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Google Maps eco-friendly directions are coming to 40 European countries
Last October, Google added new, eco-friendly driving directions to Maps. In the US, you could pull up a driving route that would take into account things like congestion and incline to find you the directions that are best for your fuel economy. As part of a handful of Maps announcements today, Google says the feature will be available in "nearly 40" European countries, though we didn't get a list of everywhere it'll be available. Google had previously added the feature to maps in Canada and Germany.
Waze lets you plan trips on the web and save them to your phone
Waze lets you plan a trip on its web-based Live Map and save it to your app.
Transit directions are rolling out to Apple Maps users in Europe
Apple took its time getting transit directions onto its maps, and even once it did Apple Maps users in countries outside the US were left wanting. Now, it seems it's finally rolling out transit directions coverage across Europe. According to MacRumors, travelers in cities across France, Germany, Spain and potentially other countries are now able to use the function, which provides real-time information on public transport such as buses, trams and trains.
Waze can take commands from Google Assistant anywhere in the US
Google Assistant is officially available for all English-speaking Waze users in the United States. Waze announced the rollout last week after making the feature available in limited test runs earlier this year. The integration will give users the opportunity to ask Google Assistant to perform commands while on the road without requiring the driver to take their hands off the wheel into interact with the Waze app.
FCC ruling will help make smartphone GPS more accurate
GPS stands for "global positioning system," which is slightly ironic since it's owned and operated by the US Air Force. However, the FCC has just made a move to open up satellite navigation beyond America's borders. A new order means your smartphone can also use Europe's Galileo system, which will make sat nav faster and more accurate, the regulator said.
Google Maps will wake you up when you need to get off the bus
Google Maps will make taking the train or the bus in places you're visiting a lot less stressful: according to TechCrunch, the app will soon guide you through every step of a mass transit ride, including telling you when it's time to get off. Once the feature rolls out, you'll apparently find a "start" button at the bottom of the screen when you look up how to go to a certain destination. If you tap that button, you'll get live updates on where you are as you walk or as your ride moves, not only within the app, but also on your Android lock screen.
Google Maps will help you park in 25 more cities
Back in January, Google rolled out a "parking difficulty" icon in Maps which, as its name suggests, explains how hard it will be to find a spot for your vehicle. While useful, it was only available in 25 US cities, including New York and San Francisco. Today, it's being expanded to a further 25 locations around the globe: Alicante, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Cologne, Darmstadt, Dusseldorf, London, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Milan, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Toronto, Valencia and Vancouver.
Pinterest's location pins offer easy access to directions and tips
Pinterest is quite handy for stowing away project ideas, recipes and more for future reference. Today, the internet repository is making those stored pins even more informative. Location info is now automatically added to pinned links, so you'll have easy access to tips from other users, contact details, directions and more. You'll notice that pins have a thumbnail preview showing the location on a map, and if you tap the image, you'll get recommendations from other users. Pinterest will also show you other pins that reference that spot, too. From there, calling for reservations or getting directions via Google Maps or Apple Maps are just a click away as well. You can browse nearby spots on the map too, in case you're wondering what other folks have found in the area. The new location pins are rolling out today, so you should be seeing them in your feed and on your boards soon enough.
Send destination info from your desktop to Google Maps for iOS
If you're looking for an easy way to send places from Google Maps on the desktop to your trusty iOS device, the wait is over. The folks in Mountain View updated the software for iPhone to allow you to send restaurants and other spots you search for on the desktop to your mobile device for reference while in route. You'll need to be signed in on both your computer and your iOS device with notifications enabled on the latter. From there, hunt for a new dinner spot and click "send to device." When you do so, a notification delivers the address alongside options for getting directions or skipping straight to navigation. Version 4.7.0 of the app also lets you edit business hours for those listings and view all of your reviews and photos from the Your Places section of your profile. If you're iOS device hasn't alerted you to the new version yet, you can nab it from iTunes now.
Send directions to your Android phone with a Google search (update: and notes)
Sending Google Maps directions to an Android phone hasn't been that hard for a while, but it's now downright easy. Google has introduced a web feature that delivers instructions through a simple search. As long as your phone is properly linked to your Google account, you only have to search for "send directions" to get the ball rolling -- choose the route, hit send and your device will be ready to navigate. Only some people appear to have access to this option as of this writing, but there's a good chance that you'll get to check it out before too long. Update: Google is also giving you the option of sending notes to your phone just by searching for "send a note."
