Apr 29, 2020 The Memory-Map app can be used as a standalone GPS navigator, but it can also be used in conjunction with the Windows PC or Mac app (free download) for planning, printing and loading up maps, waypoints and routes to the phone/tablet. Memory-Map includes free access to 1:250,000 scale topographic maps and many other free maps around the world. Dec 05, 2019 Focusplan is a creative tool for folks who can use a hand on the Mac with mind mapping and brainstorming exercises. It’s available for free download from the Mac App Store, though unlocking it past the trial period requires a subscription fee. Focusplan is one of a burgeoning number of mindmapping tools available for the Mac. Jan 01, 2020 These are some of the best mapping apps we've found on the iPhone. Personally, I just use Apple Maps most of the time because I enjoy the turning indicators on my Apple Watch, but honestly, I question when Siri tells me to go straight past a light and make a.
Our iPhones have replaced a lot of old tech by combining several old gadgets into one convenient product that fits in our hands. But it's also replaced other analog objects, like the old-school map and navigation system. I mean, no one likes to stop and ask for directions to somewhere, or ask where something is, so let's just have our phones do it for us. These apps are great for finding the places you want and helping you get there without ending up lost in a ditch.
Sep 11, 2018 It features universally compatible visual tools that can be used across multiple mainstream platforms like Apple, Android, and Windows. This data mapping software is more geared toward industries that manage resources or civil projects. It is advertised as a tool for helping to calculate out on-site metrics, among other uses. For a mind mapping app that not only helps you organise your ideas but also makes it easier to take your project through to production, Ayoa is well worth a look. It's a cloud-based app that works on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, and combines mind mapping with project management tools. With mind mapping apps, you can collapse all of that concession stand doodling down into a single heading like Food & Drink. Visual but not visual Put down your Apple Pencil. IStudiez Pro Legend is a study app available through the Mac App Store, iTunes and is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices. This award-winning college student app has many features that will help them get organized, including overview screen, assignments organization, a planner, a sync for multiple platforms, grade tracking, notifications and integration with Google Calendar.
Apple Maps
Apple's built-in Maps app should be the default go-to for many, including myself. You're able to see recent places you've been, or you can search for a new address or point-of-interest. It also pulls in data from Yelp for businesses, so you can see reviews and photos if they're available. The multiple turn-by-turn direction options get you where you need to go, though be prepared for some weird U-turns and routes.
Google Maps
Apple used to use Google Maps for the built-in Maps app, but now you'll need to grab Google's standalone app separately. Google Maps features a robust search so you can find pretty much anything since the Google database is more up-to-date. Google Maps also integrates with their own Street View, so you can see where you're going before you get there. The turn-by-turn directions are clear, and you can customize it to avoid highways, toll roads, and bridges if needed.
Google Maps also lets users download portions of maps to be used offline. This is great for road trips where your cellular signal may be spotty or nonexistent. Just make sure you have enough storage on your device, as those maps can get pretty big.
Waze
Waze is one of the better ways to get around town if you live in a crowded metropolis. With Waze, you'll be able to search for points of interest with results coming from Google. When you find a spot you want to check out, select it and you'll get directions. The magical thing about Waze is that all traffic data is crowdsourced from other Waze users, so it's up-to-the-minute in terms of traffic reports, construction, police, and more. Waze is also great for helping you get where you need to be faster since it instantly reroutes you to avoid ugly traffic. To top it all off, Waze tells you where the cheap gas is so you can fill up and save some dough.
Where To?
When you want an all-in-one guide to everything around you and how to get there, then Where To? is an excellent app to have. Where To? is fast and intuitive. The wheel when you first launch the app lets you pick the category that you want to look for, and then you can choose from a huge list of subcategories. A comprehensive list of results show up in a few moments, or you can switch over to a map view to get better visuals.
As you find a place you like, tap it to get all the details from Google, such as photo, address, phone, reviews, and more. You can get directions to the place with just a tap, and Where To? provides support for dozens of map applications, or you can even Send to Car (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Porsche) directly.
Where To? also has their own in-app directions, but it's not turn-by-turn.
HERE WeGo
HERE WeGo is a great free option that covers both the US and international. You can search for points of interest directly in the app or just input an address. HERE WeGo tells you all possible options for getting there, including public transit, and how long each one will take. There's also an option to download maps to have offline, in case you aren't sure whether or not you'll have good cell coverage where you're going. With the turn-by-turn directions, you'll also get alternate routes if there's traffic, so you'll always get to your destination on time.
