WP7 - Am I Missing Something with the Maps Application?

Malice

I was on holiday for the last 10 days and one thing that struck me immediately was that the Maps application on my phone was pretty well useless compared to the one on my friend's iPhone. I've got a HD7 and, on the built-in maps application it seems like all I can do is get my current location. I can't get directions to places, search for places or have my location update in realtime as I walk (unless I keep tapping the Find Me button). Actually, to correct that, I can do the first two of those by firing up a web browser and using Google Maps but that is a very awkward solution.

So, is there a replacement maps application that I can use to provide this functionality, am I just out of luck by virtue of my OS choice or have I missed something fundamental?

jimmycrackcorm

TA Maps: Google Maps for Windows Phone 7

AntiVirus

Very odd, all of that works on my bing maps? I can search for place's and get directions to places and it updates my poisition in real time. As far as I can remember this worked before mango as well. I use Navigon for my sat nav app.

RobertFoster

I find the default maps app lacking too. Using Bingle instead.

Malice

AntiVirus wrote: »

Very odd, all of that works on my bing maps? I can search for place's and get directions to places and it updates my poisition in real time. As far as I can remember this worked before mango as well. I use Navigon for my sat nav app.

Okay, I must be missing something. Here's what I'm doing right now at my desk in work:

Start the Maps application.
Tap the Find Me button. (This eventually, after about 10 seconds, places me quite a bit away from my actual location)
Regardless of that, let's assume it's placed me correctly in the Galway Business Park in Dangan. I now want to get to Galway Cathedral. How do I do that with the current interface? If I tap the magnifying glass option then I get a Bing search page. If I enter "galway cathedral" then I get a list of Internet search results which is of zero use to me when I want map results.

As for updating location in realtime I've never seen it do that. In fact before I tapped the Find Me button my phone was still telling me I was in central Budapest (which was correct up to Monday afternoon) .

Trevor451

Malice wrote: »

Okay, I must be missing something. Here's what I'm doing right now at my desk in work:

Start the Maps application.
Tap the Find Me button. (This eventually, after about 10 seconds, places me quite a bit away from my actual location)
Regardless of that, let's assume it's placed me correctly in the Galway Business Park in Dangan. I now want to get to Galway Cathedral. How do I do that with the current interface? If I tap the magnifying glass option then I get a Bing search page. If I enter "galway cathedral" then I get a list of Internet search results which is of zero use to me when I want map results.

As for updating location in realtime I've never seen it do that. In fact before I tapped the Find Me button my phone was still telling me I was in central Budapest (which was correct up to Monday afternoon) .

Are you on mango or nodo? I think only the map application on mango has navigation.

Malice

Trevor451 wrote: »

Are you on mango or nodo? I think only the map application on mango has navigation.

I'm definitely not on Mango so I guess I must be on the other one.

AntiVirus

Malice wrote: »

Okay, I must be missing something. Here's what I'm doing right now at my desk in work:

Start the Maps application.
Tap the Find Me button. (This eventually, after about 10 seconds, places me quite a bit away from my actual location)
Regardless of that, let's assume it's placed me correctly in the Galway Business Park in Dangan. I now want to get to Galway Cathedral. How do I do that with the current interface? If I tap the magnifying glass option then I get a Bing search page. If I enter "galway cathedral" then I get a list of Internet search results which is of zero use to me when I want map results.

As for updating location in realtime I've never seen it do that. In fact before I tapped the Find Me button my phone was still telling me I was in central Budapest (which was correct up to Monday afternoon) .

Tap the directions button next to the me button. The will pop open a little menu on the top of the map with a start location (defaults to your current location) and an end location.

This will work on all versions of Windows Phone.


EDIT: Ok I've figured out why it works for me and not for you, go into your settings, select region & language and change the Browser & search to English(United Kingdom) and then try your maps. You're probably best off setting them all to United Kingdom. You will have to restart your phone

pumbah

AntiVirus wrote: »

EDIT: Ok I've figured out why it works for me and not for you, go into your settings, select region & language and change the Browser & search to English(United Kingdom) and then try your maps. You're probably best off setting them all to United Kingdom. You will have to restart your phone

Thanks AV - was disappointed in Maps until I did this! Now all we need is Local Scout for Ireland!

AntiVirus

pumbah wrote: »

Thanks AV - was disappointed in Maps until I did this! Now all we need is Local Scout for Ireland!

Local Scout and Zune and I'll be happy

Malice

Apologies AntiVirus, I forgot altogether to reply to this thread. Your solution worked for me. It's not ideal and I can't understand why it's necessary but it'll do for the next time I'm on holiday .

evolutionqy7

Malice wrote: »

Apologies AntiVirus, I forgot altogether to reply to this thread. Your solution worked for me. It's not ideal and I can't understand why it's necessary but it'll do for the next time I'm on holiday .

Navigon Maps are out in the Marketplace. No need for data. Their offline maps. They have a hefty price tag of 60 quid for the whole europe though

KrisW

I wouldn't spend money on a Windows Phone 7 maps application until you hear what Nokia say next week.

If, as expected, they announce a Nokia Maps application with the same features of the Symbian/Harmattan one, that means WP7 will get free, offline navigation, worldwide, for the life of the device.

Malice

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

They have a hefty price tag of 60 quid for the whole europe though

With the price of roaming data charges that's almost a good deal!

evolutionqy7

Malice wrote: »

With the price of roaming data charges that's almost a good deal!

Thats a good point