Google Maps for Android now lets you easily share directions
While you've been able to share specific places you've located in the Google Maps app for some time, pinging directions over to your friends and family hasn't been so simple. With today's Android update, however, the company has finally done something about it. Now, when you load a navigation route inside the app, you'll notice a new "Share directions" option appear in the menu. The feature automatically creates a numbered list of text directions and attaches a link, which can then be shared via any compatible app on your Android device. WhatsApp and Facebook are probably the most logical destinations, letting the recipient load the link and see the same route on their device. Although Android users are currently only able to send routes using this new option, iPhone owners can receive and load shared directions inside the Maps iOS app (if they have it installed) -- useful if you're the one having to constantly help someone operate their new smartphone.
Bing puts contact info and directions atop searches for easy access
Google has been keen on serving up addresses, phone numbers and directions at the top of its search results to make things much easier. And now, Bing is doing the same. Microsoft's search engine will display all of those important contact details, as well as an easy link to navigation info, ahead of the usual list of findings. This means that next time you hunt for the nearest Ruth's Chris, the stuff you're really after will show up first. Need to sort directions? Typing "distance to" ahead of the address will provide just that alongside travel time and turn-by-turn steps. You can do the same for a restaurant or bar's hours, too.
Vanhawks' connected bike helps you avoid traffic and potholes
Vanhawks' Valour is a connected commuter bicycle that hopes to make your travels both smarter and safer. The 16-pound carbon fiber bike can help you find a route to the office that avoids heavy traffic, and gives you turn-by-turn bike-specific directions to your destination along with blind spot detection while you're on the road. It's a combination of features that's likely to have you traveling on two wheels a lot more often.
Major Google Maps update adds Uber integration, better transit info and more
Today Google announced a pretty hefty update to its Maps app, with improved navigation instructions, new search options and even the ability to jump into the Uber app to order a ride. Available for download now via Google Play and the App Store, the update includes lane guidance and easier access to alternate routes when you're already in navigation mode. Another new feature lets you search for a specific area, such as Toronto, and save that place info sheet for offline use. For those traveling to a new city, there's the ability to view places saved on Google Maps across all devices. You'll also be able to star new locales to keep them bookmarked for the future.
Transit apps from Embark and Tapone see big boost in users with iOS 6 launch
Apple's had all kinds of unexpected issues with its brand new Maps app, but when it comes to transit directions we knew well in advance that they wouldn't be included in Maps; when the new app was announced at WWDC, it was clear that third parties would be expected to pick up the slack via iOS's new Routing API. Already, a few other companies are stepping in for iOS 6 users to take over that responsibility. The Maps app now automatically searches for transit-aware apps that cover your geography, and links you to the App Store to download or buy relevant tools when you ask for transit directions. Given that, it's probably a good idea to preload a transit app for a new city if you're expecting to need directions when you get there, especially if you have a slow or pricey data connection. Of course, that geographic app matching isn't quite perfect yet: last week our colleague Rich Gaywood asked Maps to give him transit info near his home in Wales, and it came back with Navigon (mostly thought of as a driving nav app) plus transit apps for London. (London's about 140 miles away from him.) The developers behind many transit-related iOS apps have been happy to provide options for iOS 6 users, and CNET notes that they've seen big increases in their user base. Embark, the publisher of 12 local transit apps covering eight metro areas, has seen huge growth in the last week, hitting over 40 million trips so far and over 100,000 downloads since the launch of iOS 6. When we spoke to Embark founder David Hodge last week, he emphasized that his company's approach to transit directions differed from Google's mostly data-driven tactics. "We want to understand the local nuances... We go to New York and say 'How fast do people walk here? What are the transfer times [in a station]?'" Google's transit routing teams aren't able to spend enough time in each city they cover to get the granular info needed, he says. This emphasis on real-world, locally gathered routing support helps Embark's apps gain in accuracy. The trade-off is that if there's no Embark app for your town, they can't help you (although Hodge hints that many more cities are on the way). Embark's philosophy is to cloak the complexity of transit routing and the elaborate back-end scheduling tech with a simple interface that puts the busy commuter in control. "In the age of the smartphone, it should be much easier to get around," says Hodge. One key to making it easy is making sure that the apps work equally well offline as online. Unlike Google Maps's online-only transit routing -- which is pretty much useless once you're underground in a subway system like New York or Boston's and lose your cellular data -- the Embark apps are engineered to handle point to point routing without needing a data connection. "We'll plan a trip even if you're sitting inside a submarine," Hodge jokes. Above ground, if you run into a situation that the Embark app can't handle (bus directions in New York City, for instance), then of course the web version of Google Maps is only a Safari tap away. Tapone's Transit also saw a big spike in downloads, users and subscribers. Presumably almost all these new downloads were coming from folks who upgraded to iOS 6, and were forced to go in search of new transit directions because the new Maps app couldn't provide them. As to why Apple chose to hand off the transit piece of the puzzle to third parties this time around: it's apparently harder than it looks to get accurate, effective transit directions rolled into Maps, and even Google's effort didn't provide universal or completely accurate coverage. Giving local "best of breed" apps the chance to handle their specific transit systems seems to be the most effective way to keep providing those directions to users, and it's definitely giving a boost to these developers. Based on all the work Apple has to do to get the rest of Maps into shape, it's unlikely the company will try to "Sherlock" these apps and reintroduce its own form of transit directions, at least during the lifetime of iOS 6. With the tight integration of transit directions into Google Maps, however, the extra click of having to launch an external app does seem to be a drag on usability. There may come a point where Apple considers the usability tradeoff to be too much, and tries to bring transit directions back under the Maps umbrella. For now, however, the third-party transit apps are where it's at. And there's always the chance that Apple could acquire one or more of these companies -- most of its map division is made up of technology from companies like Placebase, Poly9, and C3, all of which it acquired while putting the new app together. Whether it's from third-party apps or an official solution, however, it's good to know that most users will still have access to their directions no matter what.
