Tag: Google Maps

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Mobile Syrup

A location timeline might be coming directly to Android settings app

Google Maps has a nifty option that lets you track your location history data. An opt-in feature, it lets you see a timeline of where you have been while on your commutes.

A potential update from Google might allow users to view a similar location timeline directly from the settings app on Android.

The possible change was discovered by Twitter user Nail Sadykov, who is also the editor of the Google News Telegram Channel. Sadykov was able to turn on hidden flags within Google Play Services to view the new setting.

Currently, the timeline feature can only be found within the Google Maps app. It’s fairly easy to navigate to, but having the information made available in settings would help with discoverability.

It remains unclear whether a location timeline in settings would be separated from the existing one in Google Maps.

Source: Twitter Via Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Google unveils its AI chatbot Bard and feature updates at Paris event

Following in Microsoft’s footsteps, Mountain View, California-based Google today, at its Live from Paris event, announced AI-focused updates to Search, Maps and Translate, via The Verge.

Just two days ago, on Monday, February 6th, Google announced that its ChatGPT competitor ‘Bard’ will be available to the public in the “coming weeks,” with Google CEO Sundar Pichai describing it as an “experimental conversational AI service” powered by LaMDA. The chatbot made an appearance at the event, where Prabhakar Raghavan, senior vice president at Google, said that users would be able to interact with Bard to explore complex topics, collaborate in real-time and get new and creative ideas.

Google then explained how some questions have No One Right Answer, or ‘NORA.’ This is applicable to questions like “what is the best constellation to look at when stargazing.” The answer to such questions is subjective, and hence, it has NORA. To help answer such queries, Google is introducing generative AI directly into Search results.

Soon, if you ask Google Search questions that have NORA, the new generative AI features would organize complex information and multiple viewpoints and opinions, and combine them in your search results.

Here are some of the other new announcements made across Google’s platforms, with some features releasing in the near future, and others in the coming weeks and months:

The Street View and Live View mixture, called Immersive View, is now beginning to roll out in five cities, namely London, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Tokyo. The feature will next expand to Florence, Venice, Amsterdam, Dublin, and more.

The multi-search tool that allows users to initiate a search using an image and a few words of text is also receiving an update. The feature allows users to take photos of objects like food, supplies, clothes and more, and add the phrase “near me” in the Google app to get search results showcasing local businesses, restaurants or retailers that carry that specific item. The feature was limited to the United States, but is now rolling out globally wherever Google Lens is available. The feature will also be available on mobile web globally in the next few months.

Under Google Maps, the company is adding new features to assist EV drivers, including suggested charge stops for shorter trips, filters for “very fast” charging stations and indications of places with chargers in search results for places like hotels and grocery stores.

Further, ‘Translate with Lens’ for images is now rolling out globally. Normally, if you’d translate the text on an image, the translated text would be added on top of the image as ‘extra text,’ and wouldn’t be blended in. This would block or distort the image behind the text. Now, with a new machine learning tool called ‘Generative Adversarial Networks’ (the same tool used in Pixel phones for Magic Eraser), Google Lens can translate the text, and blend it back into the background image without distorting it, making the image retain its natural look.

ETAs and turn-by-turn navigation via Google Maps would now be visible on your lock screen. The feature is also compatible with iOS 16’s Live Activities. Google Translate will also be introducing additional context and information for certain words or phrases, starting with English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish languages in the coming weeks. The new Google Translate design for Android will be available on iOS in the near future.

Follow the links to learn more about the new Search, Maps and Translate features.

Image credit: Google 

Source: Google, Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Google announces new immersive Google Maps features

Some exciting new immersive features are coming to Google Maps.

Announced as a part of today’s Search AI event, Google revealed that the previously teased Immersive View is launching today. This new view combines aerial photography and Google Street View, allowing users to explore full 3D models of cities.