MapQuest
After all this time, MapQuest is still around, surprisingly. The MapQuest app is a good tool to have for several reasons, even though we have things like Google Maps. For one, the MapQuest app includes real-time traffic updates and even access to live traffic cams, so you'll always be in the know on what's going on with your morning commute. Real-time traffic updates help you find alternative routes if it's getting busy, and you can also mark favorite locations with custom icons. MapQuest even has a speed limit display, so there's no excuse for getting a speeding ticket.
Other useful things MapQuest can do include getting you on-demand roadside assistance, find great hotel deals and book them directly, and even view local weather.
Sygic
Sygic claims to be the 'world's most advanced navigation app,' and for good reason. Sygic has maps of all countries in the world from sources like TomTom and other providers, and they can all be downloaded for offline use (just have the space for it). Every map receives several updates per year, so you'll always have the most up-to-date and accurate maps available. The turn-by-turn directions are also incredibly precise, even telling you what lane to be in for upcoming turns, and you hear street names pronounced accurately so no mishaps occur.
Sygic has a database of over a million points of interest, so it's easy to find your next place to eat or sleep at. There are advanced safety features that make it easier and safer when you're driving in unfamiliar territories, such as Dynamic Lane Assistant to guide you into the correct lane. There's also a Head-Up Display (HUD) add-on that you can purchase, which projects the screen up onto your windshield, so night driving is safer.
There are a lot of reasons to use Sygic, and while it's free to download but additional features come at a cost, it's well worth the investment.
MAPS.ME
When you're on a budget but still want a great mapping app, then give MAPS.ME a download. The app includes every single map available for free, just with some ads that aren't too intrusive. You also get offline access, navigation, and completely up-to-date maps through OpenStreetMap. MAPS.ME comes with a packed database of points of interest to search through, and you can even see hiking trails and other things that other map apps don't include. The navigation options also include cycling, walking, public transportation, and taxi.
CoPilot GPS
CoPilot is used by 16 million drivers, emergency services personnel, and professional delivery fleets worldwide. The app is free to download, but you can purchase additional maps as needed. It has the capability of downloading all maps for offline access, provides driver friendly directions with clear driving views, easy to read instructions, and fluid, uncluttered maps. Your next road trip can also be done entirely with CoPilot, as drivers can include up to 100 stops on a single multi-stop route. And CoPilot tells you which lane you should be in for safe turns, eliminating those dangerous lane changes.
The free download includes limited navigation access. To get unlimited navigation, it's a one-time in-app purchase of $9.99. Other maps can be purchased at varying prices.
Find your next destination and get there safely
These are some of the best mapping apps we've found on the iPhone. Personally, I just use Apple Maps most of the time because I enjoy the turning indicators on my Apple Watch, but honestly, I question when Siri tells me to go straight past a light and make a U-turn later when turning left would have sufficed. Thankfully there are plenty of other options available on the App Store!
What are you using for maps on your iPhone? Let us know in the comments!
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power balanceNew EU regulations target App Store, empowering developers
The EU has introduced new regulations and measures to help protect developers and publishers who deal with storefronts like the App Store.
It's time for another chipset transition for the Mac, this time from Intel to ARM. The rumors continue to escalate around this potential future for the Mac line, and may see software and hardware announcements soon. An ARM Mac is inevitable, but the question is, when?
● Apple designed chipset
● New ARM friendly macOS
● Based on existing A-series processors
● Software already exists
● Control over entire stack
● Leave legacy software behind
● Transition likely smoothed by existing hardware
Software shifts and hardware transitions are nothing new to Apple, and we are about to see another huge shift in how they approach consumer technology. Until now, the Mac has relied on innovation and development from Intel to move forward, but with the ARM Mac, Apple will have total control.
Rumors have circulated for a few years now about the potential of an ARM-based Mac. With the introduction of the iPad Pro and continued year-over-year improvements to Apple’s A-series chipsets, an ARM Mac feels almost inevitable.
The past decade has been bumpy for Mac users. Apple has had its own host of issues with designs they introduced, like the butterfly keyboard and cylindrical Mac Pro, but much of what has been holding back the Mac falls on Intel.
Since 2015 Intel has seen marginal improvements in their chipset capabilities and relied upon increased clock speeds and more demands on cooling than actual processor gains. This left Apple with little room to move when it came to innovating on the Mac platform.
Apple even had to implement custom silicon in their Macs to run in tandem with the Intel processors, thus taking some of the load off of the Intel processes.
If Apple controlled the development of all the hardware and software in Mac, just as it has with the iPhone and iPad, then we would see much greater leaps in performance over time. This would allow more room for innovations in design and add in additional use cases and hardware.
