A eulogy for Mapquest
Once the dominant mapping site, the decline of Mapquest is a story of disruptive competition and corporate complacency.
Topic: Geography
DuckDuckGo expands its maps UI with a few familiar features
Map re-querying, local autocomplete and a dedicated maps tab are now available.
DuckDuckGo launches Directions! feature with option to use multiple map apps
DuckDuckGo's new feature lets users choose from Apple, Bing, Here, OpenStreetMap or Google Maps to get directions.
Bing Maps Adds Traffic Cameras To Map
You can now see live traffic cameras directly on Bing Maps.
Mapquest Gets A New Look And Logo
Mapquest has introduced a new look and a new retro-chic, 1970s-style logo. The changes are part of a series of upgrades begun prior to the Verizon-AOL acquisition and are largely a result of a new Mapquest partnership with Mapbox. The promised and enhanced features include or will include: A faster, more responsive Mapquest.com for mobile […]
Bing Brings Search To The Forefront Of The New Bing Maps Preview
Bing has made several search specific improvements to the Bing Maps Preview, that is currently in beta.
Bing Adds New Tools, Enhanced Content To Mapping Upgrade
Earlier today Microsoft announced the next version of Bing Maps will offer many new features, enhanced content and multiple design enhancements. Users can see that version of the new Bing Maps in action today by opting in to Bing Maps Preview. There’s an emphasis on context, exploration and planning, rather than isolated lookups, which is currently the dominant […]
SearchCap: New SEO Periodic Table, Bill Tancer Interview & More
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: The Periodic Table Of SEO Success Factors: 2015 Edition Now Released Three new elements join the table: Vertical Search, Direct Answers & HTTPS. Mobile & Structured Data among factors that get […]
SearchCap: Google Map Maker Suspended, Uber & Nokia HERE & Mom’s Day
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: How To Acquire A New Location & Avoid Screwing Up The Local SEO Expanding your business by acquiring a new location? Columnist Andrew Shotland discusses how to preserve its existing search […]
Bing Maps Covers 3,000 Transit Agencies Across 30 Different Countries
Bing Maps shared their global footprint of transit directions available within the mapping software. They claim they add more and more weekly.
Amazon Fire Phone: Bing For Search, Nokia For Maps
The emerging consensus from the early “hands on” or “first look” reviews is that the Amazon Fire Phone has some novel and interesting features but that it doesn’t measure up, overall, to the iPhone or “true Android” devices. I’ve argued that Amazon missed the boat with its high-end pricing. Interestingly, there has been almost no […]
MapQuest Aims For Reboot With New Content, Partners, UI
A few years ago, while others were investing in their mapping platforms, AOL was coasting with MapQuest. AOL’s sustained neglect of the online mapping pioneer cost the site its leadership in digital maps. Now, the company hopes to claw its way back with new content and functionality in what was described to me as phase […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, March 6, 2014
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Yahoo Rolling Out Indoor Maps (via Nokia) Yahoo has started to integrate indoor maps into its newly upgraded mapping product. Even though Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer didn’t want to go head […]
Google Says (Some) Missing Features Will Be Added To New Google Maps
Google took its new Maps site out of beta this week, but many users noticed that some of their favorite features from Classic Maps were missing. Not to worry, Google says. It’s aware of that and plans to bring at least some of those missing over to the new Maps site in the near future. […]
New Google Maps Comes Out Of Preview Today
Roughly last May at Google’s “I/O” developer conference, the company introduced an updated version of its desktop Maps experience. Since that time, it has been in “preview,” allowing users to go back and forth between the “classic” and new versions. Today, it’s coming out of preview and soon will be the default PC Google Maps […]
New Google Maps Adds More Search Results To Info Window
The (relatively) new Google Maps is certainly visually richer than the old Maps UI. However it may be somewhat less functional. As one example, it eliminates one of my favorite and most-used features: “search nearby.” It’s now also somewhat harder to access multiple results on a category query, ironically. Yesterday, Google Operating System spotted a […]
