I am pretty over these videos of people whining about the amount of data big tech collects while refusing to move to alternatives because "muh convenience".
For those unaware, Organic Maps (uses OSM) is really good! It's good for 90% of all ur navigation needs. For the rest 10%, there's no good alternative to google maps unfortunately.
Let me suggest Magic Earth.
Has live traffic updates, uses OSM database, amazing UI with tons of features, can work offline by downloading maps, and very privacy respecting (feel free to look through their privacy policy it is very short and simple). Only downside is it is not FOSS, but I tried using Organic Maps and then OsmAND for almost the past year and gave up because they just are too much of a downgrade from Google Maps both in terms of UI and traffic updates, whereas Magic Earth feels like the perfect compromise.
Some further clarification on the closed source thing from their FAQ:
Why is Magic Earth free? What is the business model?
Magic Earth is free for all our end-users but we also have a paid Magic Earth SDK for business partners. For instance Selectric.de (a supplier for navigation solutions for ambulances and fire trucks), Smarter AI (developing ADAS systems) or Absolute Cycling (using the platform on bicycles). For more info on the SDK, you can check magiclane.com.
Will Magic Earth be Open Source?
No; since it is also used commercially (we have a paid Magic Earth SDK for business partners), we cannot make the code public.
Nothing competes with osmand for hiking or cycling.
Traffic updates aren't exactly a problem for me as I travel everywhere using my bicycle/public transit.
The only problem I face is that I can't get public transit information on OSM. Now ideally the city should be the one making this information accessible. Unfortunately for me, I currently live in a shitty city (although not for long). Therefore, within a matter of months, Organic would meet almost 100% of my navigation needs.
My issue with these is that my use case is public transport, for that it seems like GMaps is still unbeatable, i hope to find an alternative as good or better based on OSM soon because it's the one tool i still have no alternative to
Where are you from? Where I live (in the Netherlands) there's an official tool from the public transport services which works just as well as gmaps to plan your train/tram/metro/bus journey.
Same same. This is a problem in shithole cities. Good cities have their own transit apps (which are like Uber for public transit).
If you're American, some of them support transit now. I have Magic Earth and it supports it in most major metro areas (and even my dinky little city I believe lol)
I think 5 out of that 10% is supplemented by OsmAnd. But it does not have public transport schedules and traffic data.
Wow, organic maps is really nice, seems like a much cleaner user interface than OsmAnd, whereas OsmAnd has more options.
also a lot of open maps alternatives rely on YOUR contribution to be good instead of a hired team at some corpo.
use it and help out with it and you will have your open mapping app!
Well change can only be done through voicing disapproval first, although Google will most definitely won't stop the data gathering in Maps.
Well It's understandable if a lot of people wouldn't switch over to OSM-based apps. I've tried OSMAnd, and I observe 3 drawbacks. Lengthy public transport calculation (fair since it's computing on the phone), no reviews in POI areas (really hard to catch up on), weird results in transportations
Well change can only be done through voicing disapproval first
Yes, but if you as the consumer never actually stop giving the company your money and/or data then there is little incentive for them to change. Just complaining by itself does absolutely nothing to a company the size of Google. You need to actually follow it up by using your limited power as a consumer to support an alternative. Only then, and if enough people do the same, will the first company consider making changes. If they don't, at least you are supporting an alternative project and helping it to improve so that it may one day feel like less of compromise.
Most people (public and private) never go beyond disapproval, though.
You'll hear people complain about this and that, but never even looking for an alternative.
I always try to keep in mind there are a lot of people that are simply unable to transition to alternative apps because they lack knowledge and time to do research on such things. What we see through videos isn't the majority of the people, it is people that make content for the majority.
People have hard times getting into more technical stuff already. Expecting people that are struggling to survive in capitalism to spend their free time learning about underground alternatives or to turn into sys admins and host their own stuff is out of touch if reality in my opinion.
Edit: just wanted to add, I wouldn't say the problem is on the people, but on big tech that predates on them
Normal people: Gladly give google maps access to location data at all times and never think about it
Me: Instinctively worry that on the rare occasions I do use google maps it's somehow identifying me and keeping track of all the locations I look at, so I sometimes look at random places I'm not really interested in just to throw off the algorithms.
But most of the time I prefer osmand.
Me: can't install Google Maps because my phone doesn't have gapps. Awesome.
Oh yeah, I tend to forget that there's an app and it's not just a website.
You have been free for a while then i suppose.
Oh, yeah, I do use the website sometimes to convert an address to GPS coordinates and load that into OSMAnd
Osmand is really cool and it's really capable but I understand that it isn't for people who don't want to tinker a bit to make things work just right for them.
For that Organic Maps is what I recommend.
I daily drive osmand. Where do you need tinkering there?
The UI is definitely confusing for OSMand
Or have your phone location turned on and be super boring back and forth. When you deviate use a burner.
You: thinking they weren't already tracking you by a zillion other means including wifi/bt and cellular triangulation
Me: google-free wifi-only phone with all radios/mic/camera physically disconnected unless I need something specific
TL;DW?
EDIT: thank you guys for the summaries.
Google saw neat idea, built cool software, users happy. Replace cars to generate map data with phones for utmost accuracy. Trends of maximizing profit from cool technology makes users sad and services suck like other popular sites. Host begs Google not to make maps suck next.
Every free tech service can be (notionally) graded on how much value it offers for how much of your data it sucks up and monetizes. Most of the time we see an initial high value that gradually decreases as the developer gets greedy.
Google maps has managed to become Google "best" service, but it's important to be aware of the scale of problem we'll see if they start squeezing it for increasing profits, since it sucks up so much of our data and manages to be so useful.
That's the bulk of it, but there were other points being made about solving for edge cases that seem less central to the point.
I've been trying to use osmand but it doesnt have public transport capabilities or live updates which is just too much its missing out on to switch for 100% of tasks
It's fine to use it for 80% of tasks too and try to contribute to it becoming available for 100% of tasks.
Most people into Privacy, either stumbled upon the niche or work(ed) in some IT or related field. Have tried talking to the family, they are in denial or do not care. Or think that using WhatsApp is a wise choice and/or they are immune to ads. Somehow. It's like talking to a goat who has more desire for habit over sense.
I remember playing with Google Now, thinking it 'neat' and then within seconds realizing that in order for it to work optimally meant giving Google everything. It got me to root my phone and removed Goople Play Services and/or different ROMs. Today, I do not use Google for anything or use front-ends with a VPN or if ever really needed, Tor.
Organic maps or OSMAnd. Plus, I find these two better for cycling and hiking, over Gmaps. If you must use Gmaps briefly, then GMaps WV from F-Droid.
what's a good alternative if one's using GMaps mainly for travelling instead of navigation (i.e. looking up nearby restaurants and getting reviews, public transport, attractions and their opening hours, etc.)?
Organic maps is what I use. Keep in mind OSM is built by the community so in places with lower tech literacy it will incomplete
Used to know someone who looked for cars around a restaurant, or long lines waiting to get into a tiny cafe, asked wait staff for interesting places they liked to go; went into non-chain stores where locals shopped (off the main streets); asked walkers and service station workers for directions. Always had wild stories about what happened, if you could get past their private nature. Weird fucker, unpredictable, never could get used to'm. Likeable enough, though.
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.
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