Since the release of macOS Catalina, we have seen a slow trickle of Mac Catalyst apps. These are apps designed for iPad that have been formatted to work on Macs with macOS system architecture and Intel chipsets.
While Catalyst has yet to prove a great hit with developers, it lays the groundwork necessary for them to start programming iPad apps as if they were running in a macOS environment.
It is safe to assume that Mac Catalyst developed iPad apps will be easily transitioned, if not directly portable, to an ARM Mac. Catalyst also shows that Apple is capable and learning about making it easy to implement developer tools for transitions between platforms.
Do not be surprised if we see a “Mac Catalyst ARM edition” of some kind very soon.
Perhaps the most crucial development surrounding software for the ARM Mac is SwiftUI. This new language is universal and can easily be used for any Apple Platform during development.
In 2005, late Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the Mac would transition to Intel from PowerPC over a year starting in 2006. The entire Mac line transitioned to Intel processors in 2006, first ones in January, and the last in August. Mac OS X Snow Leopard launched in 2009 as Intel only.
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To move the entirety of the Mac platform for millions of users, minuscule by today's user base, to a new system architecture with minimal issues was an incredible feat. It is impossible to determine the speed at which Apple will move Mac to ARM, but for everyday users, the transition will likely be invisible.
Today's ARM chipsets can already handle most tasks an average user performs, and not having compatibility with Windows shouldn’t be an issue in a world where most data is in the cloud anyway. We do not know what kind of performance an Apple-designed “desktop-class” ARM chipset will produce, but it may be a few generations before the Mac Pro can kick Intel entirely. Lesser Macs meant for consumers and professionals who are not mapping star systems or making a Pixar movie will likely be just fine with ARM.
Apple tends to be obsessive about consistency across a platform. It is hard to imagine Apple having their entire product line from iPod to iMac running on ARM and having one single Mac on Intel. This would lead to software compatibility issues and development forks in professional-grade tools.
Even with the entire line shifting to ARM, leaving the Mac Pro as is during the transition will work fine. When you do see a Mac Pro with Apple ARM inside, expect macOS to deprecate Intel Macs soon after.
Unless you are a professional who needs to run Windows and macOS on the same machine, or have very specific software that won't update to the new ARM architecture for a few years, you won't even notice this is happening. The biggest change for more casual users will be the lockdown of compatible software.
All of the software a user downloads from the web assumes they are working on a Mac or PC running Intel. This means when you buy an ARM Mac, you will not be downloading any of that software, which might be frustrating for users. iPad and iPhone cannot download apps from the web, and the same could easily occur for the ARM Mac.
Since macOS has a bit more control over software installation, Apple will likely enable settings for users to install compatible applications from the web. It will be up to third-party developers to make their software compatible, however, and could mean a minimal third-party software for some time after launch.
If Apple is serious about an ARM transition, it will have to be behind developers all the way, and incentivize them to develop apps quickly.
If Apple restricts Mac software to the Mac App Store or makes it very hard to install from anywhere else, developers will need to offer their apps through official Apple channels. Otherwise, Apple could alienate popular developers and thus lose customers to Windows because of a lack of compatible software.
Another issue that is easily solved with licensing is Thunderbolt. Intel owns the rights to Thunderbolt and includes the necessary I/O for the ports in the Intel chipsets. Unless Apple comes up with its own version of Thunderbolt without violating patents, Apple will likely still be in business with Intel in some capacity.
Rumors point to the fall of 2020 for the first ARM Mac. The now-defunct 12-inch MacBook would make the perfect candidate for the first Mac with Apple ARM inside. Some speculate a return to the “iBook” branding for such a device since it would essentially be a MacBook running on iPad chipsets.
Reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests a spring 2021 launch is more likely, repeatedly. Whichever is true, WWDC 2020 is the last chance for Apple to talk directly to developers about such a transition before it occurs, if it occurs before next year's WWDC.
To complicate things even further, WWDC will be held remotely via the internet in 2020 amid coronavirus concerns, making the transition announcement somewhat cumbersome as no developers will be physically present.
A developer transition kit is needed, and software too, because the hardware cannot launch without any software. It is likely that an official announcement from Apple is not far off. One Twitter leaker suggests there is a 12-inch device in development at this moment, and another leaker has since followed up stating the 12-inch ARM MacBook could be the first such product.
Another rumor corroborated the existence of a device, suggesting an ARM Mac laptop of some kind would be seen sometime in 2021. This device would host a version of the upcoming A14 chipset that is slated for the 'iPhone 12.'
Just before WWDC, Kuo released another note stating there would be an ARM MacBook by the end of 2020, with a 24-inch ARM iMac to follow.