The Return Of Pegman And Other New Google Maps Features
The new full-screen Google Maps were announced this summer at Google’s developer conference. However, the company is still rolling it out to users. Today on the Google LatLong blog, a number of new (or returning) features were introduced. Among them, the “Pegman” Street View icon is back. He/it appears in the lower right corner of […]
Surprise: Yahoo Maps Gets A Facelift, New Features
Shortly after she became Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer declared (disappointingly) that she wasn’t going to invest in Local. It turns out that what she meant was she wasn’t going to go head-to-head with Google in Maps. Her predecessor Carol Bartz had outsourced maps (to Nokia), and she wasn’t prepared to make a bunch of new […]
New Google Maps Now Open To All, No Invite Needed
Google has opened up the new version of Google Maps to anyone who wants to give it a try — no invite is needed. The company shared the news via Twitter this afternoon. First announced at the Google I/O conference in May, the new Google Maps was initially available only to a select group of […]
Bing Maps Adds New Bird’s Eye Imagery, Venue Maps & A Report A Problem Feature
Bing Maps announced a number of new additions today, including a more expansive collection of Bird’s Eye Imagery locations, new Venue Maps and a Report a Problem feature. According to Bing, the search engine has published 1,452,948 sq km of Bird’s Eye images from around the world with the largest collection posted today, offering users […]
Exploring The New More Dynamic, More Social Google Maps
At the Google Developer conference keynote this morning in San Francisco, one of the clear highlights was the introduction of a redesigned Google Maps experience for the PC and mobile. The New Google Maps are available now with an invitation. Already the leading digital and mobile mapping service, the various feature and UI improvements put […]
Trying To Get There From Here: Nokia And Mapquest Launch New Maps Products
Globally there are arguably four main digital mapping competitors: Google, Apple, Microsoft and Nokia. Google is the clear leader. However Nokia is making a renewed bid to challenge Google’s mapping supremacy with a rebranded platform “Here,” new APIs, a Google Street View-like offering, augmented reality and new apps for third party smartphone operating systems. Apple […]
Map Search On PCs “Eroding,” Shifting To Mobile — comScore
It all makes sense. According to comScore, map-based search on the PC has now peaked and is starting to erode. By contrast mobile usage of mapping applications is growing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Apple Maps’ problems notwithstanding, smartphone mapping apps offer a better overall experience than online maps. Because […]
As Google Maps Disappears In iOS 6, Google Remains Cagey About Releasing Its Own App
The latest version of Apple’s operating system for iPhones and iPads, iOS 6, is now out. As people upgrade, the Maps application previously powered by Google is now being replaced by Apple’s own homegrown one. Not everyone’s happy. Will Google release its own Google Maps app for iOS 6 users? The company, in its latest […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, May 25, 2012
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: iAcquire Banned From Google After Link Buying Allegations The search marketing agency, iAcquire, that was allegedly responsible for buying links for clients was just banned from Google’s search results. iAcquire was […]
Bing Maps Updates Map Pins, Adds Drag & Drop Routes & More
The Bing Maps Blog announced several enhancements to Bing Maps. In summary, the changes include: A refresh to the Pushpin buttons and Popup menu Transit symbols and icons were improved Added sharing options to transit directions Ability to now drag to modify your route The explore venue maps option is easier to find The most […]
Bing Maps Expands Sharing, Editing Options
Bing has added new options for editing and sharing inside of Bing Maps. The “Send” link on a Maps search result now has an option to send a business listing to a mobile phone via SMS. This is available to users in the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy. There’s also a “Share” […]
Powered By Nokia, The New Yahoo Maps Goes Live
Former Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz will be remembered mainly as a cost cutter who outsourced numerous functions to third parties. A partial list of those includes outsourcing Search to Microsoft, Shopping to PriceGrabber, Real Estate to Zillow and Maps to Nokia/Navteq. And now, the new Nokia-powered Yahoo Maps (NokiHoo) have just gone live in the […]
