5 replies to this topic

[David Medeiros]

Given Avenza's recent announcement of an iOS application I thought this would be interesting. I think the market is slowly realizing that traditional GPS units are just too small and limited to be used as "maps". While the GPS unit has always been hailed as a paper map killer, I always knew users would eventually miss what was being lost. The iPad (and similar devices) go a long way to make up for much whats lost when giving up paper. The iPad may be the real paper map killer, and I'm ok with that... ruggedize it a bit and it's the perfect travel computer.

http://www.forbes.co...ology-ipad.html

[DaveB]

If Benchmark Maps is getting on board and making a California road atlas for iPad that's a good incentive to make me think about an iPad.

I wouldn't say it kills paper maps, though. There are plenty of advantages to paper maps (and books) that these electronic devices have yet to overcome. Such as:
Size (paper maps can be much larger, giving you the broadview, and can be folded down as needed)
Weight (paper maps are pretty light. Is the difference in weight much of an issue? I'm not a hiker, but it seems like almost any savings in weight can be good if you're out on a long hike. Or maybe I'm just a lightweight? )
No power source needed (do they have solar power for iPads? that could at least extend field life)
Along with the above, no proprietary/builtin batteries needed!
Waterproof (if printed on/with the right kinds of media/ink) (I suppose you could put your iPad in a waterproof case/bag)
Durable (if you drop a paper map it might get blown about by the wind, but if you can catch it it should still work. )
Mulitple maps open at the same time (not as overlays or insets, but whole maps side by side)

I'm sure there are plenty of other advantages to paper maps. Just as I'm sure there are other advantages to electronic maps. I see them as more complimentary (sp?) rather than competing. (radio didn't kill live performances; tv didn't kill radio, just to name a couple of examples. I don't think this is an automobile vs. horse and buggy situtation.) My opinion. Who knows?

[David Medeiros]

If Benchmark Maps is getting on board and making a California road atlas for iPad that's a good incentive to make me think about an iPad.

I wouldn't say it kills paper maps, though. There are plenty of advantages to paper maps (and books) that these electronic devices have yet to overcome. Such as:
Size (paper maps can be much larger, giving you the broadview, and can be folded down as needed)
Weight (paper maps are pretty light. Is the difference in weight much of an issue? I'm not a hiker, but it seems like almost any savings in weight can be good if you're out on a long hike. Or maybe I'm just a lightweight? )
No power source needed (do they have solar power for iPads? that could at least extend field life)
Along with the above, no proprietary/builtin batteries needed!
Waterproof (if printed on/with the right kinds of media/ink) (I suppose you could put your iPad in a waterproof case/bag)
Durable (if you drop a paper map it might get blown about by the wind, but if you can catch it it should still work. )
Mulitple maps open at the same time (not as overlays or insets, but whole maps side by side)

I'm sure there are plenty of other advantages to paper maps. Just as I'm sure there are other advantages to electronic maps. I see them as more complimentary (sp?) rather than competing. (radio didn't kill live performances; tv didn't kill radio, just to name a couple of examples. I don't think this is an automobile vs. horse and buggy situtation.) My opinion. Who knows?

Agreed, I'm a paper map devotee and can't actually see them becoming obsolete due to this... my comment is more to the general wisdom that GPS devices would "kill" paper maps and my belief that that was never a possibility. Paper map use has suffered from GPS adoption but only in that there were people using paper for map tasks that a GPS and online maps are clearly better at (a to b routing, on the fly way finding, mass storage of basic locational information). Their migration to digital maps reflects a stratification of map use with the most appropriate technology used for certain tasks (routing versus planning for instance).

In the case of iPad like devices you are now getting into technology that can actually compete with paper maps core strengths: display size, planning suitability, "affordances" (this refers to 2ndary uses of paper maps such as a notion surface and the ability to gather around a large map as a group for planning and dialogue).

Paper still has a much higher resolution or "data density" (thank you Mr.. Tufte) than digital displays and of course no power requirements. Display size is still an issue but much less so with the iPad. Unlike the adoption of GPS units for general mapping I'm looking froward to more mapping on iPad type displays.

[pfyfield]

I prefer the term "carbon based map form" to paper map.

[CHART]

The iPad (and similar devices) go a long way to make up for much whats lost when giving up paper. The iPad may be the real paper map killer

I often hike, camp in a nearby provincial park. Most park users use the park's official PAPER hiking map to get around. To be quite honest I have yet to see someone with a GPS device (or Ipad) within the park. Unless you want to track your hikes etc... I really don't see the use for them, and I personally like to keep my head up to enjoy my surroundings.

IPAD, GPS device = Hundred of dollars (not counting the time wasted fiddling at your computer). Obsolete in a few years, toxic waste(?)
PAPER map = a few dollars, and off you go. (100% recyclable)

I am sure that for automotive use it is a different story... but then again from a personal view point I like to plan with paper and to look at road when I am driving.

...have you seen the Bridgestonetire advertisement...
A malfunctioning GPS gives a couple the ride of their lives thanks to Bridgestone tires.

http://www.bridgesto..._TV_Commercials

[David Medeiros]

I am sure that for automotive use it is a different story... but then again from a personal view point I like to plan with paper and to look at road when I am driving.

yeah, I may have neglected to specify the use but I'm thinking in car mostly. I do a fair amount of back country travel and off pavement travel for which a device like the iPad would be ideally suited if it can be used to read any map as the background to it's GPS function. I'm not sure why anybody would try to use the iPad as a hiking GPS but I'm sure someone will.