The new Google Maps feature will, at least according to Google, allow users to “understand the vibe of a place before you go.” Alongside these 3D renderings come the same detailed traffic data, map suggestions, and more that Google Maps is known for.

GIF of immersive view, featuring multi-dimensional imagery of Oracle Park in San Francisco with information layered on top

Right now, Immersive View is only available for a handful of cities. But Google noted that more locales would arrive “in the coming months.”

At the same event, the tech giant also revealed a brand-new Maps feature it dubbed “glanceable directions.” This new feature allows users to see all the details of their trip right from the route overview screen, offering up information like distance to destination and estimated time of arrival. “Glanceable directions” will roll out “in the coming months.”

Also, Google mentioned that Indoor Street View is expanding to “more than 1,000 new airports, train stations, and malls in Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Paris, Prague, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, and Taipei.

Via: AndroidPolice

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Mobile Syrup

Wear OS watches can now do Google Maps navigation without a phone

Months after promising the feature was coming, Google finally rolled out phoneless navigation to Google Maps on Wear OS.

Google confirmed the feature in an update posted on the Wear OS help forum, writing:

“We’re excited to share that you can now get Google Maps turn by turn navigation right on your LTE watch, no phone required. If you have an LTE-enabled watch, or your watch is connected to the internet via WiFi, you can now enjoy having Maps available on your wrist. This is especially helpful when you’re out for a run or ride and have left your phone behind but want to take a detour or need help finding your way home.”

Of course, it’s worth keeping in mind you’d need to have an LTE connection set up for your smartwatch, which in Canada likely means paying an extra $10/mo or so. And you’ll also need an LTE-capable Wear OS watch, such as Google’s own Pixel Watch or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

Google and Samsung said the Google Maps update was coming back in August, with Samsung specifically saying it was “coming soon,” (via 9to5Google). Apparently, “soon” means about five months.

If you have a cellular Wear OS watch with Google Maps support, you can access on-wrist turn-by-turn navigation by opening the Maps app and entering the destination you want to go to. If you don’t have your smartphone nearby, the watch should automatically handle navigation by itself. If you start navigation with your phone nearby but move away from it, the watch will take over and continue navigation (although Google notes this only works if your watch is paired to an Android phone).

You can learn more about Google Maps navigation on Wear OS here.

Source: Google Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Google Maps now shows where you can charge your EV the fastest

Electric vehicle (EV) users in Canada who favour Google Maps already have the ability to locate chargers near them.

But in its recent update, the tech giant is now showing EV drivers where the fastest chargers are located.

To access the feature, search “EV charging stations” and pick the “fast charge” filter. Google Maps will show users stations that have chargers 50kW or higher.

Users can also select the type of charger they need under “your plugs.” Along with “fast charge,” the filter will show you the closest fast charge areas for your EV.

Image credit: Google

The feature is available on Android and iOS.

Source: Google

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Mobile Syrup

New Google Search features help you ask the right questions

At its annual Google Search On event, Google showcased its efforts to make Search more natural and intuitive for users, with the company’s theme being to ‘search outside the box,’ and ‘Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.’

The tech giant outlined about upcoming developments for Google Search, Google Maps and Google Shopping.

Google Search

Multi-Search Near Me: Announced at Google I/O 2022, the multi-search near me feature allows users to take photos of objects like food, supplies, clothes and more, and add the phrase “near me” in the Google app to get search results showcasing local businesses, restaurants or retailers that carry that specific item. Google runs the image through its database and cross-references it with several photos, reviews and web pages to deliver accurate nearby results. The feature is rolling out in English in the U.S. this fall.

Translate with lens: According to Google, translations with Google Lens are used roughly one billion times per month in more than 100 languages. Originally, the way the feature worked was that it would translate the text on an image and add it on top of the photo as extra text. This would block or distort the image behind the text. Now, with a new machine learning tool called ‘Generative Adversarial Networks’ (the same tool used in Pixel phones for Magic Eraser), Google Lens can translate the text, and blend it back into the background image without distorting it, making the image retain its natural look.  See the screenshot below for reference. ‘Lens AR translate’ is rolling out globally later this year.

