06
Feb
2013-02-06_13h08_23

Google Adds 38 Run And Lift Maps From Major Ski Resorts To Google Maps, But Please Don't Use Them On the Mountain

Posted by in Google, News

A non-zero number of Android Police team members enjoy skiiing. Who wouldn't, right? Well, people who get lost for starters. Mountains can be mazes! However, Google did what Google does best and made some sense of the madness. Now you can find guides for 38 different resorts all on your mobile phone.

Lake Louise AB Canada Ski Screen Shot 2013-02-04 at 3.06.27 PM 

The runs are color coded by difficulty, as they normally are on the mountain. You can view them with GPS on your mobile phone, or even check them out on the desktop before you hit the snow. A few slopes even have a Street View preview (though they're not quite as thorough as regular Street View).

17
Oct
2012-10-17_11h56_01

Come Take A Tour Of A Google Data Center With Street View, Which Is Apparently Guarded By Storm Troopers

Posted by in Google, News

Have you ever wondered what it's like in the giant facilities where Google keeps all your data magically tucked away, ready at the tap of a screen? Well today, you can explore one such data center, street view style. An accompanying video will take you on a guided tour, showing you how the internet giant stores your data, keeps it cool, and destroys it when hard drives fail. Of course you can also walk around the building by yourself, and we certainly suggest you do, as there are plenty of easter eggs. Would you expect anything less from Google?

2012-10-17_11h40_14

A lone storm trooper guards your data.

11
Oct
Screen Shot 2012-10-11 at 12.34.36

Google Improves Maps With Its "Biggest Street View Update Ever", Updates 250,000 Miles Of Roads And Special Collections

Posted by in News

Google Maps was already pretty great, with comprehensive Street View coverage in countries around the world, but it just got a little bit better thanks to the 'biggest Street View update ever', which is rolling out today.

Street View coverage has now been increased in no fewer than 11 countries, including the U.S., Britain, and Canada, with over 250,000 miles of roads being updated and added.

Screen Shot 2012-10-11 at 12.02.10

The number of special collections, which allow you to see tourist attractions in countries all over the world on Street View, has also been doubled, with new locations added in South Africa, Japan, Spain, France, Brazil, Mexico, and more.

22
Apr
image

Google Maps Street View Support Expands To Israel

Posted by in Applications, Google, News, Videos

The Google Maps team added support for Street View in Israel's major cities this past weekend - Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. If you haven't had a chance to check out Street View yet, it can take you on a virtual stroll down city streets right inside Google Maps - on the web or on your Android device.

For example, to check out Tel Aviv's views, download Street View on Google Maps, head over to Google Maps and punch in "Tel Aviv, Israel." Then click on the city name, Street View, and voila:

wm_SC20120422-232434 wm_SC20120422-232428 wm_SC20120422-232423

Pan, click, move, show your friends and family - it's especially impressive to those who have never seen Street View in action, which could be the case if, you know, you actually live in Israel.

09
Sep

Google Teaches Us To "Walk This Way" With Google Maps 4.5

Posted by in Applications, Google, News

Google's on a roll today with app updates; first it was the new Google Voice featuring not one, but two widgets, and now they're rolling out a new version of Google Maps which promises to teach us to "walk this way."

The update includes a feature called "Walking Navigation," which is essentially turn-by-turn navigation, only for pedestrians and not drivers. It is now able to:

  • provide up-to-the minute walking directions to from where you stand now to your destination, complete with blue and white arrows to indicate where you stand and where you should go
  • provide more direct routes
  • offer voice guidance (which can be turned off)
  • a map that rotates as you rotate
  • turn on satellite imagery by default
  • vibrate your phone when you need to make a turn

Revolutionary it may not be, but it's certainly an improvement over the feature it replaces, "Walking Directions."

Also new is the Google Maps search bar, which allows you to:

  • start searching for a place
  • open Places
  • use the Layers menu
  • find yourself on the map with My Location
  • filter search results by distance or ratings
  • view prices categorized by dollar signs
  • see cross streets for places

In one final change, Google's gone and revamped Street View.