Actually, MapQuest does not buy their map information. MapQuest gets their information from OSM, Open Street Maps, a free street map system.
David Chittenden, MSc, MRCAA Email: [email protected] Mobile: +64 21 2288 288 Sent from my iPhone On 11/07/2013, at 18:38, Sieghard Weitzel <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Penny, > > The apps that are being discussed use map data/information which is compiled > by companies which do that. There are only a few of these in the world and > basically all of the apps buy the rights to use this information from them. > Google and Apple have gone out done a lot of their own mapping, but I am not > even sure if they aren't even getting some information from companies like > Navteq or Tele Atlas which are 2 of the main digital map providers. > > In any case, all the main stream GPS apps like Navigon, Garmin, TomTom, > Motion GPS, MapQuest etc. use maps from either Navteq or Tele Atlas. > Specialized apps like the new Seeing Eye app from Sendero which is the only > full-featured app for the blind which offers both turn by turn directions > for travelling along a route from point A to point B as well as ongoing > information about streets and intersections as you walk along also uses > Navteq Maps. I am simplifying this a bit since Sendero also uses another > source for maps, but it sounds as if you have little knowledge at this point > so such details I think are not relevant at this stage. > Apart from Sendero there are apps like BlindSquare, Ariadne GPS or the > earlier app from Sendero called LookAround. These apps help in telling you > where you are, what is around you, what your nearest cross street is and > which direction you are going in. Some do this better than others, in my > opinion BlindSquare does the best job giving you automatic announcements of > upcoming cross streets and points of interest and it also allows you to set > your own places/points of interest. You could, for example, stand right > beside the bench of a bus stop you use and set that as a place and the next > time you walk along and come within a certain distance which you can > determine, BlindSquare would tell you, for example, "Bus Stop 1, 50 feet at > 2 o'clock". > Most GPS apps also give you information about so-called POI's or Points of > Interest. These are things like restaurants, banks, businesses, stores etc. > Just as with maps, there are companies who compile databases of such POI's. > > I suggest you start getting more information about the topic of GPS > navigation by listening to Podcasts about some of these apps. There is a > good Podcast about the Seeing Eye app on www.applevis.com and others are out > there, if you are unable to find them via Google, maybe some other list > members who have saved the URL for a specific Podcast will share it with > you. Mike Errigo (hope I didn't misspell that) who recently rejoined this > list has done some good Podcasts comparing main stream apps like Navigon and > TomTom, if Mike reads this maybe he will contribute some useful information. > I am also giving you the app store links and prices for some of these apps, > the Seeing Eye app is free to download, but it is nonetheless your most > costly option as it requires you to buy a subscription or licence after you > download it. Without the subscription the app can't access the map > information on the Sendero servers. > The subscription is $70 for 1 year or $130 for 3 years. This sounds > expensive as apps go, but the app does give a blind person the most useful > information and $130 over 3 years only works out to $3.61 a month. > Furthermore, if you buy a main stream turn by turn app like Navigon which > costs $39 to $59 depending on what version you buy, you still need something > like BlindSquare which is $20 because Navigon will not give you any > information unless you enter a route, e.g. you are now here and want to go > to this restaurant or this store etc. Even then it will tell you when to > turn left or right, but as you walk along it may tell you to now follow the > road for 1 mile and you may pass many streets as you go, but Navigon says > nothing about these or what kind of intersections they are. You may have to > set a route and let Navigon run in the background which it will happily do > and then use an app like BlindSquare to get more information about what is > immediately around you. The Seeing Eye app will do all of this in one app > and if you are basically familiar with a route and you maybe just want some > reassurance as you walk along, then the Seeing Eye app will just give you > information as you walk without the need to set a route. > > Ariadne GPS, $5.99: > https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/ariadne-gps/id441063072?mt=8 > > BlindSquare, $19.99: > https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blindsquare/id500557255?mt=8 > > Seeing Eye GPS: > https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seeing-eye-gps/id668624446?mt=8 > > > Good luck, > Sieghard > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > Of Penny Golden > Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 10:05 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Travel apps in general > > I'm new to all this. I hear you discussing all these apps that > show roads and streets walking or in the car. How does that all work? > Do you just download the app and learn? Or do you first have to download > something such as google maps > > ? > Or would the addition of some other kinds of GPS that I haven't even thought > of make these apps you're discussing more effective? > Or, do they just work all by themselves without additions? Thanks, and > sorry to be a pest. > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > > Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. > > Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > > Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing > [email protected]. > > Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing > [email protected]. > > More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > > Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. > > Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > > Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing > [email protected]. > > Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing > [email protected]. > > More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. 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