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Change to Bing maps disappointing

Former Member over 14 years ago

Hello,

I'm disappointed in the switch to Bing maps. The "far" view in both map and ariel is much more distorted than the previous version with google maps. It also seems that the terrain view has disappeared. I assume this was done as a cost saving measure, but from a user perspective, it's a loss of functionality.

However, I still love my garmin as a training tool, and has been helpful in my quest for my first full marathon in early december.

Chris

0 Dr Phil over 14 years ago

Every time I see another post about the Bing Maps on GC I think, 'I'm not going to comment, I've got better things to do...'

However, for all you folks complaining about the maps on GC, why no complaints about the maps in Garmin Training Centre? They're far worse.

Garmin provide basic services for you to analyse your activity data post activity. They make no claim to be better or worse than any other service, free or otherwise out there.

It is your choice whether or not to use their limited services. To say it devalues the device is a bit of a stretch when there are a number of much better alternatives out there that offer a great deal more for post activity analysis.

My advice? Get over it and move on. If you don't like GC or GTC, move on to something else. :eek:

Time to go for a run now! :D

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

Bing Maps

Hello Garmin. I have two 405, one 705 and an older 305. I cross-country ski, bike and run in national parks that used to be in Google Maps but are no longer mapped in Bing. I would not have purchased the 705 and 405 had I known that I could not longer view my courses afterwards.

My friends at Garmin. This was a bad bad bad decision and I hope that you will fix it soon or give me the choice between Bing and Google. I am very disappointed.

You might have made $ with the transaction but client satisfaction has gone down.

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

I think bing is badtoo, but how exactly does garmin lose money if we don't use this free sight? they make their money selling gps devices, not web pages. that being the case, they have nothing to lose if bung is cheaper than google.
Tom

1. They lose money because current users feel screwed and thus don't buy Garmin devices in the future. I was going to purchase a 405 for my brother this Christmas but decided not to for this reason.

2. They lose money because of reduced/negative word-of-mouth. I used to enthusiastically show off GC to friends, family, and coworkers. Used to.

Or were you being sarcastic? :)

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

M$ pays big dollars for this to be incorporated. What incentive does Garmin have NOT to use Bing? Will they lose customers? I don't think there is a comparable product to the Edge series for cycling, not sure about the runners among us. I've started using "Ride with GPS" because it does everything Garmin Connect does. I still DL my ride data to GC for historical purposes, but that's it. Bing really is bad, I couldn't get any road or terrain details on my last mountain bike ride because Bing doesn't like Australians. :) Google does, and hopefully Garmin gives us a choice in the future.

0 CHENCHEEKONG over 14 years ago

Changed to Bing Map really disappointing!
Now I can even run on ocean!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61405568

0 CHENCHEEKONG over 14 years ago

Changed to Bing Map really disappointing!
Now I can even run on ocean!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61405568

0 Agiofws. over 14 years ago

Garmin has some nice products, infact i own a 310xt but i think it sucks at making the right company decisions to support its users ...

1) No linux support to UPLOAD my activities to garmin connect

2) Switching to UGLY Bing maps compared to Google maps is a total tradgedy ...

Thank you garmin for supporting us so well ....

0 xxmarba over 14 years ago

:mad: Bing maps = horrible and unusuable!!! :mad:

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

It's not as bad as it seems

Look folks. They could have waited until we all finished Christmas shopping before they made this change. For example, I had been planning to buy my sister and her husband a new 405CX, each. When Garmin switched to the inferior Bing maps for the connect portion of their product, I realized that the price/value relationship had suddenly shifted in favor of the Polar's GPS watch.

I am extremely grateful that Garmin made this switch before I purchased the pair of 405CX's. It gave me time to re-evaluate the alternatives, and to make a purchase that made my relatives very happy.

Until this switch, I had been touting the overall quality of Garmin's complete product solution. Afterwards, they got to enjoy me eating some crow, and signing on to the Polar bandwagon. A little embarrassing, but not devastating.

If Garmin had waited until after Christmas for this switch, I would have really been screwed. So we should all thank Garmin for making this switch in time for us to change our minds about buying Garmin products for Christmas presents.

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

You say you want Google Maps? I give you Google Maps.

Plus detailed topographic maps (USA and Canada).
Plus a powerful search feature (world-wide).
Plus present-day magnetic declination (world-wide).
Plus printing.
Plus future features spinning around in my head.
Plus I wanna hear what you want.

You can display your GPS data. Not just GPX files but also KML/KMZ/TPO and Google MyMaps.

100% free. No ads. No scam.

I'm a former Boeing programmer and the author of Gmap4. It's a hobby. I do it because I can. And because I enjoy helping people.

Still think it's a scam? You could always Google Gmap4 and see what others are saying.

To look at your GPS data with Gmap4 you need to put your file online. You can put it on Google Sites. It's free and truly easy. The Gmap4 Help file takes you by the hand and gently leads you through the process. Then to look at your data with Gmap4 all you need to do is enter this into your browser bar:
_www.mappingsupport.com/.../gmap4.php

Finally, earlier in this thread IAmJoJo posted a link to a thread I started on Gmap4 (thanks Jo). I just updated that thread with info on the updates to Gmap4. Here's the link again:
https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?p=48423

Enjoy,
Joseph