MapQuest Blog

As Mark said, today's launch of the MapQuest Beta is only the start of many exciting things to come from MapQuest. Let's take a look at some of the areas in more detail.

The Map

Probably the most significant change to the Beta is the addition of a map to the home, map, and directions form pages. The map provides immediate access to key local information.

The starting location of the map is based either on your personal settings or your current location. By default, it looks first for your home or work address in your MapQuest settings. However, if you choose to change the location using the link above the map (1), it will override all other defaults and we'll remember that location the next time you visit MapQuest.

You can easily print the mapped location, send the location to your cell phone or email, or generate a link to the mapped location with the buttons along the top (2). Enter a business name or category in the search nearby box (3), and we'll search for places near the location specified.



Just above the map, you'll find the current weather conditions for the area (4). Click on the weather link to pop open more weather information including a forecast and even weather cameras, where available. On the map itself, click the gas prices button (5) to pull the latest information from our gas prices site to show you the highest and lowest prices in the area. The traffic button (6) activates live traffic conditions in over 85 cities, and find relative speed or flow, incidents, and construction.

Local weather, traffic, and gas prices on the home page map are just a start. We will be introducing more local information in the future. What would you like to see on the map?

The Forms

We've also combined the forms for maps and directions on the home page. You can search for a business or enter an address to get a map in left half of the combined form. Getting directions is as easy as tabbing the keyboard or clicking the button to expose the form for the ending location.



Your saved and recent locations are still quickly accessible in the drop-down and you can access a quick list of airports and search categories by clicking on the magnifying glass icon in the search field.

Another key update to the forms is the introduction of the copy and paste address option. This alternative form style allows you to copy and paste addresses, even multi-line addresses, directly into the address box. You can easily switch between the new copy and paste forms and the classic forms by clicking the toggle link in the bottom left of the form box. Whichever form style you prefer, we will remember your preference throughout your visit and when you return.

The Logo

Did you notice our new logo? I'll let our senior designer talk about the refreshed brand in the next post.

Thanks to a lot of hard work from our team here at MapQuest, we'll be making updates and releasing more new features very soon. So try out our Beta and, as always, be sure to tell us what you think.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Chip Diffendaffer
Product Manager

Today's Beta launch is focused on the new MapQuest home, maps and directions form pages. One quick look at the new home page and you'll see we have retained your favorite features while revamping the page from top to bottom starting with a refreshed logo and a crisper look and feel.

New to the home page is a map. But, it's not just a map, it's a map that contains location-relevant content that you can toggle on and off like gas prices, local traffic and current weather. The map location is defaulted to your current location or personal settings.

We've also streamlined the address input forms based on popular demand from our users, adding the ability to copy and paste an address into one field.

There is so much more to tell you – but I'll let my MapQuest colleagues give you more details and highlights in Part II from Product Manager, Chip Diffendaffer and Part III from Senior Designer, Gavin Graham.

So please take some time to explore the new Beta pages and check back often as we'll be rolling out more exciting features soon! And of course, as always, give us your thoughts and feedback.

Happy Mapping!

Mark Law
VP of Product

MapQuest has partnered with Citysearch to bring users rich content about the places in their neighborhood. Reviews, menus, photos and more are now available for select listings. For example you're looking for restaurants in New York City you'll notice some new icons on the map. When you click on them you'll see the details of the business as well as photographs, reviews, menus, offers and a message from the business that highlights their products and services.

As well, when these specific listings appear within the search results on MapQuest they are highlighted with their name being blue underlined and they have a "more info" link to indicate to the user that we have additional information about the business that you can explore. Also, on the map are large information windows to contain this rich data and a profile page that appears when you click the business name of an advertiser. You can also print this information out and take it with you on new printer friendly pages for directions or just a map of the business.


We hope you enjoy the new comprehensive data that these specific listings offer to you. Look for more listings in the future!

With gas prices being top of everyone's mind, you'll be glad to know MapQuest just made finding cheap gas in your city easier. We've updated the Gas Prices home page to show prices at gas stations right near your current location. Even if you haven't set a default location with MapQuest, we'll try to determine a location near you and show the three lowest priced stations in your area.



For an even more local view, the Gas Prices home page will use your home or work location if you have set a default on MapQuest.com.

If you don't already have a home or work default assigned, just go to the MapQuest Settings page. Or, find it by clicking on the "Saved & Recent" area in the Maps form area and input your home or work default.

Go look for cheap gas now by visiting MapQuest Gas Prices or click on the Gas Prices icon in the MapQuest header.

