Google Maps Tips and Tricks

 Google Maps Tips and Tricks

Google Maps and Google Earth are two of the most powerful and useful tools that Google has ever produced. If you have never done more than check out your house on Maps, here are a few tips and tricks that will help you to see the real possibilities of these tools.

Turn-By-Turn Navigation

❱ If you own an Android smartphone, you won’t need an extra GPS device for your cross country excursions. Map your road trip and get handsfree, turn-by-turn GPS navigation, complete with voice guidance. You can even get live traffic reports, letting you see current traffic conditions before you set off and while you’re on the go. Get estimated travel times and even find alternative routes if things look busy.

Offline Maps

❱ Get access to a map, with or without a network signal. Download a map of your destination to use offline and maintain GPS functionality even when you lose mobile service. You can save and use certain maps when you’re not connected to the Internet. If your mobile device has GPS, the blue dot shows your location so you know where you are. You can even get maps of indoor spaces. The next time you’re running through the airport or in a shopping centre, use Google Maps on your mobile phone to get indoor walking directions and find your way around.

Biking Maps

❱ If you are more of a fan of pedal power than horsepower, you can use the Google Maps Biking Directions beta. Find dedicated bike trails, routes without motor vehicles and the best streets for cycling. Dark green lines indicate bike trails, light green shows dedicated bike lanes and dotted green lines are bicycle-friendly roads. Navigate it all with biking directions in Google Maps Navigation Beta.

Your Places

❱ Want to map out your travel plans or share hiking spots with friends? Try making your own map of what matters to you most with Your Places. Mark locations, add details like photos and links and invite others to collaborate with you on your map; and access it on your Android device. Sign in to your Google account to access your map across all your devices. You can take your map on the go to find your favourite spots easily and even access your desktop location search history on your phone, and vice versa.

Sharing Maps

❱ You can share maps via a short URL, an HTML embed, email, text message and even send maps to certain GPS units and cars. To generate a customisable embed code or URL, click on the link icon to the top left of your display. Check the Short URL box (or whatever you require) or click the link for Customise and Preview Embedded Map. If you want to send the link out, rather than copy/ paste the text that’s been generated, click Send for further options.

MapsGL

❱ MapsGL uses technology called WebGL (Web-based Graphics Library) to enhance the Google Maps experience. WebGL brings 3D graphics to your browser without the need to install additional software. This allows you to provide seamless transitions between various levels of imagery and different map views. Some of the MapsGL improvements include 3D buildings in Map view mode and 45° aerial imagery, smooth transitions between zoom levels and seamless 45° aerial view rotations and the ability to Swoop quickly from the Map View to Street View imagery. With MapsGL, you can experience all of this in your browser without a plug-in.

Google Arts & Culture

❱ Google Arts & Culture is a platform which brings world heritage sites of the modern and ancient world online. Using Street View, 3D modelling and other Google technologies, these amazing sites are now accessible to everyone across the globe. With videos, photos and in-depth information, you can now explore the wonders of the world from your armchair just as if you were there. A fantastic feature that makes Street View even more unmissable.

Send to Phone

❱ Google Send to Phone enables you to send text messages of Google Maps content to your mobile phone. For example, you might text yourself an address or location you’ve found. To send something you’ve found on Google Maps to your phone, click the link icon in the left panel. Click Send and choose Phone from the left side. Enter the required information and hit Send. You’ll receive a text message with your selection. You can also send a local search result to your phone, by clicking More > Send from the place marker’s location information window.

My Places

❱ Using My Places, you can create custom, annotated Google Maps that include place marks, lines a nd shapes. You can even add descriptive text and embed photos and videos in your map; then share your maps with others. This can be handy for mapping out your favourite restaurants, planning an upcoming holiday or saving biking routes for future reference.