First of, I like the idea of contributing to the “project” of creating a map based on GPS enabled devices, however, I find it a problem that I am in no way able to control the data usage (I’m using the Android client, but expect it to be the same on other clients).
It is my belief that users want to be able to control how much data is send/received, especially when operating on 3G, GPRS, etc., therefore I suggest the following two changes:
I would much prefer it, if I was able to disable the continuous checks with the server, for notifications, especially when you are living in a area which waze has just become available in, this feature seems unnecessary. I currently only want to watch the maps as and not updates about what is happening several hundred kilometres away from me, thus the added data usage seems unnecessary.
I would also like to record new tracks, without having to be forced to upload it straight away (like google mytracks), I can’t think of a reason why it should not be possible for me to wait to I get home to my WIFI network, before I upload.
I am aware that data usage can not be eliminated (without having the whole map at the client) and that is not what I am criticizing in this post. I am also aware that others have asked questions about whether it was possible to defer uploading, but nothing seems to have come from these posts, so I am posting this in the hope that waze would consider the ideas and change their client, and leading to at least me contributing more.
When just driving I make my iPhone use only Edge instead of 3G for battery life I have no car charger yet lol, but I do like the idea of being able to control some of the data sent, although traffic checks within around 100 Mile Radius “if your not routing somewhere” should be on and if you are routing somewhere it should just be in that area you are traveling + a mile wide or so incase it routed it wrong or you just wanted to go a little different then it says.
Although a setting in the menu that could read “Maximum, Medium, Minimum” Usage would be nice. Min being just where you are headed, and Maximum being everywhere. Although certain things should always be on, like checking how fast you are going to report to other users about traffic. I haven’t seen it use that much internet while I’ve used it, maybe 50kb over like 30 minutes or so, depending where I am going, and what I am doing ect…
No I didn’t use 3D maps. And I don’t really have much use of the maps at all in Denmark, as there are almost no roads on the map yet, so I don’t see why I have to pay to contribute to waze, when I could do it for free?
Well Robins trip to UK was mostly (or only) on already mapped roads as I got it, while Zpon is in denmark that is mostly uncharted!
I’m in the same situation in sweden since we’re few wazers here atm and I get the same feeling that it uses more bandwidth when sending in uncharted roads then when downloading the maps that is already live… if you get my point!
On tuesday I’ll make a 1000km trip through half of sweden… will be interesting to see how much traffic that will generate good thing telia has a limit to the cost of data transfer each day…
good thing telia has a limit to the cost of data transfer each day…