bing maps = loser

[jim_h]

Bing maps looks pretty, but insists on maintaining text at such a large size that at a typical zoom in an urban area, all I get is a grid of street lines with 2 or 3 street names. The font could easily be half the size it is, giving me several times more information. As it is now, it's just about useless to me and I'm crying for Google Maps - which for reasons not clear to me, won't work on WP7's browser.

Have I missed some setting, configuration option, or user tip that would render Bing Maps actually usable? If not - what were they thinking of?

 

[Rich Edmonds]

Really? Sorry you feel that way. I don't personally have a problem with the text size etc. and believe the maps to be much easier (and more aesthetically pleasing) to use than Google Maps.

 

[Pete C]

Love Bing maps

 

[dtboos]

I like bing maps quite a bit as well, although I'd understand if you were outside the US/UK if it was less than desirable.

Added features would be nice like streetside ect, but those will come in time.

 

[cdook]

I really like Bing maps too. I think all the zooming and fading effects are pretty slick. It also does a good job grabbing my current location and giving me directions to locations or topics (like "pizza").

 

[jim_h]

Like I said, it's pretty. It's eye candy. For actually finding your way around a city, it's a toy.

 

[ctt1wbw]

Yeah, because Bing uses different maps than Google. There are two planes of existence: Google and Bing and each have different maps.

 

[mworsham]

I used Bing maps in and around Des Moines last week with absolutely no issues. Searches for places to eat and navigating to those places worked very nicely.

Sent from my Samsung Focus using Board Express

 

[mittortz]

I've used Bing maps to navigate both NYC and Philly with surprisingly good results. Getting to restaurants, between friends' apartments, etc. has been a breeze. Although what really impresses me more than anything is how accurate the GPS is on my HTC Surround. I don't even need a view of the sky to get an excellent reading, and when I am outside it knows nearly instantly exactly where I am.
On the other hand, Bing has told me "Can't get that info right now, try again later" a couple times. I have to say that just about pisses me off to the point of barely controllable rage. Why? Why the **** can't you get that info?? I can't try later, I'm in the ghettos and I need to know where to go NOW!

Microsoft needs to either fix the issue entirely, or more realistically, at least give some sort of reasoning for the error (server overload, poor signal, something). But there should be no server overload, ever, at all.
/rant

Bing is good.

 

[Rich Edmonds]

I've used Bing maps to navigate both NYC and Philly with surprisingly good results. Getting to restaurants, between friends' apartments, etc. has been a breeze. Although what really impresses me more than anything is how accurate the GPS is on my HTC Surround. I don't even need a view of the sky to get an excellent reading, and when I am outside it knows nearly instantly exactly where I am.
On the other hand, Bing has told me "Can't get that info right now, try again later" a couple times. I have to say that just about pisses me off to the point of barely controllable rage. Why? Why the **** can't you get that info?? I can't try later, I'm in the ghettos and I need to know where to go NOW!

Microsoft needs to either fix the issue entirely, or more realistically, at least give some sort of reasoning for the error (server overload, poor signal, something). But there should be no server overload, ever, at all.
/rant

Bing is good.

GPS positioning on Bing Maps is incredibly accurate compared to when I used Maps on my old HTC Hero, it barely pin-pointed my exact position. Only ever gave me estimates, "you could be in Germany Rich, or in Seattle, your choice"!

 

[tuffluck]

i hated the iphone maps. bing works in a much more fluid manner.

 

[NickA]

I'll take functionality over prettier looking maps any day. By functionality I mean turn by turn with voice, for free on my Android phone. It's still one of the reasons I carry it along with my HD7.

 

[jim_h]

My question was about the font size, which severely limits the number of streets that are labeled at a typical zoom level in an urban area, compared to Google Maps.

 

[wheelerk]

I'll take functionality over prettier looking maps any day. By functionality I mean turn by turn with voice, for free on my Android phone. It's still one of the reasons I carry it along with my HD7.

I had turn by turn with Bing on my WM6 phone and it was sweet. So I know when it arrives for WP7, it won't disappoint.

 

[Spoonieluv]

Bing maps seems to grab my location pretty quick, however I would switch to Google maps in a second for 2 reasons:

- search and getting directions with bing is slooooow. On a side note: the bing internet search is painfully slow on my phone too.

- no directional indicator on 'my location'. Google is pretty accurate at showing which direction you are headed - very handy when you are not following a route and you want to quickly decide which way to turn.

 

[FearThyWrath]

Ive had Sprint maps,Google Maps, ATT Maps,Palm Pre and Iphone Google Maps and let me say my Samsung Focus has the fastest GPS and most accurate then any. Bing maps is going to be better then Google Maps in no time if MS wants them to IMO. It all comes down to Preference and i Prefer Bing!

 

[HeyCori]

No problems with Bing maps here.

 

[Luisraul924]

I like Bing Maps, only thing is I wish they would take fresh new satellite pics to claim that being better than Google lol.

 

[sketch42]

Bing maps looks pretty, but insists on maintaining text at such a large size that at a typical zoom in an urban area, all I get is a grid of street lines with 2 or 3 street names. The font could easily be half the size it is, giving me several times more information. As it is now, it's just about useless to me and I'm crying for Google Maps - which for reasons not clear to me, won't work on WP7's browser.

Have I missed some setting, configuration option, or user tip that would render Bing Maps actually usable? If not - what were they thinking of?

the issue the OP is trying to get at is the font size of the street names dont adjust when you zoom in... They should shrink (he's is NOT knocking the quality of directions it gives or how nice it looks)

look at the pic below and you see how large trhe font for the street names are when zoomed in.. what avenue??? all you see is W 31st Street

 

[Rich Edmonds]

the issue the OP is trying to get at is the font size of the street names dont adjust when you zoom in... They should shrink (he's is NOT knocking the quality of directions it gives or how nice it looks)

look at the pic below and you see how large trhe font for the street names are when zoomed in.. what avenue??? all you see is W 31st Street

I still don't really see the problem, simply swiping your finger to the right will reveal the entire street name, right? Even if the font was made to resize with the zoom level, the text could move aligned to the left and would still appear off-screen, just slightly smaller.