Comments on: Navigation system uses crowdsourcing for route guidance http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: GlenBlank http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595738 GlenBlank Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595738 "Crowdsourcing"? Perfect for LA rush hour. Get everyone else to follow the crowd, so they won't be in my way. What an excellent idea. :-) “Crowdsourcing”?

Perfect for LA rush hour.

Get everyone else to follow the crowd, so they won’t be in my way.

What an excellent idea. :-)

]]> By: WalterBillington http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-596251 WalterBillington Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-596251 This is excellent - just how the iphone should be used. This is excellent – just how the iphone should be used.

]]> By: hectorinwa http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595758 hectorinwa Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595758 @13, that would make sense if there was anyone else on the road at the time I am. I have a reverse commute, so that shortcut would add about 10 minutes over about 2 miles. It does get snarled up opposite me, so maybe it's giving 8am directions when it needs to be giving 5pm directions. @13, that would make sense if there was anyone else on the road at the time I am. I have a reverse commute, so that shortcut would add about 10 minutes over about 2 miles.

It does get snarled up opposite me, so maybe it’s giving 8am directions when it needs to be giving 5pm directions.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-596274 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-596274 To the guy posting #11. I'd say that in case the academy training did not help, my advice to a top secret agent like yourself, would be not to activate waze when going on secret missions, bank robberies, auto thieving or whatever. It could help on the getaway, but still. Use it for more relaxed activities. And I'll give you another suggestion. Don't carry a cell phone at all during the jobs you are undertaking. It’s traceable by methods somewhat more accurate then waze (like the telephone companies). This message will destroy itself after being read. To the guy posting #11.
I’d say that in case the academy training did not help, my advice to a top secret agent like yourself, would be not to activate waze when going on secret missions, bank robberies, auto thieving or whatever. It could help on the getaway, but still. Use it for more relaxed activities.
And I’ll give you another suggestion. Don’t carry a cell phone at all during the jobs you are undertaking. It’s traceable by methods somewhat more accurate then waze (like the telephone companies).
This message will destroy itself after being read.

]]> By: airshowfan http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595804 airshowfan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595804 I'll have to leave that running on my iPhone next time I go flying. Best route from Lynnwood WA to Everett WA is to drive past Everett to Arlington, loop around the airport 10 times over rivers and through hills covered in trees, then drive back to Everett >:D I’ll have to leave that running on my iPhone next time I go flying. Best route from Lynnwood WA to Everett WA is to drive past Everett to Arlington, loop around the airport 10 times over rivers and through hills covered in trees, then drive back to Everett >:D

]]> By: vatavian http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-639592 vatavian Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-639592 I have been logging all my own travel for a while and thinking of doing this kind of thing with my tracks. As others have said, this is a cool bit of tech, but I would rather give my data to a more open effort that would share with OpenStreetMap.org. Replying to Anonymous #20: the terms and conditions of how OpenStreetMap data can be used are clear and are much more generous than any other map data available. I have been logging all my own travel for a while and thinking of doing this kind of thing with my tracks. As others have said, this is a cool bit of tech, but I would rather give my data to a more open effort that would share with OpenStreetMap.org.

Replying to Anonymous #20: the terms and conditions of how OpenStreetMap data can be used are clear and are much more generous than any other map data available.

]]> By: Steve Stair http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595822 Steve Stair Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595822 I've been using Waze for a few months now, and it has had an interesting effect on me. It keeps a running total (score) of all the different roads you've traveled on. It also tells you where you are in the standings against all other users. I started to drive down random side streets just to get my score up. I started looking forward to my vacation because of all the new roads I'd get to travel. It is a battery drainer, since it is constantly acquiring your GPS location. You really need to plug your phone into a car charger to run this app. I’ve been using Waze for a few months now, and it has had an interesting effect on me. It keeps a running total (score) of all the different roads you’ve traveled on. It also tells you where you are in the standings against all other users. I started to drive down random side streets just to get my score up. I started looking forward to my vacation because of all the new roads I’d get to travel.

It is a battery drainer, since it is constantly acquiring your GPS location. You really need to plug your phone into a car charger to run this app.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595574 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595574 So they're building a lovely crowdsourced datastore, and then keeping it locked away for themselves. And planning to sell it when it's complete enough. And refusing to let OpenStreetMap have any, or even use OpenStreetMap's data. Excellent! What heroes of the people they are! So they’re building a lovely crowdsourced datastore, and then keeping it locked away for themselves. And planning to sell it when it’s complete enough. And refusing to let OpenStreetMap have any, or even use OpenStreetMap’s data. Excellent! What heroes of the people they are!

