This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Java Buzz by Elliotte Rusty Harold. Original Post: Google Maps Gets Better Feed Title: Mokka mit Schlag Feed URL: http://www.elharo.com/blog/feed/atom/? Feed Description: Ranting and Raving Latest Java Buzz Posts Latest Java Buzz Posts by Elliotte Rusty Harold Latest Posts From Mokka mit Schlag

For a while, I’ve thought that Google Maps’ driving directions are inferior to Yahoo’s and MapQuest’s, though Google Maps are superior in other respects. In particualr, Google tends to send me on strange, winding paths through local neighborhoods instead of taking slightly longer but more direct routes down major thoroughfares and highways. However recently that changed.

I was searching for directions to a friend’s pool party in New Jersey, and thinking that it really did not make sense to drive through Manhattan and the Lincoln Tunnel in the middle of the afternoon. Going over the Verrazano and Staten Island seemed to make a lot more sense. Then as I was randomly mousing around I noticed a little pop-up that said, “Drag to change route”.

I dragged it down to the Verrazano Bridge, and Boom! It calculated directions going over the Verrazano and through Staten Island! Google still thinks that route will take seven minutes longer, but they don’t know Manhattan traffic and I do. Both routes are severely underestimating the travel time, but one by a lot more than the other.

Overall this is very smooth. There’s no learning curve at all. They didn’t even have to tell me the feature was there. It just worked, and it was totally obvious how to use it. All software should be this easy to use.