Evaluation Example 1

If you’re looking for a bridge to nowhere, Apple’s new Maps app for iOS 6 might just be for
you. For the rest of us, the upgrade has been a huge headache. In an effort to untangle itself
from Google, Apple culled data from over a dozen sources to build its own maps application:
a beautiful program with spoken turn-by-turn directions, 3-D views and a classic Apple-style
elegant design. But David Pogue summarized the debacle best in his column for the New York
Times: “It’s as though you just got a $1,500 professional coffee maker and then poured moldy
beans into it.”

Beginning with a personal Maps horror story and a cheeky list of its most egregious errors,
Pogue instantly captures the reader’s interest. He runs through the frequent frustrations in
colorful language: satellite pictures consist of “stitched-together scenes from completely
different seasons, weather conditions and even years” and “photorealistic” 3-D models indicate
“the Brooklyn Bridge has melted into the river.” iPhone users who have suffered wild goose
chases at the hands of Maps can easily relate, while those who have yet to take advantage of
the upgrade are adequately warned to seek an alternative.

Pogue then transitions into answering questions on everyone’s mind: why did Apple go through
all the trouble of creating its own Maps application, how did the program go so horribly wrong,
and most importantly, when will it be fixed?! Readers will be delighted to know that his answers
are detailed and satisfying, reflecting conversations with Apple insiders who have worked on the
new Maps app and who are familiar with iPhone’s ongoing competition with Google’s Android.

As for the future usability of Apple Maps, Pogue confirms that making the application “reliable
and complete will take a very long time.” He provides a list of possible alternatives to using
the application, including bookmarking maps.google.com on the Home screen, downloading
the Waze or MapQuest apps, or waiting a few months to install Google’s maps application for
iPhone and iPad. Apparently, Apple CEO Tim Cook has a similar set of recommendations, but
you might want to check out reviews of alternate applications before you trust any of them.