Shortcuts: Launching today, September 28th, you’ll see some of Google’s most helpful tools and shortcuts, including translate, ‘shop your screenshots,’ ‘hum to search,’ and more, displayed right on top of the Google app (under the Search bar). The shortcut feature is rolling out for the iOS application in English in the United States.

Easier to ask questions: Google is making it easier for users to ask the questions they intend to ask. When you start typing a query, Google will now suggest keywords or topics that might help you better craft your questions. “Say you’re looking for a destination in Mexico. We’ll help you specify your question — for example, ‘best cities in Mexico for families’ — so you can navigate to more relevant results for you,” says Google. The highlighted keywords, and the subsequent results will be relevant to your query, and will include content from creators available online. “For topics like cities, you may see visual stories and short videos from people who have visited, tips on how to explore the city, things to do, how to get there and other important aspects you might want to know about as you plan your travels,” says Google.

Additionally, the search results you’ll see will come in various formats. Depending on the relevancy of your query, the results can be shown as text, images, videos or a combination of those formats. This new format of asking questions on Google Search will roll out in the U.S. in the coming months.

Google Maps

Google intends to make Maps more visual and immersive, and it is starting off with new features that aim to make you feel like you’re physically in the location that you are searching.

Neighbourhood Vibe: Neighbourhood vibes allow you to quickly check popular locations in a given area, like famous restaurants, cafes, museums and other landmarks that people search for. Results appear alongside helpful photos and information right on the map. The feature is launching globally on Android and iOS in the coming months.

Landmark Aerial View and Immersive view: The upcoming feature allows users to see photorealistic aerial views of up to 250 key global landmarks like the CN Tower, Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower and more. Being able to check out the aerial view allows you to also soak in the landmark’s surroundings, making it easy for you to decide whether you want to visit said location or not.

Immersive View, on the other hand, works in tandem with Aerial View, and allows users to plan their trip ahead of time by checking what the weather, traffic and crowd will be like at a given place on a given day and time.

For example, you may search for the CN Tower in Toronto and see that finding parking around the landmark is a pain, so you decide not to go or take public transport.

Landmark Aerial View is rolling out globally on Maps today, September 28th, whereas Immersive View is launching in Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo in the coming months.

Live View: First released three years ago, Google’s Live View is an Augmented Reality tool that overlays walking directions over your live camera feed. All you need to do is simply lift and point your phone to find directions, and essential places like shops, ATMs and restaurants. The feature has long been available in Canada, and will start rolling out in London, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo in the coming months.

Eco-Friendly Routing expanding to developers: Google launched its Eco-Friendly Routing feature for Google Maps in Canada earlier this year. The feature allows users to analyze the estimated carbon emissions of their planned route and suggests alternative directions that would consume less fuel, while taking traffic, road steepness and other variables into account.

Developers from companies will now have the option to add the feature to their company apps, allowing companies like SkipTheDishes, Uber Eats, and Amazon delivery drivers to select their engine type and find best routes and directions for fuel and energy efficiency. The feature will be available in Preview later this year for developers in the U.S., Canada and select countries in Europe where Eco-Friendly Routing is available.

Google Shopping

Google is introducing new tools for Shopping that aim to help users discover things they’ll like by providing visual cues, insights about products and services, and filters to trim down options.

3D shopping for shoes: Some websites allow users to take a 3D look at shoes from different angles. According to Google, people engage with 3D images almost 50 percent more than static ones.

Websites need to have this feature built-in, and some of the smaller businesses don’t have the resources to do that. This is where Google comes in. The company says it can now automate 360-degree spins of shoes using just a handful of photos, essentially the ones already available on the merchant’s website, allowing users to check out shoes in 3D view, regardless of the page offering the feature. This feature will be available in Google Shopping in the U.S. in early 2023.

