State-of-the-art analysis – Mobile application and web page – Google maps
Google maps developed by Google is a mapping
service that can be used as an application on a smartphone or as a web page. The
service is used by anyone needing a map to for an example locate an address or
use any of the extra features such as traffic information, street view or
Google Earth. The mobile application and the web service are both available all
around the world.
The web based application
The web based application offers the features regular map, Google Street view, pictures added by users, road descriptions for car, subway/train, walk, bicycle and flying, 2D/3D view and information about places such as museums, parks and subway stations. All the presented services are accessible through the web page.
The web based application offers the features regular map, Google Street view, pictures added by users, road descriptions for car, subway/train, walk, bicycle and flying, 2D/3D view and information about places such as museums, parks and subway stations. All the presented services are accessible through the web page.
The street view from the ferry terminal in
Slussen.
One thing that makes it easy to navigate around the map is the Google Street view. This service makes it possible to see pictures of different locations and look around 360 degrees. All the pictures are taken from a vehicle moving along the roads, which only makes it possible to view pictures from the roads and their soundings. Therefore, it can’t be used for the ferry between Slussen and Allmäna grand. It’s easy to see what parts are possible to view since Google marked all the viewable parts with blue color.
In the bottom
right corner (see picture below) there are some features that are hard to
notice. These features are Google Street view, Google Earth, 2D/3D view and
user added pictures. Google should make these parts a little clearer to make it
more user friendly.
One of
the views from the web page, showing information about Gröna lund
The mobile application
Compared to the web based service the mobile application has a different setup of features. The mobile has the regular map, a trip planner, traffic information, Google Earth, Satellite view and showing bicycle roads on the map. All the other features that the web service offers, must be downloaded as separate applications. The mobile application could be used with GPS to navigate, it also offers a voice controlled GPS navigation. It’s possible to get maps from over 220 countries around the word and detailed information about over 100 million places.
A first look of the mobile application gives a good impression with a simple design. For an experienced smartphone user, it’s easy to access all the available features in the application. One improvement that could be done is to integrate all the services that can be found on the web application into the mobile application, since they now are separated. Although, it might be a hard task to structure it in a user-friendly way.
Compared to the web based service the mobile application has a different setup of features. The mobile has the regular map, a trip planner, traffic information, Google Earth, Satellite view and showing bicycle roads on the map. All the other features that the web service offers, must be downloaded as separate applications. The mobile application could be used with GPS to navigate, it also offers a voice controlled GPS navigation. It’s possible to get maps from over 220 countries around the word and detailed information about over 100 million places.
A first look of the mobile application gives a good impression with a simple design. For an experienced smartphone user, it’s easy to access all the available features in the application. One improvement that could be done is to integrate all the services that can be found on the web application into the mobile application, since they now are separated. Although, it might be a hard task to structure it in a user-friendly way.
Google maps mobile application
Summary
Comparing both the web page and the mobile application there is an obvious difference. Parts of the mobile applications features are divided into separate applications while the web page has all the available features in one place. Since they both are well used applications, I get the feeling that Google are doing as much as they can to make it as user-friendly as possible. Google currently have around 7000 people working only to develop and improve the applications.
Comparing both the web page and the mobile application there is an obvious difference. Parts of the mobile applications features are divided into separate applications while the web page has all the available features in one place. Since they both are well used applications, I get the feeling that Google are doing as much as they can to make it as user-friendly as possible. Google currently have around 7000 people working only to develop and improve the applications.
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