Considering switching from android. Concerned about maps .

[gmcole]

I am considering switching from android. I have a 2year old Motorola droid maxx that has slowed to a near stop. I am not a big app user or gamer. However, I do have a couple of concerns. I am a consultant and drive about 50,000 miles a year, mostly in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania .I do a lot of Google searches for directions,phone numbers and information. I also use google voice to make calls while driving etc.
I can live with some growing pains in other areas but I can't sacrifice on the search/navigation piece.

When using Cortana, what maps does the icon use ? How do they compare to google maps in terms of accuracy and integration etc.?
When doing a google search, I can go to the website, navigate to that point or call with one touch. I don't want to give that up.

Please advise.

Thanks
Jeff in Ohio

 

[oditius]

All Nokia's have Here + Maps, which you can run using data, or if you are in a WiFI zone you can download it on to your phone. I would go here and see what the maps are like. Cortana is still new, but will be better polished when 8.1 is released. She can make calls, send text as it is. I have done so.

 

[prasath1234]

If u are a app fanatic then u will regret your purchase so as a safer option keep also your android.

Sent from my C2305 using WPCentral Forums mobile app

 

[Abu Barrett]

Even tho im a nokia/WP fan, i know google maps are the best free map service out there. Maybe you could borrow a friends wp or something to try here maps, they've worked fine for most of us, but your standards are probably higher if we are talking about maps

 

[pankaj981]

Hi Jeff, I'm from Columbus, Ohio and i have used the Nokia here maps all over the state (and neighboring states as well), they work really well as far as accuracy is concerned, the best part about here maps is they can be downloaded offline to either your phone or your SD card so that navigation uses minimal data.

As far your second point is concerned, Cortana initially uses the internet to get the points (longitude/latitude information), after that it uses the here maps data. To navigate you can search for the address on Google (or Bing if you prefer) via IE and then tap on the address so it would take you directly to the here drive navigation app. You can also do a voice search using Cortana or the maps application and it would set the direction for you

 

[jdfry15]

I work in construction and go to lots of new neighborhoods. I have the icon and came from android. I used to every once in a while with my android search for addresses and directions with bing. Seems bing has newer areas updated faster. I have updated to 8.1 and not sure if this is an issue with that but at least a couple times a day when I start voice navigation it will try and navigate me to the last address I went to, so I have to back out of that and start over. Other than that I would say its on par with the maps and navigation. I would say android is laid out better. I can mute the voice feedback faster on android. Just little things like that are different.

 

[gmcole]

Thanks!
I checked out here maps. It appears that, although different from google maps, It would serve my per pose as long as the voice navigation works well. ( I need it to say "turn left on xyz street in 1/4 mile so I do not have to watch the screen all the time)

Just so I understand it properly, using Cortana, I could search for a certain business , then ask her to call, or navigate to it all by voice?

Thanks to all for the help!

 

[iamunderdawg]

I have used the maps on Google as well as the Nokia maps on my Icon. The Nokia for me have been spot on and never missed a beat! I also believe programming the address is much easier on the Nokia.

 

[WScottCross]

I do over 2000 miles a month and I really like Here Drive+. I don't use the voice guidance, but I do like the display. The only thing I don't like is that I haven't found a way to force it to use an alternate route.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I came from Android as well, and having used both Google Navigation and Here+ Drive, I have to go with Here+ Drive. The upshot with Here+ Drive is that you can download the maps and then use them offline which can save on data usage as well as battery.

 

[TLRtheory]

I used to be the biggest Google Maps ******.

...I was looking for what would replace the GMaps experience on WP and everyone kept telling me "Try out HERE Maps/HERE Drive+ and you will never care about Google Maps again"... and I was shocked to find that this was extraordinarily true. HERE Maps and HERE Drive are kind of badass.

 

[oditius]

Lucky for me, I use a GPS that I keep in the trunk. Came worth a mount and everything, even has traffic alert. And when my phone rings I don't need to stop navigating to answer it. LOL

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520 using Tapatalk

 

[worldspy99]

In LA area though Waze still beats HERE Maps handily for finding the best routes.

 

[paulxxwall]

WP is so much smoother than android! Here maps work awesome! Can't believe i dealt with android for so long!

 

[techgeek32#WN]

No street view in Here or Windows maps. That is my only complaint.

 

[anon6002755]

No street view in Here or Windows maps. That is my only complaint.

I also miss google maps saying "destination is on the right/left"

Other than that I've no complaints





Sent from my Icon

 

[stephen_az]

I am considering switching from android. I have a 2year old Motorola droid maxx that has slowed to a near stop. I am not a big app user or gamer. However, I do have a couple of concerns. I am a consultant and drive about 50,000 miles a year, mostly in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania .I do a lot of Google searches for directions,phone numbers and information. I also use google voice to make calls while driving etc.
I can live with some growing pains in other areas but I can't sacrifice on the search/navigation piece.

When using Cortana, what maps does the icon use ? How do they compare to google maps in terms of accuracy and integration etc.?
When doing a google search, I can go to the website, navigate to that point or call with one touch. I don't want to give that up.

Please advise.

Thanks
Jeff in Ohio

In as much as I dislike Android, Here Drive has been so appallingly bad on so many occasions I could not recommend the platform if that is a major need. Perhaps one of the other WP apps might be adequate for your needs. As I have said before, and can back up with examples of the problems, Here Drive where I live (Arizona) is second only to Apple's product with respect to inaccuracy and ;level of embarrassment. Routing ranges from inefficient to simply wrong. Just about the only thing I can say in its favor is that Here Maps shares favorites across all of my WP and Windows 8 devices which means, if Here Drive was accurate, I could grab a location on my Surface Pro off the web or out of work document, then open it on my phone to get directions. The problem is the directions are filled with inconsistencies and errors as often as they are correct.

 

[bijak_riyandi]

Nokia HERE Drive+ have saved my *** several times...
it can automatically reroute you when you're going off the current track

it works fine here in Indonesia and I'm pretty sure it should work better in the US

 

[iamunderdawg]

I do have Verizon Navigation...I may try that sometime this week for a comparison ..

 

[Dave Bhullar]

Overall the experience is pretty good. The only thing you'll miss is street view, but there are third party apps for that. Cortana uses Bing maps, but you can also use Here maps and Here drive+. You can also use Here maps/drive offline, download the maps for the whole state or country and you're good for offline use, it's better than google maps offline version because you can actually search for locations and you can also use Here drive+ for navigation while you're offline. In my opinion Bing maps is better in terms of POIs, at least for my region. You can actually test Bing maps and Here maps online on your web browser by going to their websites, you can search for locations and see if they show up. As a last resort, you can also try third party apps for Google maps if you don't like Bing or Here maps. I used to drive to new locations everyday at work, about 120km everyday and I never had a problem.