Shopping Insights: The new feature will provide noteworthy insights about the product category you’re browsing for.  Google says insights will be gathered from a “wide range of trusted sources,” and compiled in one place. For example, if you’re searching for mountain bikes, Google will provide insights about the size of the bike you should be riding, information about brakes and suspension, popular trails around you and more.

The feature is rolling out for Google Shopping today, September 28th.

Dynamic shopping filters: Normally, filters allow you to sort results by price and relevancy. With new shopping filters on Google, users would be able to shop categorically. For example, if you’re looking for jeans, you’ll be able to sort them by ‘skinny,’ wide leg,’ ‘boot cut,’ and more. Similarly, for T-shirts, filters such as round neck, crew neck, baggy, and more would allow you to tailor the Google Shopping experience according to your needs.

Dynamic Filters for Google Shopping will be “available soon” in select countries in Europe.

Categories
Cottage Life

35th anniversary celebration: I can’t imagine the cottage without Google Maps

Illustration by Katie Hicks

Into the early 2000s, we published a series of “Classics.” The writer would argue for something that you could not live at the lake without—watermelon, beach towels, a beloved web chair. Twenty years on, we’re asking, what are the new cottage classics?

Every so often, I’ll find my cottage on Google Maps, go into satellite mode, and then float around like a ghost, observing things from above.

It’s a strange way to visit nature, isn’t it? I’m using technology that is literally out of this world—multi-million-dollar orbital cameras. It’s an alien’s-eye view of the landscape. Yet this is precisely what makes it so wonderfully revealing: looking down from space, you behold cottage country like a minor god.

My cottage sits near the tip of Presqu’ile Point, a peninsula that juts into the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. I grew up hunting for snakes in the woods and watching herons with wings the size of car doors take flight.

My older neighbours, one cottage over, would explain to us kids how Presqu’ile contained critical and endangered wetlands; it was why nobody was allowed to go deep into the marshes behind the trees, for fear of upsetting the ecological balance. I was a dutifully environmental kid, so I obeyed. Peering down from space now, I can see in a fresh way the beauty and fragility of those wetlands—the tendrils of bullrush-thick marsh reaching out into the lake like graceful fingers, the gothic darkness of the murky water just offshore.

Satellites show you secrets. Looking at your cottage from above, you realize how much of the surrounding land you’ve never really visited. You couldn’t have; it’s dense forest, which—as the deer know—is great for concealing things.

From space, the woods cough up their mysteries. I’ve met cottagers who were startled to discover, on Google Maps, entire dwellings they were previously unaware of, not far from theirs. One found a small gravesite deep in the forest; another, a hidden stream. And satellite vision can be a way to spy on your neighbours, like a low-rent James Bond: Hmmm, those folks across the lake added one heck of a deck.
Peering down from above, you also grasp just how damn huge is the Canadian wilderness, and how tiny, comparatively, are the parts we occupy. I’ve gone on virtual “hikes,” zooming down close on my cottage then slowly scrolling farther and farther north, until—15 minutes later—I’ve travelled so deep into the Ontario north, I haven’t seen even a dirt road for miles and miles. You can feel lost, pleasantly so, in a digital map.

These days, when you visit the cottage, go stargazing. You’ll see some of the lights zipping across the sky. Wave at them: those are your eyes now, looking down.

35th anniversary celebration: An ode to the dock spider sweatshirt

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Mobile Syrup

Apple Maps team driving and walking around Canadian cities to gain up-to-date data

Canada is once again welcoming Apple’s Maps team.

Starting August 8th, Apple is travelling across Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa. The goal is to collect new and accurate data in these metro cities for Maps.

According to Apple, the Maps team is “driving vehicles and wearing specialized backpacks with equipment to help us build the best digital map of Canada.” Periodically, these scouting endeavours take place to ensure Apple Maps provides accurate information to its userbase. Additionally, Apple notes that “your privacy is our priority.”