MapQuest is pleased to announce the general release of OnStar eNav, an online destination planning service that allows OnStar subscribers to send locations to the Turn-by-Turn Navigation Service in their OnStar vehicle. In the weeks leading up to launch, we've had all kinds of folks taking eNav out for a 'test drive'. One of our Product guys, Marshall, sent us a note about his experience, and it sounded so good I decided to share it with the MapQuest Blog:

"Friday night at 6:30pm, I used the Send To OnStar server and added a Chili's Restaurant, a soccer field, and my home to my OnStar address book using the Send To OnStar anchors on the MQ pages.

I hopped in the car, connected to Virtual Advisor and asked for Chili's... the directions were downloaded quickly and the route was perfect! After a Coke (hahaha), I then asked for "Soccer" (which I had used as the label for Amos Herr Park) and again the system worked flawlessly, including using a shortcut that I know! Finally, the wife and I swapped cars and I showed her how to use the system... she asked for "Home" and, once again, the system performed perfectly!

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. Our car doesn't have a nav system - but it did come with OnStar and thru the radio and the eNav service, and it's almost as good as the $3000 Nav system option!"

Thanks for the great feedback, Marshall! To check out more details about OnStar eNav from MapQuest, check out the Send to OnStar page.

The popularity of finding cheap gas on MapQuest Gas Prices continues to grow with the never-ending price increases at the pump. About the only thing you like going up on gas prices is our accuracy! MapQuest updates thousands of gas prices every few hours. Due to the high volume of data flowing in from gas stations across the country, we occasionally have a handful of pricing irregularities slip through our data provider's filter. However, we work very closely with our data providers to try to ensure that MapQuest visitors get current and accurate data. In fact, we update our data seven times a day. Not every station updates their price that frequently so we expire gas prices after 48 hours so that consumers have current information when shopping around for fuel.

We saw in the news the other day that a station in Carlisle, Pennsylvania had a price that was 60 cents lower than normal. Instead of the normal $3.559, the price was reported as $2.959. I'm sure more than a few MapQuest visitors saw that price and thought, "Wow! I am going to go fill up the tank." Was there a sale? Was there a radio or television promotion going on? No, unfortunately a processing error occurred and an errant price slipped through the filter and was displayed on the web.

As some consumers found out after they visited or called the station, the price was not actually 60 cents cheaper. We investigated the pricing issue with our data provider and found out that two transactions that streamed in on April 23rd for this station were misreported. Fortunately, the price corrected itself when the system updated, but for those who saw the lower price it was too late.

So what's next? Our data provider ensures us that they will be updating their filter in the next couple of weeks which will greatly reduce the risk of any erroneous prices being reported. We also need your help. If you see an incorrect gas price on our page, visit our help page and send us a note. Also if there's something on the site that you like or dislike, let us know. We appreciate all the feedback MapQuest Gas Price visitors have given us so far.

We gave you a teaser about a week ago, and now for the millions of Garmin Personal Navigation Device users out there, you can plan on MapQuest and send trip planning results directly to your Garmin GPS unit. The service went live April 10 and it adds to the great 'Send To' features including Send to Cell, Send to Email and soon to come: Send to OnStar.

Remember you just choose the Send to GPS feature in the 'Send' pull down in the upper left of your maps or directions page.



You'll be able to send your route or trip planning results to one of many compatible Garmin devices.



To see if you have a compatible Garmin device and to download the Garmin Communicator plug-in, check out all the details on our Send Maps and Directions to GPS feature page.

Try out this new handy feature!

Have you ever been heading across town, and wish you had access to those traffic helicopters to see where the jams are? Now you can check the hotspots with a quick glance to your cell phone. MapQuest for Mobile Web, one of the most popular mobile internet sites,¹ now has Traffic Reports to go along with a new look and feel. We've also simplified the address and search fields to make it easier to enter your quest. And for those of you that take the 'greener' path, our Find Gas Prices feature now has a full slate of Alternative fuels including E-85, Natural Gas and Biodiesel.

MapQuest for Mobile Web



Traffic


Gas Prices


Best of all - even with all these helpful, comprehensive features; MapQuest for Mobile Web is still a free service.² To check it out on your device, you can either type in www.mapquest.com on your mobile web browser, or you can plan on MapQuest.com from your home computer and click on "Send to Cell" within any of your search results.³

1. m:metrics December 2007

2. MapQuest provides the MapQuest for Mobile Web service free of charge; however, your wireless phone carrier may charge data fees to access the mobile web.

