When Google Earth first launched in 2004, it sort of seemed like magic: a 3D globe that allowed you to zoom in on just about any location on the planet. Over the years Google has made improvements to the imagery and the technology that powers the experience, incorporated features from the web-based Google Maps service, […]
maps
iOS 9 includes Apple’s Google Now clone
Apple’s answer to Google Now is here. As expected, it’s called Proactive, and it’s built into iOS 9. Proactive learns from the way you use your phone and automatically offers suggestions depending on your time, place, connected devices, and other details. Apple is releasing a developer preview of iOS 9 today with a public beta […]
Google Maps to support offline navigation
Google Maps for Android already lets you download maps to view later, even when you don’t have an internet connection. But right now offline Maps have limited functionality. Later this year Google plans to roll out an update that lets you download a map for a region and then search for places and even get […]
Google Maps now runs on Android Wear smartwatches
Google’s smartwatch operating system has offered directions and turn-by-turn navigation since the first Android Wear watches launched in 2014. But what if you want to actually view a full map on your wristwatch? Now you can. Google is rolling out Maps 9.9 for Android phones and tablets. If you’ve got an Android Wear device all you need to […]
Nokia HERE maps hits the Google Play Store
Nokia’s HERE Maps service provides maps, turn-by-turn directions, transport information, and trip planning for smartphones. This summer the company launched the first Android version of HEREÂ Maps, but it was only available for Samsung devices at the time. Now HEREÂ beta is available in the Google Play Store, and it’s a free download for devices running Android […]
Nokia introduces HERE Maps for Samsung phones, smartwatches
Nokia has been offering mapping applications for smartphone since way back when Google was just a company that ran a search engine and email service. Now Nokia is bringing the latest version of its mapping service to Android phones… or rather to Android phones made by Samsung. Nokia HERE Maps is coming to Samsung Galaxy […]
Lilbits (7-19-2013): Early phone upgrades, Chrome web app launch
T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon have all announced plans that will let customers upgrade phones more quickly. Typically US mobile customers had to wait 18 to 24 months to qualify for a new handset. Some of the new plans let you upgrade as often as every 6 months. Of course, none of this comes free of […]
New Google Maps update for mobile rolling out, adds tablet UI, drops Latitude
Google is starting to roll out its new Google Maps app for smartphones and tablets. It has a simpler user interface that puts the maps front and center a center, a new dedicated tablet version for Android tablets, and retires the Google Latitude location tracking service. The update starts hitting Android devices this week, and […]
Google acquires crowd-sourced map service Waze
Waze is a mobile mapping service that provides turn-by-turn directions, traffic information, and other details to users on a mobile device. Much of the company’s data comes from users. For instance, the free app it provides real-time traffic updates based on reports and other data from other users. We should start to see some of […]
Google Maps comes to the iOS App Store
When Apple launched the first iPhone, it featured a Maps app powered by Google Maps. Every iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad that’s been released since then has had a Maps app — but with the introduction of iOS 6 this year Apple dropped Google Maps and started using a new map service developed in-house. Some […]