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back to article OpenStreetMap declared ready for paid use after satnav app debut

Back in 2012, location-based social network Foursquare decided spatial data from the OpenStreetMap (OSM) project was better than the comparable data from Google. Now the crowdsourced mapping project can point to another success: its first inclusion in a commercial satellite navigation app. That app is Telenav's Scout for iOS, …

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  1. Thomas Wolf

    Better or cheaper?

    Did Foursquare use OSM because it's data was better than Google's - or because it was free for commercial use?

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    1. Michael Thibault
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      Re: Better or cheaper?

      @Thomas Wolf

      A good question. More research is needed. Of course.

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  2. Old Handle

    Google crowd-sources map data too, in a sense. I've personally submitted a correction, which was accepted. Come to think of it, it's slightly embarrassing that I've contributed to Google maps but not OSM.

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    1. MacroRodent
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      Crowdsourcing

      "Google crowd-sources map data too, in a sense. I've personally submitted a correction, ..."

      Ditto Nokia's "Here". Although I have yet to see my correction taken into consideration. It has become my test case for map updating: Many maps have (or used to have) a short alley marked at the end of the street where I live, but it does not actually exist (probably it was planned at some point, so it appears in some fashion in official city mapping data). I got it removed from "OpenStreetMap". "Google" shows it with dotted outline and name, apparently still thinking it might come into existence. "Here" shows it solidly, despite my fixing request.

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  3. herman

    OSM better than Garmin maps

    I have given up with Garmin maps and only use OSM now. OSM is certainly better in my neck of the dunes.

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    1. A Non e-mouse Silver badge
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      Re: OSM better than...

      OSM is better than Google too. I've just quickly compared Google Maps and Openstreetmap for the area where my office is. Google Maps has the roads and a couple of buildings highlighted, but it looks pretty sparse. OSM, on the other hand, is bursting at the seams with data.

      I also noticed that Google Maps has finally added on a bridge that I use to cross a river. The bridge has only been there for several hundred years. Nice of Google to keep up with modern developments...

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      1. MacroRodent
        Reply Icon

        Re: OSM better than...

        OpenStreetMap also seems to be developing pretty fast. Another of my test spots (Analipsi, Lasithi prefecture, Crete) was quite sparse in OSM a year or two ago. But this discussion inspired me visit it again and someone seems to have been quite busy there.

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    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: OSM better than Garmin maps

      Te latest bike GPS from Garmin (such as the Edge Touring) use OSM maps.

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  4. Aqua Marina

    "...its first inclusion in a commercial satellite navigation app."

    OSM has been used in Skobbler Sat Nav for years now.

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    OSMAnd is fine

    OSMAnd is an Android app that provides turn-by-turn navigation using OSM. It works offline, no network, and looks beautiful on a google nexus 7, very snappy navigation. I've given up using other "real" satnavs. Updates to the UK map appear every couple of weeks, just edit OSM.

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    1. Vic
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      Re: OSMAnd is fine

      OSMAnd is an Android app that provides turn-by-turn navigation using OSM. It works offline, no network

      NavFree does the same. I've been using it for years.

      Vic.

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    2. DropBear
      Reply Icon

      Re: OSMAnd is fine

      "OSMAnd is fine..."

      ...or, if you don't feel like either paying up or getting limited to 10 map updates total, you could also use the genuinely free-to-use-with-OSM-maps version of MapFactor Navigator, which is basically indistinguishable from any common satnav feature-wise, and can easily store offline most of Europe.

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  6. RonWheeler

    OK but

    I'm just back from hols in Spain and the number of times I got directed to turn down a one-way street using OSM data with Nav4Free was a bit scary. Good at the price though.

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    1. Vic
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      Re: OK but

      the number of times I got directed to turn down a one-way street using OSM data

      Have you submitted a bug report?

      Vic.

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      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: OK but

        I've had similar problems with Google Maps. Overall I've found TomTom to be the best... but not perfect and Google Maps to be one of the worst.... but not terrible.

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  7. Alan Denman

    for IOS....?

    ...

    Check all water seals and cross lake Placid.

    You have now arrived in Essex.

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  8. Ian Watkinson

    I guess the question is OSM better than the Waze maps, which are also crowd sourced, but show where people are driving as well as the satellite maps, plus since they are owned by google does that make them google open source maps....

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  9. rpjs

    According to OSM

    My house does not exist: OSM says there's a street crossing mine at this point. There is no such cross-street. I have flagged it but it's still there.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
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      Anonymous Coward

      Re: According to OSM

      Post a link with a good description of what needs to be changed and I'll look at other maps' aerial shots, confirm what you say, and change it for you if you like.

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  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Google still by far the best when you look St the full picture.

    As its got better transport info, I side maps, live traffic data and much more.

    OSM is better than apple maps for sure, but that's not hard, my nan with senile dementia is better than apple maps.

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  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Limited availability?

    I just ran into this weird set of geographic restrictions that seem to be part and parcel of the stuff busy destroying my "experience" with Apple products. The app is not globally available, which is IMHO seriously weird for a navigation services.

    Fail IMHO..

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  12. Craig 2

    We need this...

    Not necessarily to use, but just to prevent Google charging for all usage of Maps.

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