Technology

How long before they weight routes based on the billboard ads you’ll see along the way.

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Organic_Maps

Is it too much to ask for an app that just does one single thing. Everything doesn't need to be an advertising platform.

Damn Google be speed running how quickly they can make me replace all their services. Google Maps and Youtube are about the only 2 I still use.

I've been getting a lot of 'suggested' locations and sponsored pop ups in Google Maps the few weeks. I get that it's a 'free' product, but ugh. My GPS while I'm driving down the highway is one of those things that really, really needs to be clutter-free.

This ad company is becoming a huge nuisance.

Edit/update from 9to5google so this post does not spread what is apparently inaccurate information:

I know we are desperate for content here on Lemmy, and I can google hate circle jerk with the best of them, but maybe just delete the post if it is a complete clickbait lie… you could also reword the post as a fact check, ‘no, google isn’t injecting adds into maps.’

The moment this starts happening to me, I’m going to start giving every single sponsored stop I see a 1 star review.

I dont know if i can keep using google stuff if this is the way they are going.

Why does everything have to be a fucking advert.

Who even likes adverts?

Just fuck off.

Gmaps has been actual hot trash for way the hell too long now.

GraphHopper, OSRM, and Valhalla all blow Google's shitty routing algorithm out of the water.

OSMAnd really the only mobile app competitor worthy of putting gmaps out of its misery. The only problem is it still uses a renderer from the stone age and has lackluster address data despite the fact that said data is available for free online from several open source mapping projects (there's some nice github scripts that can import ir for you).

Garmin forgot to invest in mobile technology. Sygic went to crap. Waze is just Gmaps+. Maps.me died even harder than Sygic.

It's 2024 and yet some of the best navigation tech I've seen is from 15+ year old devices.

Edit: Also Android Auto can go to hell.

Screw off.

Ok google take me to Liverpool.

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that. Today you are going to Vape Palace in Swindon, sponsored by CryptoPonzi++: you put the coins, we loot the coins!

It would be considered illegal where I live to interact with that popup while driving.

"Google have borrowed this idea form Waze" doesn't Google own Waze ?

Ragebait is working: Fuck that evil corporation! OsmAnd all day every day.

PSA: Apple Maps used to suck badly but now it's way better than Google Maps.

I smell reVanced Gmaps coming soon...

"Google, tell me how to get to this place"

"Here are your directions, including a McDonalds break! You deserve a break today, with a delicious tiny BIG MAC being sold for 400% of what it was 5 years ago, at 50% the size."

"........when did the movie idiocracy go from being a mockumentary to a documentary?"

I've been wanting to leave the Google ecosystem for years but Maps was always the thing that kept me there. Thanks Google for freeing me at last!

I'm going to paste here the comment I wrote on another post about this same issue:

Organic Maps and OsmAnd are not adding ads during navigation. Nor "promoted pins". Nor ads when browsing the map. Nor tracking your every move.

Seriously, give them a try. And remember that, if the maps are lacking information, you are free (and encouraged) to improve them on OpenStreetMap.

This won't always work, but I get it to stop changing the fucking route by putting it in airplane mode while I'm driving. It's locked in to the route I picked, GPS still works, no distractions.

Apple Maps sure had a rough start back in the day, but I will always use that over Google/Waze. It’s just so much better now and no worries about this type of junk.

Just a reminder about the open-source OpenStreetMap. You can improve it online by adding features like a Wikipedia for maps. You can even use the gamified app StreetComplete to add stuff and get points for walking around and mapping.