Latest Updates
The latest updates for Google Maps have been rolled out, making it just a little more difficult to get lost. The new updates released in May 2014, brought in many new features for improving commuting by trains and automobiles along with Uber car services.
Switching Lanes
The app is now able to tell you whether to stay in a particular lane or switch to the next lane, while you receive driving instructions. Earlier, there were complaints that the GPS used to give you very little time to exit and users would have to make last minute exits and even miss it, as it is too dangerous to go across lanes in a short time. The new feature in Google Maps has addressed this issue. It makes it safe and easy while receiving instructions on the road. Users don’t need to enable the feature, as the guiding slides pop up when they search for directions from a location to another. A small white box shows the number of lanes on the road and the one you need to be on.
Accessing Offline
It is now possible for users to save certain map areas after searching them. These can then be accessed even offline. Though this feature was available even prior to this update, it is now well integrated into the app and is very easy to use. Maps can also be labeled and stored in a particular location, so that they can be easily found while on the go. If you want to use this feature, you must first go to the general location that you are planning to go to, for instance, the name of a city or a particular neighborhood.
After the ‘search’ is loaded, just swipe from the bottom upwards to view the location card of the area. You can view all basic information related to the area, including Street View. A tap on the white box, which says, ‘Save map’, will help you to use it offline later. You can pan the area or zoom in using pinch feature before tapping on ‘Save’, either by selecting a name or using the automated suggestion. For accessing the map once more, all you need to do is to go to the main screen and tap on the person icon found in the top right corner. You can then view the offline maps at the bottom of the Maps profile page.
Specifying Times for Public Transport
If you regularly use public transit modes, you will need to know the arrival and departure times of such transport, as they keep changing. You can search for particular arrival and departure times related to your schedule. Timing factors are also taken into account and the app assists you in knowing the details of the last bus or train available for the particular night. Using this feature is simple, as you merely search for public transport directions in the usual manner and when you see the route; you must tap on the gray box on the upper part of the screen, where it says ‘Depart at’. You can select the date and the time from the pop up box at the bottom and even specify a particular arrival or departure time. In addition, you can pick up the ‘Last’ option to find out the last train that comes in the route and then click on ‘Done’. The app will also offer information regarding the waiting time in between trains for that time of the day.
Ordering a Uber ride
If you’ve lost all hopes of catching a train or a cab, you can make use of the Uber black car service. Users can compare the time taken for walking or taking the cab and also see the time taken for an Uber to reach the destination.
Related ItemsGoogle Maps
