You've never heard of Bing Maps, or OpenStreetMap?
Aside from the fact that before 2005 or so, people used to travel to all kinds of fascinating, exotic places around the world with maps made of... get this... paper.
I know I know, you can actually travel with a paper map. But I'm spoiled, as are most people these days I'm sure. So without a phone app is just too much of a decrease in life quality.
Sure. being able to do this online, for any place in the world, within seconds is a huge convenience... but ultimately just that -- a convenience.
Pointing out that people used to use an inferior tool to do the same thing less effectively is kind of a dumb response to someone mentioning how critical a tool is.
No real disagreement with the Bing/OSM recommendations tho
Either way -- even though online maps are definitely a boon, something about the idea that one "can't imagine" the world before 2005 (that is, before Google Maps) just doesn't quite add up.
When you use a map, you see the geography of the territory as a whole. You know if you go North or North-West, you know what is located near your itinerary and your destination, you know the different possibles ways, which ones are more direct or straight, which ones are longer but less steep and winding (and you know why: because of some geographical obstacle that you will later remember as a landmark as you walk/drive by it), you have a general idea how to recover if you take a wrong direction at some point or if for some reason you have to change your route.
These are quite many points for which the real map is superior.
And please: there is no "critical" tool there.
About 4 years ago, I gave up primarily using GPS guidance because I missed using my brain and I enjoy learning about new areas (georgraphy and topology) and routes. The added bonus of learning this stuff is that it makes the return trip or any future journeys even more enjoyable and totally effortless.
Getting lost can be a great opportunity to interact with local person. Aside from getting directions, it's a chance to make a new friend and potentially find out about interesting activities or sites to see in the local area.
Google maps (and similar products) can honestly be a clunky and frustrating experience for walking or cycling directions in big cities, the acuracy provided by GPS just isn't available if the signal is weak or moving through underground thoroughfares, it's terrible. When arriving in a new and exciting city, there is nothing worse than shutting it out by spending time staring at a phone. Studying an area before arriving solves this problem and interacting with locals often has major benefits. Plus you look like less of a vulnerable tourist.
Another thing worth mentioning is edge cases, road works, detours etc can really screw the un-prepared. While travelling in semi-remote areas, I've seen Google maps do some really strange stuff, instructing me to turn around and go somewhere else etc, In this situation, one rarely will have network coverage to help out. So being prepared is an advantage.
Sure, we're lucky to have the luxury of being able to pull up a map of pretty much anywhere on a tiny computer, but like most things, GPS guidance can be abused.
Let's not fotget to use our brains, those things are awesome!
Using the mail is not inferior. Quote the opposite. One thing I noticed with most people who use the internet is they have no idea of their environment.
When you use the mail, you get a better understanding of how information travels. You see stamps, feel the paper, get hand cramps when you write too much. You see which post office a letter came from.
These are quite many points for which the real mail is superior.
And please: there is no"critical" tool there.
I think we'll probably have a generation of drivers who will simply not know what to do and would probably get lost easily if their phone breaks/data-plan runs out.
With paper maps. They are pretty easy to use and don't run out of batteries, work offline. Problems: no zoom and you must know where you are. The upside is that after all those years of training I tend to know where I am and I can afford not to enable location services on my phone. I open Google Maps and zoom to my position.
Google Search works in a browser without being logged into Google. No app needed.
I'm actually a touch annoyed with some of the online maps for the lack of the right details. With a highway number and mile marker, I can pinpoint my position on a paper map. Can't do that with Google maps.
It's not perfect, but it provides a good base of functionality, and gets you to big tour destinations. It will also get you to most restaurants in a big city, but it doesn't have hours of operation or star ratings, so it's less useful in that regard.
I wish there were more alternatives to Google Maps though. You're absolutely right that it feels indispensable to most people these days...
It's a lot better, but still not good.
Today's travel consists of entering an address, getting your algorithm, following the steps, taking a celebratory photo. Then you simply head home.
I remember those glory days before Google maps. When I was a kid, and we had to drive to someone's house as a family, we'd pray that dad knew where we were going. If not, it was a minefield of stress and frustration as we'd try to fathom the vague instructions given to us by the host, and navigate around a city with poor signage.
We'd all arrive half an hour late, flustered, angry at each other, and in no mood to enjoy ourselves. Fuck those times.