]]> By: angusm http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595588 angusm Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595588 There's a great hack just waiting to be done here: get your friends to follow the same route over and over again, until that 'route' becomes the standard. For extra amusement, have everyone do it on bicycles and make sure that the route contains at least one segment that's impassable to cars. There’s a great hack just waiting to be done here: get your friends to follow the same route over and over again, until that ‘route’ becomes the standard.

For extra amusement, have everyone do it on bicycles and make sure that the route contains at least one segment that’s impassable to cars.

]]> By: krol http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595591 krol Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595591 Stuck in traffic jam, updating Waze... wait a minute, I am causing the traffic jam updating Waze ;) Stuck in traffic jam, updating Waze… wait a minute, I am causing the traffic jam updating Waze ;)

]]> By: krol http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595593 krol Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595593 Stuck in traffic jam, updating Waze... wait a minute, I am causing the traffic jam updating Waze ;) Stuck in traffic jam, updating Waze… wait a minute, I am causing the traffic jam updating Waze ;)

]]> By: jonathan_v http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595602 jonathan_v Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595602 check out the Bike version -- http://www.ridethecity.com/ check out the Bike version — http://www.ridethecity.com/

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595860 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595860 OpenStreetMap is a nice and impressive project, but useless for commercial purposes as its licensing makes it impossible to do business. For example, is traffic information generated by users based on OSM map to be provided for a fee or must it be provided for free ? Is the Hasbro Monopoly game valid usage of OSM if advertisement money is collected ? Or perhaps OSM has to receive its cut ? No one knows, so hardly anyone can use OSM for commercial purposes. OpenStreetMap is a nice and impressive project, but useless for commercial purposes as its licensing makes it impossible to do business.
For example, is traffic information generated by users based on OSM map to be provided for a fee or must it be provided for free ? Is the Hasbro Monopoly game valid usage of OSM if advertisement money is collected ? Or perhaps OSM has to receive its cut ? No one knows, so hardly anyone can use OSM for commercial purposes.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595605 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595605 Booo, doesn't support 1st Gen iPhone! Booo, doesn’t support 1st Gen iPhone!

]]> By: Joe http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595611 Joe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595611 The OpenStreetMap folks had better watch out for patent attacks from this company (no matter that OSM was doing crowdsource map-building first). The OpenStreetMap folks had better watch out for patent attacks from this company (no matter that OSM was doing crowdsource map-building first).

]]> By: hectorinwa http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595612 hectorinwa Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595612 Tried this on my G1. It seems pretty good so far, though the route it chose for me is clearly wrong (driving past on-ramps to drive the frontage road for 2 exits before getting on) but my main problem is the lousy G1 battery would barely last my 50 minute commute! I imagine that the routing will get smarter as more people sign up and the battery thing, well, that's solved with a car charger, I guess. They make it really simple to report things (accidents, po-po, etc...) and they turn off text input while you're driving to prevent causing more incidents. Tried this on my G1. It seems pretty good so far, though the route it chose for me is clearly wrong (driving past on-ramps to drive the frontage road for 2 exits before getting on) but my main problem is the lousy G1 battery would barely last my 50 minute commute!

I imagine that the routing will get smarter as more people sign up and the battery thing, well, that’s solved with a car charger, I guess.

They make it really simple to report things (accidents, po-po, etc…) and they turn off text input while you’re driving to prevent causing more incidents.

]]> By: pragmatist http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595613 pragmatist Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595613 Totally agree with #1. Why spend your time building Waze's dataset, which no one but them would profit from, when you can help build OpenStreetMap's maps, which anyone can use? Support the project that benefits everyone. http://www.openstreetmap.org/ FLOSS Weekly did a great interview with one of OSM's founders: http://twit.tv/floss81 And, there's an iPhone app: http://www.roadee.net/en/ Totally agree with #1. Why spend your time building Waze’s dataset, which no one but them would profit from, when you can help build OpenStreetMap’s maps, which anyone can use?

Support the project that benefits everyone.
http://www.openstreetmap.org/

FLOSS Weekly did a great interview with one of OSM’s founders:
http://twit.tv/floss81

And, there’s an iPhone app:
http://www.roadee.net/en/

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595614 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595614 @2 "For extra amusement, have everyone do it on bicycles and make sure that the route contains at least one segment that's impassable to cars." I'm planning on taking it out on the boat tonight - maybe I can get a couple of new "streets" added. @2 “For extra amusement, have everyone do it on bicycles and make sure that the route contains at least one segment that’s impassable to cars.”