3. MapQuest provides the Send to Cell service free of charge; however, your wireless phone carrier may charge data fees to access the mobile web or for text messages. Some carriers block access to URL links within text messages; if you cannot click the link or you do not receive the text message, please check with your carrier.
m:metrics December 2007

If you're a gadget geek like me, you probably love Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs, for those in the business). Having a GPS in your car is like having your buddy that knows where everything is, and can tell you which exit to take in order to get around the evening rush hour. But searching for an address on a 4 inch screen as you're cooking down the interstate at 60 mph isn't exactly "safe". So, we made it easy for you to plan on MapQuest.com, from the comfort of your home computer.



Introducing our new "Send to GPS" web feature: coming in April, we'll be adding a simple drop-down link to our search results pages that allow you to download destinations or itineraries to your Garmin GPS device, and take them with you on the road. We've teamed up with Garmin Ltd., one of the best-known brands in navigation, to sync up the 16 million points of interests on MapQuest.com to dozens of their most popular devices.

Even though you've traded your printer for a GPS gadget to help you find places, you can still rely on MapQuest to make your travels safer and more convenient. To check compatible Garmin devices and to download the Garmin Communicator plug-in, check out all the details on our Send to GPS feature page.

Happy travels.

If you're like most MapQuest users, you don't just come to MapQuest once or twice a month - you get maps and directions on an ongoing basis. With our new MapQuest Toolbar you can have easy access to the most useful MapQuest features right on your browser at all times.



The Toolbar has one-click quick links to Maps, Directions and a Web search capability. But perhaps one of the most convenient features is the quick link to our new Real Time Traffic feature.




Just choose one of more than 80 cities across the US and you'll quickly click to real time traffic in your area at any time. Check it before you leave for work or before an important appointment. You'll now be able to see congestion before you hop on a highway and choose an alternative route.

You probably already have one or maybe more toolbars on your browser but do you use all the features they bring? Use a Toolbar where you know you'll get the most use out of the handy features it provides right at your fingertips.

Try out the Toolbar now!

We're pleased to announce the launch of our new Current Traffic feature. Now when you bring up a map or generate driving directions, with one click you can easily visualize traffic conditions in most major US metros. This is a great way to quickly check traffic as you begin your commute home from the office, or before heading out to the airport, concert, ballpark, or mall. Keep in mind that once you've started your trip, MapQuest Traffic is a real-time feature (updated every five minutes) and things can change quickly once you're on the road.

How to use Traffic:

Traffic view of Miami, FL


There are two main parts to the feature:

1. Relative speed or Flow: This is the green/yellow/red highlights over major roads which indicate congestion levels. Think of the colors like this:
   
   Green = Smooth sailing
   Yellow = Congestion building - be extra cautious and look out for slowing traffic
   Red = Backed up! Plan to be patient, try a detour, or wait for things to improve
   
   
   
2. Incidents and Construction: Pretty simple – just click on the icons to get more info, or toggle the display on/off using the boxes in the Current Traffic legend.
   
   Incidents: Accidents and other events which might impact normal traffic flow
   Construction: That stuff that keeps you from getting to your favorite vacation spot on time every summer!
   

Traffic view with Incident Info open:


MapQuest Traffic provides exceptional coverage in over 100 metro areas. So, try it out for your own daily driving needs and let us know what you think. To find out more about MapQuest Traffic and other cool new features, check out Exploring MapQuest!

Our new interface lets you easily plan and reorder trips with up to 10 stops. Here's a quick glance on how to use the multi-point routing features:

First off, generate a route by entering two locations in the directions form, then click "Get Directions".

Select "Add Another Stop to Your Route" in the section below your written directions right above your map. Type in the business name and/or location in the two boxes in the tan section. You can use this tool to add locations for up to 10 stops to your route.

Your route map and directions will show each segment with stops designated by letters A, B, C, etc.

You can collapse or expand the text view each segment in your written directions by clicking on the arrow beside the start of each segment label.

To edit locations or remove points along your route, click the "Edit" and "Remove" buttons located to the right of each stop in your text directions.

You can also use the "Move up" and "Move Down" tools to reorder your stops in your route.

In the next post, we'll describe improvements to our printer friendly pages and how you can customize what you print to take on the road!

When we launched MapQuest Gas Prices last year we were thrilled to see how popular it was with our users. People love being able to not only find gas stations in their area, but also find the cheapest prices – a pretty useful feature these days. Since then, we've gotten a lot of feedback that we've used to make some great improvements to the site.