Last year, Apple ventured into the Canadian streets to help establish and define Maps’ ‘Look Around’ feature. In an effort to compete with Google’s ‘Street View,’ the Maps team surveys the area using, whether in a vehicle or on foot.

While walking, the team don special backpacks that enable data collection. The Maps team is utilizing these in areas where driving isn’t an option. Apple notes that some pedestrians on the team use iPads, iPhones and other devices to collect data. It does appear as though the pedestrian team is only surveying in British Columbia.

The Apple Maps Look Around feature first launched in 2020 in a limited scope. It’s now available in Canada and the company aims to improve its accuracy and “maintain a high-quality, up-to-date map.” Apple Maps has had an uphill battle against Google Maps. It’s been plagued with issues including problems with navigation, inaccurate landmark locations and poor 3D satellite views. However, the 2020 revamp fixed minor issues and added better cycling navigation.

Apple has confirmed that it’s censoring faces and license plates of those who appear in ‘Look Around’ images. Apple also provides a contact email for those who wish to request their home is censored as well.

The Apple Maps team is starting its survey process on August 8th and will run until September 30th, 2022.

Source: @Apple

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Mobile Syrup

New Google Maps features to make cycling in Canada easier

Google has continuously expanded the features it offers with Google Maps, from immersive views of major cities and the ability to go back in time through Street View, to estimated toll prices for planned routes.

Now, the Mountain View, California-based company is adding three new features to Google Maps that will make exploring, cycling, or coordinating plans and staying connected easier this summer.

To help users plan trips, Maps is introducing a new aerial view feature with roughly 100 of the world’s most famous landmarks. “This is the first step toward launching immersive view — an experience that pairs AI with billions of high definition Street View, satellite and aerial imagery,” says Google.

Being able to check out the aerial view allows you to also soak in the landmark’s surroundings, making it easy for you to decide whether you want to visit said location or not. For example, you may search for the CN Tower in Toronto and see that finding parking around the landmark is a pain so you decide not to go or take public transport.

Google Maps now offers detailed cycling route information, too, allowing you to compare two or more routes and prepare for your ride. “In addition to seeing the elevation along your route, you’ll also know if you’ll encounter heavy car traffic, stairs or steep hills,” says Google. You’ll be able to check whether you’ll be biking on a major road or a local street, for example, and decide whether you want to take the route or skip it.

Lastly, the Google Maps app now shows when a friend or family member has arrived or left a mutually decided place. “Say you’re headed to a concert with a group of friends. If they’ve already chosen to share their location with you, you can set a notification for the concert venue’s address so you can see when they’ve arrived and meet up quickly,” says Google.

Similarly, you can also receive notifications about when your friends have left the venue. It’s worth noting that the feature can only be set for someone who has already chosen to share their location with you.

The new aerial view and location-sharing notification features are now rolling out globally on Google Maps for iOS and Android, whereas the cycling route information feature is “launching in the coming weeks.”

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Google Maps’ new Android widget aims to help you navigate rush hour traffic

Google says that it has launched more than 30 widgets for its first-party Android apps and that an upcoming widget for Maps offers nearby traffic information based on your current location.

Google showed off several images of the widget in action, including a screenshot of Maps’ blue current location symbol. Traffic can easily be spotted via the colour-coded street layers featured in the app.

A ‘floating action’ button added to the bottom right corner of the widget allows users to zoom in and out on the map. Google released an iOS version of its Maps widget in 2021, though it lacks this new nearby traffic layer.

In addition to the traffic layer Maps widget, Google has added ’email archive,’ ‘to-do list,’ ‘language translation skimming,’ and the ability to resize widgets to Android.

Google says the ‘nearby traffic’ widget layer will arrive on Android “in the coming weeks.” It’s unclear if the feature will also launch in Canada in this same time frame.

Image credit: Google

Source: Google Via: 9to5Google