Mavizon Mavia tracker reaches pre-order at last, makes best friends of cars and iPhones
Remember Mavizon's plans for its Mavia car tracking device (formerly the AutoBot) from almost two years ago? The company promised availability sometime in 2012, and we're here in earnest with the car companion ready for pre-order. The business model has changed significantly since 2010, however. It's a cheaper $169 up front for the Bluetooth cellular OBD-II peripheral -- $99 for the first hundred through the gates, or $299 for a two-pack -- but the full tracking service will cost $5 a month, or $49 every year. Those who do make the leap can get a look at their car's vital signs as well as set up geofenced notifications, track long-term performance and receive impromptu driving directions to a friend's coffee shop check-in. The first batch of Mavia units should arrive within several weeks, we're told, and should have both browser- as well as iPhone-based apps waiting in the wings.
Nokia grows Destination Maps coverage to 4,605 venues in 38 countries, coming to Nokia Maps soon
After covering more than 23 million miles of the world's roadways, Nokia has focused on expanding its interior mapping footprint. Since its launch during CTIA 2011, the company's Destination Maps service has grown to cover a total of 4,605 different venues in 38 countries, including airports, department stores, shopping malls and transit hubs. As you can see in the infographic above, the majority of those locations are in North America, with a total of 2,595 mapped on the continent, followed by 1,778 in EMEA, 225 in the Asia Pacific region and just seven in Latin America -- that's 235 million square feet in all. Nokia also promises much more to come in the future, with hints identifying amusement parks and stadiums as possible beneficiaries. The company also reiterated its recent partnership with Bing, adding that Nokia Maps will have access to Destination Maps in the not-so-distant future as well. You'll find a few more details at the source link below, and while we don't have precise predictions to share, you can rest easy knowing that Nokia's indoor effort is far from complete.
New Recce 3D map app offers location-based services and games, Sim City possibilities abound
The mapping scene has seen plenty of activity lately -- what with Apple ditching Google to launch its own service while the latter continues to layer on improvements such as better walking directions and more Street View coverage for its maps. Now a new app called "Recce" is trying to elbow its way into the conversation by using a free, searchable 3D mapping system that not only serves up location-based services but also location-based games. Named after military slang for "reconnaissance," Recce is the brainchild of former Psygnosis co-founder Ian Hetherington and Google engineering director Rian Liebenberg, who formed London-based developer eeGeo. The app works by pulling together a slew of data feeds from sources such as map providers and social networking services to provide an interactive 3D view of an area. It can also be used to update services like Twitter so your followers can know exactly where you were when you saw Justin Johnson, er, Bieber speeding away from the paparazzi in his chrome Fisker Karma. Do note that data is limited to central London at the moment, though San Francisco and New York are slated to get their 3D closeup next.
Google Maps adds walking directions for 44 African countries on web and mobile
Whether it's on two wheels, under cover or across the cruel watery mistress, Google Maps wants to get you there. But what about the long, arduous pedestrian plod? Well, from today, 44 African nations will never need to put a foot wrong, thanks to the introduction of walking directions to their web and mobile versions of the mapping service. The search giant is keen to remind you that the new feature is still in beta, so if you end up somewhere else, you might need to rely on other methods to find out where you are.
Windows Phone 8 to use Nokia map data with built-in turn-by-turn navigation (update: deals too)
You won't have to use a Lumia phone any longer to get Nokia's mapping expertise: Microsoft just announced that Nokia's map technology is being built into Windows Phone 8. Along with the requisite NAVTEQ map information, it'll carry many of the things that Nokia Drive users love so well, including offline map support, developer control over maps, and (you guessed it) turn-by-turn directions. That makes three major mobile platforms that have or will have driving directions baked in from the start -- it's now becoming par for the course rather than an advantage to lord over others. Update: Along with core navigation, there will also be support for Microsoft's new deals feature as part of the mapping update, so you'll know when the coffee house around the corner is discounting cappuccinos. To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!