Here's a list of a few of the new features:

Gas Price Calculator – Just enter your Trip Distance, your car's Miles per Gallon and the Cost per Gallon of the gas station you picked from the site. Hit calculate and you'll quickly get the approximate cost of your trip.

Alternative Fuels – Now you can easily find a station nearby that has the type of alternative fuel your car needs. Even if you don't have a car that runs on alternative fuel, you might be curious to see where you could find it.

Expiration on Gas Prices – We update our gas & diesel prices up to 7 times a day, but not every station sends in updates everyday. Any price older than 48 hours no longer shows up in your search results.

If you're an existing user, you'll notice the changes and we hope you are happy with them. If you are new to MapQuest Gas Prices, go to the site at http://gasprices.mapquest.com and check out the prices in your area!

If you'd like to find out more, go to the Gas Prices About page.

I'm happy to announce that the MapQuest Wireless team launched the latest version of MapQuest Navigator 5.0, an application that provides voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation right on your mobile phone. There are some handy new features such as 3D views, a gas price finder and traffic alerts. And, we've included AOL's CityGuide info to give you listings of the best restaurants, bars and live music venues- basically all the locals' favorites.

The other day I was meeting a friend for dinner in Denver and we searched for City's Best 'Burgers' through Navigator's CityGuide search screen. We landed at a joint called "The Cherry Cricket". My kind of place - a bar menu with humongous burgers. When I was on my way to the airport the next day, Navigator popped up an alert that steered me around a jam on I-70 - which was key since I was running late yet again...

Anyone who's been in an electronics store lately has seen that standalone GPS units can cost hundreds of dollars, and putting one in the dash of your car costs a boatload. Why buy another gadget when your BlackBerry® or other GPS smartphone can get you the same results? Personally, I'd rather carry one do-it-all device in my pocket. With MapQuest Navigator I can get my monthly service for less than the cost of my jamocha double half-whip every morning.

So here's the kicker - we want folks to check out Navigator 5.0, and we wanted to give a great incentive to try it out - we made it cheap! Right now, MapQuest Navigator 5.0 is only $4.99 per month- which is about half of the ten bucks a month your carrier might charge you for similar services. Anyone that signs up before the end of the year can get the great price, and there's no obligation for a long contract - it's a month to month service.

Check out more details here, and let us know what you think. We're very interested in what you think.

Cheers- and happy travelin' over Turkey Day!

On the heels of our launch of MapQuest Beta, we're following it up with some exciting enhancements to MapQuest for Mobile Web, a.k.a. our 'WAP' site. If you haven't tried MapQuest on your web-enabled cell phone, I'll give you an overview and then introduce the new enhancements to our service.

Almost all mobile phones sold in the last few years can give you access to the mobile web, so it's not like you have to have the latest gadget! Just go to www.mapquest.com on your phone's mobile web browser and you'll be able to find places, get maps and directions - 'right-sized' for your mobile phone. Millions of people are already using MapQuest for Mobile Web every month, and we're helping them get where they need to go, while they're on the go.

Here are the basics. In "Find a Place" you can search 16 million Points of Interest and find restaurants, hotels, parks, and more; just by putting in a name, zip, intersection or city. On most carriers you'll also enjoy our Click to Call feature; where you can simply click the phone number within the searched location and immediately call the business. Use Map a Location to get maps of the US and Canada that you can pan and zoom. And, in "Get Directions" you'll find reliable turn by turn directions just like online - only right on your phone. You can also choose advanced route options to avoid highways or toll roads.



And now we're introducing additional valuable features to our mobile-web service.

Gas Prices
OK, we're all shocked at the price of gas these days, but perhaps MapQuest can help ease your pain a bit. Now you can find the lowest priced gas on MapQuest for Mobile Web. Simply click on the 'Find Gas Prices', and you can find local stations by price, distance or the station name. So, whether you're running on "E", or just looking to save a buck, MapQuest Gas Prices can help you out.


Multi-point directions
Making more than one stop along your way?We've upgraded our 'Get Directions' link, to make multiple stops on a trip or while running errands. You can now add up to six locations to your route and get turn-by-turn directions from point A to B to C, etc, displayed right on your phone's screen.



Walking Directions
Taking on the city on foot? MapQuest for Mobile Web now has a Walking Directions option that displays the most direct route for pedestrians. Our walking routes ignore one-way streets and provide you with the shortest distance available.


So there you have it, enhanced features to make your on the go experience even better. Type in www.mapquest.com into your mobile browser and you're on your way.

Note: Check with your carrier about mobile web access – sometimes it's included with your service, but they may charge a small additional fee for web browsing or it may count toward your minutes.