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Google Releases Indoor Mapping Service in The UK

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Google has recently launched a new service in the UK that comes at just the right time. Google’s new indoor mapping service.

The Google indoor mapping service has already been available in certain locations in the US since last November. The new UK service will work on Android devices and will be able to provide users with the floor plans to a number of popular locations in the area, especially those that are seen as tourist spots. The floor plans of major department stores, airports and train stations will also be included. [Read more…]

Originally posted on July 6, 2012 @ 1:15 pm

FourSquare to Stop Using Google Maps

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Among location based social networks, Foursquare is arguably the most popular so a move like what it did at the Mobile World Congress will surely be noticed and talked about.

In the said event, Foursquare not only announced that it will start using predictive technology to offer suggestions to its Foursquare members but that it will also explore new corporate partnerships as it tries to strengthen its hold on the location market. One of these new partnerships was announced in the event. FourSquare announced that it will stop using Google Maps and will instead start using OpenStreetMaps. [Read more…]

Originally posted on March 1, 2012 @ 8:31 pm

Google To Pay Fine in France For Google Maps

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I remember a time when offering something for free would elicit gratitude and calls for the person to run for president. Google was probably thinking the same thing when it decided to offer a number of its services for free. But that’s not what the Company got for offering their highly useful Google Maps for free.

For the “crime” offering Google Maps to the public free of charge, Google is being asked to pay a fine. [Read more…]

Originally posted on February 6, 2012 @ 7:05 pm

Google Maps rolls out 3D Helicopter View

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Google Maps is one of the most useful products ever released by the tech guys at Google and it’s a sentiment shared by a lot of people who rely on this product for various navigation purposes. It’s a great thing that the guys who manage Maps are not resting on their laurels and are continuously developing this very wonderful service.

The newest addition to the Google Maps service is a 3D bird’s eye view of the map that shows the route that you want to navigate. This is a nifty new perspective, which is also called a 3D helicopter view, that makes navigation easier and more fun. To use this new feature all you need to do is to identify your starting point and your end point at the directions section. Google Maps will now calculate the proposed route. By clicking on the 3D button that is located next to the text that reads “driving directions”, the view will shift to the Google Earth view and you can now navigate the route given to you by Google Maps. [Read more…]

Originally posted on October 3, 2011 @ 2:20 pm

Google Maps 5.7 is now more useful with new features

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Google Maps is one of the most useful products in Google’s lineups, and one that has truly brought high quality electronic maps to the masses. Google Maps is so widely used – not just by individuals looking to find directions to a place they’re not familiar with but also by companies that provide added services like GPS navigation. Google has recently added new functionalities to the latest version of Google Maps that makes it more useful than ever.

Google Maps 5.7, which is now available at the Android Market, now incorporates turn-by-turn GPS transit navigation and this feature can be used in almost 400 cities worldwide, with more cities to be added soon. Another useful feature is the ability to download offline maps, which is going to be a killer feature for Android phone users who are concerned about how much data charges when accessing Google Maps.

The Transit navigation feature will use your phone’s GPS to find out your location as you traverse the routes that Google gets from local transit companies or from the government. Google Maps will then notify you have reached your destination by vibrating. The notification will kick in even if you’re doing something else with your phone.

The other new feature in Google Maps is the ability to download parts of the map and save it to your device. You just need to select an address and you can download 10 square miles of the map surrounding that location. You can download a whole city or region but you will have to do this in square batches of map data. This is a great feature for basic navigation that will save you money in data charges.
I love the new features. These are additions that make Google Maps more useful for consumers and are changes that are geared towards functionality and not on superficiality. Way to go Google.

Originally posted on September 5, 2011 @ 10:05 pm