Comments on: Google Maps For Palm Treo Review (95%)

By: Simon Perry

Simon Perry — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:55:59 +0000

Having traffic data up to the minute is the only value in a service that aims to help you avoid congestion, isn’t it? How swish the apps is when it works is very much secondary.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:25:38 +0000

I agree – the application is fantastic, but the traffic data (for Cleveland, at least) is somewhat spotty – and is always consistently 10-15 minutes out of date. Traffic data will appear and disappear for sections of road, and I’ve frequently found myself sitting in traffic that Google says is “green”…only to watch it turn yellow or red 5 or 10 minutes later. I also agree that there seems to be no difference between yellow or red. Green means “moving well”, yellow or red mean either “slow” or “stop and go” interchangeably.

It would be far more useful with more accurate and complete traffic data.

By: Simon Perry

Simon Perry — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:06:44 +0000

Good comments Ron – glad to hear what it’s like using Google traffic maps in the Seattle area.

It would be interesting to hear how others have got on with it.

By: Ron Sonntag

Ron Sonntag — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:10:23 +0000

While Google traffic maps are a neat application–in theory–in practice, they still do not cut it. After using Google traffic maps on my Palm 700p in the Seattle area for 3 days, I’m looking for something else. The refresh rate is too low and the designation of yellow for 25-40 is, at best, an exaggeration. Try stop and go for BOTH yellow and red. A tool is only useful if it does the job–doesn’t matter how dressed up it is–if it doesn’t do the job, you won’t like the tool. If you are a road warrior, you live and die by current traffic conditions. My challenge to Google: Come up with a more accurate representation of traffic conditions, and up your refresh rate!