27
May
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Google Enables Biking Navigation In Google Maps For Germany, France, Poland, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein

Posted by in News

Bicycling enthusiasts in Europe (of which there are many) are getting a present from Google today with the addition of biking directions in Google Maps for six new countries. Cyclists in Germany, France, Poland, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein can now pull down routes that take into account the available biking trails, paths, and lanes. This applies to mobile and desktop apps.

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When biking directions are selected in Google Maps, it chooses routes that avoid busy streets, and sends riders down dedicated bike paths where available. Google worked with other organizations in a few countries to catalog all the bike paths, but several hundred kilometers of trails were added by users.

03
Jul
maps logo

Google Launches Indoor Maps For The UK, Can't Avoid Rain Jokes Any Better Than I Can

Posted by in Google, News

Indoor maps are becoming the hot new thing in the world of not getting lost. Google may be using fancy 3D planes to map everything the sky can see, but sometimes it's just as easy to get lost in a train station as it is in a city. Google's recent indoor maps have made navigating easier, and now UK locations are being added to the supported list.

ukindoorsmaps

The maps have been seamlessly integrated into the Google Maps app. Just zoom in to a location and the indoor maps will "magically" appear. You can even search for directions from within the building, across multiple floors.

09
May
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Google Maps App Updated To 6.7 - Brings Google Offers, Indoor Directions, 360 Panorama Views For Businesses

Posted by in Applications, Apps/Games, News

The Google Maps Android app has been updated to version 6.7, bringing some new important (and useful) features. You probably figured out what they are. Here's the changelog:

What's in this version:

  1. Discover nearby Google Offers in the US
  2. Indoor walking directions (Beta) for Japan and the US
  3. See 360° panoramas inside restaurants and stores

Google Offers has been having difficulty gaining traction in a market dominated by the Groupons and LivingSocials of the world, and Maps integration may be just what it needs to start getting a little respect. You can actually set it up so while you're in the maps app, Offers will let you know if the area you're hovering over contains any...

09
Jan
Garmin Smartphone Link

[CES 2012] Garmin Smartphone Link Connects Your Nüvi To Your Android Device To Provide Live Traffic Info, Help Find Your Parking Space

Posted by in Android OS, Applications, News

Garmin International, the world leader in satellite navigation, has announced Smartphone Link for Android, an app which allows your Android-powered device to communicate seamlessly with your nüvi via Bluetooth, enabling live traffic information, traffic cam images, weather info and fuel prices to be displayed quickly and easily.

Smartphone Link also allows your Garmin GPS to share "favorite" locations with your device, and can help forgetful users find their car in a  crowded parking lot.

Garmin Smartphone Link

Unfortunately, many of the services (read all features besides live weather) provided by Smartphone Link come at a price. Live traffic will run users $19.99/year, traffic cams and fuel prices will cost a cool $9.99/yr each, and Advanced Weather (which provides 5-day forecasts, severe weather alerts, and radar images) runs at $4.99/yr.

02
Jul
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CoPilot Introduces CoPilot Live USA v9 Android Apps For The U.S. With Offline Navigation, 40-66% Off Until July 3rd

Posted by in Applications, Deals, News

CoPilot, a popular navigation and mapping company, released Live USA Standard and Premium v9 offline navigation apps to the Android Market on Monday, June 27th. While most people immediately think and resort to using Google Maps, CoPilot apps could come in quite handy for those without data plans (such as phones disconnected from service or Wi-Fi only) or in areas of poor data reception (I felt the need for something like this just this past weekend on a trip to a remote lake).

During the promotional period this week (until Sunday, July 3rd), the Premium version that usually costs $29.99 is going for $9.99 and the Standard version which is usually $4.99 is on sale for $2.99.