Nathan Drescher / Android Authority
Earlier this year, I started to become concerned about how much of my personal life was tied to the big tech companies, especially my Google account. And Google Maps was one of the biggest culprits. It had steadily changed from a clean and dependable navigation tool to a cluttered mess filled with ads. Worse, it sat at the heart of Google’s ecosystem and I knew I had to find a real alternative.
I wanted something different. I went looking for a navigation app that respected me as a user. It had to be simple, and didn’t require me to sign in with a Google account. That search led me to Here We Go, a map app from Europe that has a lot of what Google Maps offers but without all the drawbacks. So I gave it a test drive.
Which map app do you use? 115 votes Google Maps 54 % Waze 24 % Here We Go 12 % Other 10 %
My take on Here We Go’s performance
Nathan Drescher / Android Authority
I installed Here We Go from the Play Store on my RedMagic 10 Pro and connected it to Android Auto with no problems. Over the following weeks, I used it for everyday city driving here in Ottawa and on a camping trip in rural areas along Lake Huron, and I also compared it to Google Maps every step of the way.
I liked Here We Go’s user interface right away. It reminded me a little of Waze; everything was nicely laid out and intuitive to find. Using it was even more of a breeze. Turn-by-turn guidance was clear and easy to follow, with great instructions arriving at just the right time before a turn. The on-screen prompts were large enough to read at a glance, and it had more of an Apple Maps vibe thanks to its driver-friendly, uncluttered interface. Lane guidance was about as good as Google Maps. There’s one spot in the Saint Laurent area of Ottawa that no map can seem to tackle, so I wasn’t upset when Here We Go failed to get me in the right lane as well.
Overall, it was an enjoyable map to use when driving. It didn’t steer me wrong throughout Ottawa or my long six-hour drive to Lake Huron. That’s all I want from a map app.
Here We Go had everything I needed
... continue reading