Mapquest Debuts New Local-Social Mapping Site “MQ Vibe”
People have been speculating about it for weeks and now it’s live: MapQuest Vibe. With the launch of the new neighborhood-discovery site MapQuest is striking out in a promising direction. It’s not a new social network, as some speculated, but it incorporates social input into a larger algorithmic-based framework that generates a score for nearly […]
Bing’s New Airport Maps Aim To Make Air Travel Easier
Finally, some good news for air travelers: Flying gets a little bit easier with Bing’s launch of detailed U.S. airport maps. Much like the previously announced shopping mall maps, Bing’s airport maps take searchers inside the airport to see things like gate locations, stores and restaurants on each concourse, restroom locations and more. Searchers will […]
Bing’s Streetside Now Appearing In The UK
In April of this year Microsoft announced that its visual mapping feature, Streetside, was making its way to Europe. The BBC reported at the time that cars mounted with the now familiar 360 degree cameras were driving around London collecting images. The fruit of that effort has now begun to appear. Microsoft previously said that […]
Bing Maps Tweaks Its Navigation
Bing has announced a set of much-needed tweaks to the Bing Maps user interface. Rather than scattering navigation options both above and below (not to mention off to the side of) the map itself, all menu options are now accessible in a nav bar that stretches across the screen above the map. It’s a much […]
Google Gathers Your Map Activity Under “My Places” Tab
While Google.com can store your search history, Google Maps is now storing and offering what you might call “map history” under a new tab called “My Places.” It’s a convenient way to access the different types of activity you might’ve had inside Google Maps:
Bing Maps Tweaks Streetside, But Silverlight Still Needed For Best Experience
Bing Maps has added what it’s calling a “significant enhancement” to its Streetside product, but the best version remains the one that’s only available with Microsoft’s Silverlight plugin installed. According to today’s announcement, the Streetside upgrades are both structural and functional. On the structural side, Bing has eliminated what it calls “bubbles” of street-level views […]
Google Maps Vs. Bing Maps: Summer Vacation Planning Showdown
Wouldn’t it be great if there was one mapping service that offers everything you need to plan a trip to somewhere you’ve never been? Sure, map sites are generally pretty similar. You can see maps, find business listings, get driving directions, see images and stuff like that. But it’s actually more complicated than that. At […]
Bing Maps’ “Game Changer”: Hi-Res Aerial Imagery Coming To Entire US and Western Europe
Hot on the heels of last week’s Read/Write World effort, Bing Maps has announced another ambitious project that will improve its imagery collection. It’s called the Global Ortho Project and the goal is to provide consistent, high resolution (30 cms) imagery across every square inch of the United States and Western Europe by June, 2012. […]
Mapquest Introduces Transit, Walking Directions
Mapquest has introduced public transit and walking directions. It has had walking directions on mobile for awhile. The transit directions are limited right now to rail (including subway) and in only a few cities: Rail Transit Directions are now available in six major metro areas (NYC, Chicago, D.C., San Fran, Boston and Philly) all of […]
Google Testing New Look For Map Views
It’s probably a safe bet that large numbers of people don’t use many of the enhanced features and content layers of Google Maps. I don’t have any empirical data to support this assertion but that’s my hunch. Google may now be experimenting with ways to make some of those features more prominent. Here’s an image […]
Bing Maps Overhauls Interface, Exposes Map Apps To All
Bing has announced a series of updates to the Bing Maps interface, including a very welcome move to make its collection of Map Apps easier to find. Map Apps is a growing collection of tools that expand the capabilities of Bing Maps; some — like the Taxi Fare Calculator and Parking Finder — are extremely […]
Bing Maps Adds Transit Directions
Bing has announced they have added transit directions in 11 cities. Transit directions can be used to determine the best way to get from point A to point B via bus, subway, or local rail. Bing released this feature for Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington […]