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Life Product Reviews

Google Maps Sucks (and has led me in circles!!)

Yes, it is true. Google Maps sucks. Twice now, I have looked something up, only to be led on a wild goose chase around town. On top of the that, they have less features (in my opinion) than Microsoft Live Maps. Let’s take a look at the debacles:

 

1) Fire on the Mountain

Fire on the Mountain (http://portlandwings.com/) is a cool buffalo wings in Portland. I found it by Googling “best wings in Portland”. Anyway’s, I have a post written up for the wing debate, that will come later, but for now, let’s compare Google Maps vs. Microsoft Live Maps

fire_on_the_mountain_google_maps fire_on_the_mountain_live_maps

Now, there are few details here. On Google maps, when you search and fine FOTM in Google, it will show you a small map, you click on it and you get to here. Great, it even has a little link and info about the place – awesome! But, take a close look. The address is 4225 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR, but Google has the dot located (zoom in a little) – Some # 9th Ave NE – WTF????? Now, the picture on the right, the Microsoft Live Maps. Background info here. Searching for “Portland wings” in search.live.com, you will see local listings, no map, but there is a link to FOTM, and it brings you here which then if you click on interactive map, brings you here which is the screenshot I have above. The correct address, and it is located in the correct spot! What is even better is there is a bird’s eye view here as well.

Now, if I got driving directions on Google Maps (which, BTW, I did) and follow them, without double checking the address against what they mapped, I end up in ghettoville, which, I did (thank god I had my T-Mobile dash, which has Live Maps for Mobile, which saved me again!). Winner – Microsoft Live Maps

2) Post Office

Ahh, the Post Office. Disgruntled workers, people always impatient, just a fun time. Well I had a package to mail, so I figured I would walk to the post office. Lets dig into the results:

post_office_google_maps post_office_live_maps

On the left, searching for the Post office near my address. There are two results on the map – here is the link. One that is around 7-8 blocks and one that is around 15-16 blocks away. Of course I am going to walk to the nearest one. As I walk today, in the rain no less, I get to the area of the first result, and it is just residential homes, no post office, nothing. Another big WTF!! So once again I pull out the T-Mobile dash, Live Maps for Mobile, search for Post Office near my address, and it gives me the address for the second (read: farther one in Google) away, and that is it. So I walk there, do my business, walk home. But, getting home is what got me thinking of this post, so then I search on maps.live.com – “post office” around my address, and this is what I get (the picture on the right) – link here. So, Once again, Microsoft Live Maps wins out.

So chalk up two times that Google Maps has really thrown me for a loop, which is two times to many. From now on, Microsoft Live Maps.

Has anyone else experienced this craziness??

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By Steve Novoselac

Director of Digital Technology @TrekBikes, Father, Musician, Cyclist, Homebrewer

3 replies on “Google Maps Sucks (and has led me in circles!!)”

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