ah man! I'd have to google shit again! :D Basically a few spots saying after testing it, it feels like a stripped down, older version of Google Maps. Just the fact that Google has such a huge head start on CONTENT that Apple doesn't quite match (for example instead of Google Places they use Yelp info)

My personal feeling is that it won't big a huge deal.. especially since I imagine you can just install the Google Maps app.

I've got iOS 6 running on an iPad at work. And I have to say that I've been really impressed with Maps. It all looks very clean, and works very well. You're right about the content though in one regard. Apple Maps lacks a Google Street View. Their 3D mapping is only available for much larger cities. The 3D mapping is absolutely incredible though. Literally exactly like Google Earth 3D.

http://imageshack.us/a/img703/8224/120726maps1.png

http://imageshack.us/a/img571/580/120726maps2.png

More info comparing them here: http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/...os_6_maps.html

But that said, the 3D only covers a handful of cities, and Google Street View gives Google the edge at this point in time. I think Apple Maps does the rest of the stuff, turn by turn and routing and traffic stuff, just as well or slightly better than Android's built in.

It looks really good in person. I could probably record a demo at work...

I wouldn't say EXACTLY.. I'd say right now Apple's 3D looks better but that won't last long.

And as you pointed out Google maps is years ahead in things like street view though. Hell, they have a street view of my favorite PUB now... not from the street... from INSIDE the pub. That is all sort of crazy awesome.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bull+...LqiGwgHP1YGABA

Combine that with all the walking, bus, train info and bike trails etc etc ... I just can't see how Apple could ever catch up without a MASSIVE investment that doesn't seem to make sense unless they are planning a major business model shift. Actually, now that I think about it.. that may be exactly what they are preparing for. No chance Apple could keep up with Google in this space...

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Technolo..._120627_wg.jpg

... without building out their own MAPS infrastructure.

Hmm. looks like we may be closer to this than I thought.

LMAO

Apple Announces New iPhone With N-Word On Back Knowing Customers Will Buy It Anyway

SAN FRANCISCO—With CEO Tim Cook stating that desperate customers would surely “line up like idiots” to purchase the offensive product anyway, Apple announced today the release of the company’s new iPhone 5, which features the word “****er” boldly embossed on its back. “Sure, the new iPhone has the word ‘****er’ printed right on it, but we all know you pathetic losers will still buy it in droves, because, hell, you’ll buy anything we put out,” Cook said in a press conference, describing the lightweight smartphone that will include a larger high-resolution display and have the racial slur printed in 36-point Helvetica font directly on its back, as well as on every accessory sold for the product. “Our technology ensures the word will brightly light up through whatever cover or sticker you may use in an attempt to obscure it, so don’t even try. You are all very stupid and sheeplike, and I will enjoy watching this play out.” Cook followed the iPhone 5 announcement with a brief preview of the company’s updated iPad, which will feature a loud, unchangeable ringtone of Roseanne Barr repeatedly yelling “pillowbitergot.”

Has the price drop happened in retail stores already for the 4S? I've decided I'm not going with the 5.

So are people angry with version 5 for the new charging systems?

Yeah it's 99 in the Apple store

I ordered the iPhone5 for my wife this morning from the Sprint website- supposedly, she'll get it around the 21st. That's what she wanted, and she's very excited. Personally, you couldn't pay me enough to succumb to Apple's elitist, arrogant culture and their hordes of like-minded fanboys.

Z (proud owner of the Galaxy Nexus)

I've got iOS 6 on the phone now and the maps definitely exceeded my expectations. It's smooth, quick and I think easier to read than the Google Maps interface. Similar to the jump in readability between Mapquest and Google Maps when it first came out.

Turn by turn navigation (which was well overdue) works well too.

Passbook instead of NFC kind of makes sense at this point. Someone made a point about this earlier talking about what's standing in its way. Apple seems to be staying on the sidelines of mobile payments while literally everyone else tries to develop their own standard. That goes for outfits that make card readers now, credit card companies themselves, Google and each cell phone carrier. That's right...carriers. At least one carrier thinks they can roll out a payment system that will be exclusive to their subscribers. Dumb.

Anyhow..just getting people in the habit of using phones for things like payments would be a pretty big step for the non-nerd population in and of itself. A lot of normals will be pretty freaked out about replacing their wallet with just their phone, regardless of whether it's reasonable or not. This might be a nice springboard for that.

I love the idea about NFC for other stuff like saving configuration states and all that, we just haven't seen any real world implementations on a wide scale.

One neat thing I liked about Passbook, was that it's location based. So using the theater chain they signed as an example, when a user is physically close to the theater, the theater ticket automatically shows up on the lock screen waiting for you to click it. Same with the airport. Get to the airport, and there's a little link waiting for you on your lockscreen to show you your ticket and info.

I don't think NFC is being used enough right now for them to feel much negative feedback from it. Although I really would have preferred NFC, it doesn't surprise me a bit that Apple would bet against it.

Well, except for PayPass... pretty much every 7 Eleven, CVS, Taco Cabana, McDonalds, almost every gas pump, Whole Foods, Whataburger, Jack in the Box, Petco, Diamond Shamrock, Valero, Chevron, Home Depot, Radio Shack, Braums, Abuelos, Foot Locker, American Eagle Outfitters, Macy's, Champs Sports, Brooks Brothers, Office Depot and my favorite... a GUN STORE down the road from my parents!

It's all over the place, you probably just don't notice it.

I mean, I guess. But it still is fairly useless. I can't link any of my cards. Google and the carriers are fighting each other so there's no standardization. So far NFC is useless to me. I'm guessing another year or two before we see anything approaching usefulness.

Well actually if you are on Sprint or Virgin Mobile it works great and you can link any card you want. It definitely is a problem with Verizon and ATT not playing ball yet. Of course there is a hack to get it working on Verizon and Verizon users are pushing hard for them to make it available, so you may see that change soon.

UPDATE: apparently there is a hack for ATT and Tmobile as well, BUT who uses those losers anyway? :D

UPDATE UPDATE: When I say ANY card, I mean any VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover(and JCB)... your Diner's Club card may be out of luck!

I thought even on Sprint that they only partnered with one credit card company, but I could be wrong. I just looked up the carriers alternative (the name of which I've already forgotten) and they have partnered with more, but no one I have an account with.

Too me, the high point of NFC isn't even payment. I have a wallet - it takes me seconds to take out a card and swipe it. What I want is public transport, airline tickets, game tickets, etc. That infrastructure will take a long time to build out, but I dream of the day that I can just use my phone everywhere around the world and not have to bother with buying different transit cards, tickets, blah, blah.

As of last month, Google now ties in any card you want without having to use a prepaid virtual card. Since they did, their usage has doubled.

They are already working on transit .. I think it is up and running in New Jersey. Yippee.

I don't know how long it will take to build out, but it's starting to pick up steam... and when it does, the ghetto-passport crap isn't going to cut it. Of course, Apple could easily add NFC next year and try to keep up.