I’m planning on taking it out on the boat tonight – maybe I can get a couple of new “streets” added.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595619 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595619 The data from this would be a goldmine for intelligence agencies. Given the Israeli origin and high-level financing, of Waze and the strong links to Israeli intelligence of such similar companies as Naurus (NSA telecom trunk filters and taps), Comverse (US call records) and Verint (electronic intercepts), I'd say that Waze is the most efficient possible way of keeping Mossad updated on one's movements. The data from this would be a goldmine for intelligence agencies.

Given the Israeli origin and high-level financing, of Waze and the strong links to Israeli intelligence of such similar companies as Naurus (NSA telecom trunk filters and taps), Comverse (US call records) and Verint (electronic intercepts), I’d say that Waze is the most efficient possible way of keeping Mossad updated on one’s movements.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595644 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595644 No way do I want other people knowing my shortcuts. No way do I want other people knowing my shortcuts.

]]> By: Jerril http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595658 Jerril Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595658 <blockquote>It seems pretty good so far, though the route it chose for me is clearly wrong (driving past on-ramps to drive the frontage road for 2 exits before getting on)</blockquote> I obviously have no idea where you are and what route you're taking, but that sounds like a commuter-beat-the-rushhour-traffic trick. Depending on what time of day the person who recorded that route normally drives in, and prevailing traffic conditions, that kind of little sneaky trick can shave 10 minutes off your trip time. I do something quite similar on my way in to work, which is why I recognize it. I skip the Montreal Road, Blair Road, and Aviation Parkway onramps and hop on at St. Laurent Blvd where the freeway traffic starts clearing up. If traffic is bad, I hang on until even the Vanier Pkway onramp - mostly because the freeway over the river is still faster than any of the other bridges in the region.

It seems pretty good so far, though the route it chose for me is clearly wrong (driving past on-ramps to drive the frontage road for 2 exits before getting on)

I obviously have no idea where you are and what route you’re taking, but that sounds like a commuter-beat-the-rushhour-traffic trick. Depending on what time of day the person who recorded that route normally drives in, and prevailing traffic conditions, that kind of little sneaky trick can shave 10 minutes off your trip time.

I do something quite similar on my way in to work, which is why I recognize it. I skip the Montreal Road, Blair Road, and Aviation Parkway onramps and hop on at St. Laurent Blvd where the freeway traffic starts clearing up. If traffic is bad, I hang on until even the Vanier Pkway onramp – mostly because the freeway over the river is still faster than any of the other bridges in the region.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595660 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595660 Great idea, poor execution. Cute but insanely buggy, crashed my iphone, couldn't find the GPS, finger navigation is still a long way from optimal. So I'm keeping my google maps for now, but happy to see this kind of thing. Great idea, poor execution. Cute but insanely buggy, crashed my iphone, couldn’t find the GPS, finger navigation is still a long way from optimal. So I’m keeping my google maps for now, but happy to see this kind of thing.

]]> By: das memsen http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-595661 das memsen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-595661 #1 said it all. Can we stop getting excited about every new little technological doo-dad we find? How about getting excited about walking and biking? #1 said it all. Can we stop getting excited about every new little technological doo-dad we find? How about getting excited about walking and biking?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-596178 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-596178 Even worse - they started out as an open mapping site (freemap.co.il), and then the founder realized he has a 'golden egg' in his hand, locked down the database, and screwed his whole community over. I wanted to do a predictive traffic algorithm on his datasets , not even an API like in google maps! and yeah, they are going to SELL the traffic data to websites like Yahoo etc. It already happens in Israel. nice business model! Even worse – they started out as an open mapping site (freemap.co.il), and then the founder realized he has a ‘golden egg’ in his hand, locked down the database, and screwed his whole community over. I wanted to do a predictive traffic algorithm on his datasets , not even an API like in google maps! and yeah, they are going to SELL the traffic data to websites like Yahoo etc. It already happens in Israel. nice business model!

]]> By: ScarlettJacob http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-667368 ScarlettJacob Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-667368 Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is the standard generic term for satellite navigation systems that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage. GNSS allows small electronic receivers to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude) to within a few metres using time signals transmitted along a line-of-sight by radio from satellites. <!-- a href="http://www.trustedreviews.com/car-tech/review/2009/11/09/Mio-Navman-M400-Sat-Nav/p1" Mio Navman M450D --> Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is the standard generic term for satellite navigation systems that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage. GNSS allows small electronic receivers to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude) to within a few metres using time signals transmitted along a line-of-sight by radio from satellites.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/09/23/navigation-system-us.html#comment-596220 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-596220 OpenStreetMap's license is CC-BY-SA. Simple as that. OpenStreetMap’s license is CC-BY-SA. Simple as that.

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