MapQuest Driving Directions and mileages

MapQuest driving directions are great, but compare MapQuest driving directions with Google's draggable driving direction. MapQuest isn't the only game in town.

Google Pack and Google Maps

Maps are pictures, so you can crop, sharpen and modify driving directions that you wish to print out or put on the web. Also, Google Pack gives you Google Earth which uses Google Maps to give you the driving directions. and get increased access speed to map sites.

Accessing maps in the search engines

• MapQuest driving directions can be supplemented with information from the search engines.

MapQuest driving directions are great. But search engines can give added value. Google automatically detects the country you are in and immediately throws up a map and provides hyperlinks for common journeys.

Don't forget Ask, MSN and Yahoo. These all provide great maps and geographic information. Every so often, check to see if they have added improvements. They are always competing with each other to improve their mapping features.

Site maps

MapQuest driving directions forms may be added to your website. They can customized to give driving directions in your area. They are useful for providing directions for customers driving to visit your firm. You can also create simple maps and generate mileage details.

Other map sites

MapQuest data may need to be supplemented. Get as many details you can for any journey into the unknown.

One problem with MapQuest is that it doesn't include landscape features. You should take advantage of landmarks by checking hotel, tourist and business sites. 

Check for maps and driving directions on sites that support your specialist interest. For example, Expedia provides free maps that integrate with its travel services. Trip Planner provides maps and directions pertinent to holiday makers.

Also, watch out for reviews in magazines like Computer World. They are often full of useful tips. Besides maps and driving direction, it can be useful to get actual pictures of the area you are travelling in. MapQuest isn't very good for this, try Google World or MSN for aerial photography. 

Yahoo has some unique features. It can shows a detailed map in conjunction a larger scale map. This is especially useful for gaining an overall understanding of a city. At the time of writing, Yahoo also has the fastest interface. But keep checking the different sites for speed improvements.

By shopping around, you might find directions specific to your area. Because MapQuest provides features that allow web masters to integrate maps into their own sites, you can often find MapQuest maps incorporated into pages for specific areas and industries.

Limitations

The biggest limitation with most map sites is ease of information access. You can't, usually, just run the mouse over the map to get immediate details. Clicking away from the map is often necessary to get detailed information. If you are a frequent user, such usability aspects are very important. You can waste a lot of time navigating a badly laid out website. Therefore, check various map sites to see how easy it is to access the information you need.