Driving Photography Shack Guide
Online Driving Directions
By Louis Myrandle
Web users in search of driving directions usually visit
one of the following sites: www.maps.google.com,
www.maps.yahoo.com,
www.mapquest.com
or www.maps.live.com.
A good way to gauge these sites is to try plotting out
a drive you are very familiar with, such as your commute
to work or to a friend’s house, and see what the sites
recommend.
Try out various functions, look at the satellite maps,
view the construction or traffic obstruction overlays,
look up gas prices at the corner gas station or search
for restaurants on your way. Soon you will see which
street maps you prefer.
The Best Mapping Solution On The Web
The Google Map site is considered the best mapping
solution available on the web, although it is barely
surpassing reigning king MapQuest. Advocates for Google
say the design functions make it easy for users to follow.
For example, you are immediately prompted with an "Address"
search box, and then you simply click the "Get
Directions" button to get driving instructions
from one location to another.
Right on the map, you then have the option to quickly
alternate between views of the street map, the traffic
map, the satellite map or, in some cases, a 360-degree
street view. Google cuts out wasteful turns and delivers
direct routes; not to mention the satellite maps are
the best, hands down. The "Street View" feature
still needs some work but those who use it say it is
a great way to choose a new neighborhood to live in
or get a handle on the traffic situation.
Bolder And More Colorful
MapQuest stands out in the driving community for sticking
to its original design, which is bolder and more colorful
than the Yahoo or Google Map homepages. Over the years,
they have managed to keep up with the competition by
making it easier to input directions and letting you
search nearby gas prices, hotels and restaurants.
The driving directions are generally reliable, although
the language is sometimes awkwardly phrased; enough
to get you lost from time to time. And critics argue
that MapQuest appears a little more cluttered with links
and ads than other mapping sites, although the simplicity
of looking at a large map without satellite, without
topographical information and without drag-and-drop
capability is actually a bit refreshing.
All In One Features With Personalization
It is interesting how similar the driving direction
sites have become, as one new feature almost instantaneously
appears on all the competing websites. In this day and
age, people desire more all-in-one features and more
personalization, which is what sites like Google and
Yahoo have tried to give people.
Most recently, Yahoo offered an API to let business
owners and web users post their own customized Yahoo
maps, but they are still lagging behind Google, whose
template has been used by thousands of people all around
the world. With 70% of the market share and a particularly
commanding lead in the world of search, Google is here
to stay, whereas the future of Yahoo is often tumultuous.
About the Author:
Louis Myrandle has written a number of articles on digital
photography including Background
Photos, Upload
Your Picture, Freelance
Opportunities, Stock
Photography, Wedding
Photography Tips, Wedding
Photography Package, Wedding
Photojournalism, Canon
EOS Digital,
Photography School,
Photographer Wedding, Professional
Wedding Photography, Digital
Wedding Photography.
Keep a lookout as more articles from this author on
this website in the near future.
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