Paper Maps in a GPS World

[DaBigE]

http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/article_694ee4af-b830-5b74-838e-a0aee43992c3.html

[bandit957]

Printed maps have their advantages. When you update your GPS, the old data is gone. If you have a printed map, you at least have a historical record.

[DaBigE]

Printed maps have their advantages. When you update your GPS, the old data is gone. If you have a printed map, you at least have a historical record.

And as the article says, paper maps don't short circuit when wet or suffer from low batteries.

[empirestate]

Printed maps are also far superior in showing detail over a wider area. Digital maps typically lose too much detail when zoomed to an overview scale; after all, they're constrained by the small size of the screens on which they're usually displayed.


iPhone

[iBallasticwolf2]

If you want to stop making paper maps I'll you can take my paper maps out of my cold, dead hands.

[The Nature Boy]

GPS maps though are good for navigating smaller areas. I can use Google maps to see the back roads of New England, but that level is detail is going to be hard to find on a paper map.

[iBallasticwolf2]

GPS maps though are good for navigating smaller areas. I can use Google maps to see the back roads of New England, but that level is detail is going to be hard to find on a paper map.

I agree. It is not really practical when you want to roadgeek around Pittsburgh but it is very practical when you need to find 745 Evergreen Terrace.

[The Nature Boy]

There's room for both, in my opinion. If I want to get from Portland, Maine to Burlington, Vermont then a map might be practical but if I'm trying to get from my house to the local Wal-Mart then a GPS would be great.

[ET21]

Always like having the backup hardcopy of a map

[Zeffy]

The only good thing about digital maps is that they are easier to read than traditional paper ones. I really have to squint sometimes to read the numbers on paper unless I hold it up to my face. But at the same time digital maps also require you to look at a computer screen which could be straining to your eyes.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Another advantage of paper maps over GPSs is that you can find scenic drives in a paper map but not in a GPS. Chris can confirm that.