MapQuest: Putting Google Maps on Notice
I don't know about you, but I think I stopped using MapQuest about 3 years ago. Ever since Google Maps became part of the ever expanding Google Empire, I hadn't really given MapQuest a second thought.
But it seems that AOL isn't ready to raise the proverbial white flag just yet. For the past couple of weeks, the internets have been all abuzz about the resurrection of MapQuest, or MapQuest, 2.0 if you will. After 14 years, AOL finally launched an updated version of its trademark navigation site; check it out here: http://new.mapquest.com/.
In order to appreciate the site's changes, you have to remember what the previous version looked like and how difficult it was to actually use. This time around, MapQuest users won't have to know the exact address of their destination, which is a vast improvement over the old search query model. Now you can get directions by inputting a well known landmark or the cross streets of an intersection. It doesn't even have to be that specific; this time around, you can search for stuff by typing in a few general keywords, like Chinese food in Los Angeles or Apartments in Chicago. These kinds of searches produce detailed information about the subject you're interested in, including names of businesses, addresses, phone numbers, company websites, links to street directions, and helpful reviews written by other users. If you don't have anything in particular on your mind, you can also access information by clicking on the apps in the upper right hand corner of the large map display. These will show you basically everything you could want to know about a city or geographic area, such as where to find movie theatres, bars, parking, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, hospitals, banks/ATM machines, and schools, to name a few. Talk about convenience!
The kinder, gentler MapQuest has other cool features that make the old site seem about as friendly as a pit bull on steroids. By clicking on any of the numbered icons on a map, you will see the detailed information about a location along with an actual image of the place. This probably reminds you of a certain competitor, but in this case, imitation is more about necessity than flattery. Once accurate photos started appearing along with street addresses, it became impossible for people to live without them. As someone with the navigation skills of a blindfolded dodo bird, I have no trouble admitting that these pics have saved my butt on numerous occasions (thanks MapQuest for looking out for us directionally challenged folks!). Clicking on the numbered icons also enables you to access an interactive tool that allows you to create, save, edit, and share your very own maps without being redirected to another site.
There are more awesome apps to explore in the upper left hand corner of the main map. You might remember the sluggish traffic feeder that gave you a semi-accurate feel for road conditions on the old site. You'd leave the house thinking you were safe, then run into a huge multi-car pileup MapQuest somehow forgot to mention because it hadn't been updated in the last two weeks. Well, those days are over, thankfully, because that ancient model has been replaced with an intricate feeder that updates itself every five minutes. Plus, the fresh 360 view puts the first version to shame as does the latest satellite map. It's way too early to tell whether AOL's MapQuest efforts will be able to conquer this facet of the Google Empire, but this is definitely a valiant effort.
This content was created by AI