in Windows Phone 8, in terms of the app. Feel free to point the blame at Nokia for creating an app not up to snuff with what you prefer, but it doesn't seem it was Nokia who removed Bing Maps from the OS (in fact, it is my understanding that no company can remove anything from Windows Phone 8, they can only add to it).

Bing Maps is still supposedly baked in there, but only for development purposes for those who may want to use it for their apps. Apparently there are still some hooks from within Windows Phone that will load this old Bing Maps for the user.

As I said, take it for what you will. Just hoping to give some clarity on the situation.

 

[eortizr]

In my 920 it always open Nokia maps. And the it opens Nokia drive for directions

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

 

[ALpHa.Q.RoUgH]

I hate how when I get a address it opens up the old bing maps and not the nokia maps. Essentially if I lock my phone or do something else its hard to revert back to it because I can't just look it up on my app list and open it up.

 

[haikus]

Hi everyone, this is Pino from the HERE team and I would like to address some of the questions about Nokia Maps in this thread.

We are aware that People Hub, Bing, Email and other apps on Windows Phone 8 do not open Nokia Maps and we are working together with Microsoft to provide a better user experience.
Right now the workaround is to open Windows Phone Maps (the engine of which is still provided by us) and launch Nokia Drive from there. Unfortunately Windows Phone Maps does not support walk navigation, which is why you don't find the option to open Nokia Maps from there.
You are luckier when you are searching for places with Bing because you can pan to the apps tab and select Nokia Maps (or even Nokia Transport) from there.

We are in the meantime also working in polishing or further improve some feature of Nokia Maps like traffic information, search and places listing.

You can also watch here a video that summarizes all the features of Nokia Maps with some good reasons why you should use it:
[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxiyYbrI8j8[/YT]

 

[haikus]

The confusing thing for me is why they didn't just make it one app. Kind of silly to have a map app and a whole other routing/gps app.

Hi this is Pino from the HERE team, we have explained why we are not building one app for everything on our blog: A day in London with Nokia location-based apps – Nokia Conversations : the official Nokia blog

 

[krague17]

I too don't find Nokia Drive that great. It's missing a lot of functions. One is alternate routes. Android had this and so does Navigon for Windows Phone. You also can't see a Map overview of your route. The only way I know which way it has mapped is by zooming out. The other thing I don't like is that you can't see live information like accidents or traffic like I could on the Waze app for Android.

It's a great start but needs a lot more functionality to be one of the best. I'm just glad I bought the Navigon app back when they had 50% off.

 

[woohoo7676]

Nokia Maps issues

I realized today that the usual Bing maps app was gone and replaced with Nokia maps, and found this thread.

After trying out Nokia Maps for awhile, I definitely prefer Bing maps over it. Most of my issues have to do with the UI. Here are a few points that I think could be improved:

1. The swipe up UI for search results and list of directions is not intuitive and doesn't fit in with the rest of the WP style.

2. The directions UI doesn't allow you to see both the map and the directions list at the same time. Also tapping on specific directions doesn't show you where that place is on the map.

3. Having to swipe up the list of directions/search results completely to see the app bar is cumbersome. Please have the app bar always be visible to allow easy access to functions. For example, in order to search for another location while viewing directions, I have to swipe the directions panel all the way to the top, expand the app bar, and then tap search. Ideally, I should be able to just tap a search icon in the visible app bar.

4. Nokia and Bing maps may be powered by Nokia's data, but for some reason the results are not the same. I did the exact same search for a yogurt place near to where I live in Virginia. Nokia maps moved me over to a street called Yogurt Ln. in Maryland, while Bing maps found the place I was looking for.

Pino, I hope you can incorporate some of this feedback, and also at least give us the choice to have Bing Maps available while Nokia Maps is smoothing out some of the rough spots.

Thanks!

 

[jaqueh]

I've noticed that Nokia maps is far better for European cities than American ones.

 

[tissotti]

I've noticed that Nokia maps is far better for European cities than American ones.

I was just coming at this. I could not stand the default maps on LG Optimus 7 and sold it after week because of the search results made no sense and map was simply not complete. Could not believe they even released something as "complete".

Then came back after Nokia brought Nokia Maps with Lumia 800 and never touched MS maps after that, Nokia Maps is by far the best here in Scandinavia and used it over in central Europe (mainly Germany) with no problems.

 

[crav4speed]

After checking traffic conditions in the Nokia maps app and thinking how horrible it was, I immediately went to open the native Bing maps and to my surprise couldn't find it! My workaround was to open search, hit local scout, tap on the map, and then show traffic. I now have local scout pinned to my start screen.

 

[muhan]

I was just coming at this. I could not stand the default maps on LG Optimus 7 and sold it after week because of the search results made no sense and map was simply not complete. Could not believe they even released something as "complete".

Then came back after Nokia brought Nokia Maps with Lumia 800 and never touched MS maps after that, Nokia Maps is by far the best here in Scandinavia and used it over in central Europe (mainly Germany) with no problems.

That's great for you and makes sense since Nokia is a European country. Unfortunately, it's not the case for me here in Los Angeles. By the way, does Nokia Maps show you local traffic where you are?