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You must be well aware of Google Map. But do you know what the Google Map can do for you? This particular application of Google has so many features that they are difficult to keep count. Some of the best features of Google Mapping application are very hard to find for anyone. You have to know about them, to find them.
Google maps direction from current location to a certain location is the main function of Google Map application that most of the users know about. Google Map is generally used for getting around different geographic locations. Google Map’s driving directions are great help in this user’s going around activity and him reaching his destination correctly.
But there is much more with Google Map than only that. Google Map has all the powerful features and time saving shortcuts that are not so well known by many. You need to find out these unique features of Google Map. You just have to be ready to know about them and discover some of the most useful and off beat path of Google Map.
You can go absolutely hand free with Google Map, while driving
We are used to glance down repeatedly at our device displaying Google Map, while we drive our vehicles. We have developed a habit of keeping on looking down to find our next oncoming turn. We are also keen to know how much more distance we have to travel, to reach our destination.
There is a better way with Google Map, if you have an Android Phone with you. Google Map can give you driving directions with a series of very helpful voice commands, to prevent you from looking down at your device repeatedly. These voice commands work at the time of your active navigations.
You can talk with your Google Map application. You have to say “Okay Google Map” to activate this feature. Then you can ask various questions such as:
- What road is this?
- When should I turn next?
- What is my ETA?
- What is the state of traffic ahead?
- How is the traffic on the way to work?
- Avoid tolls.
- Avoid highways.
- Find Gas Stations.
- Find Restaurants.
- Navigate home.
- Take me to the closest hotel.
- Take me home.
- Take me to McDonald’s.
- Exit Navigation. Etc.
Any query related to your on road journey will be answered to you by voice command of Google Map. Meanwhile, you can also ask your phone to make phone calls, play your favorite music, send text messages for you or remind you of your next appointment. Google Map will do everything, while continuously keeping track on your road journey and giving you voice commands for your safe driving to reach your destination.
Google Map remembers your current parking location
Google Map can give you your current parking location on your Android phone or on your iPhone. The Google Map has a tiny blue dot that tells you about the location of your vehicle being parked currently. Tapping the blue dot will pull out a hidden menu. This menu has some handy options. It can save the current location you have parked your vehicle. You can record your every note or photos here. You can also set a timer to remind you as to when you have move your vehicle from the parking area.
When you are ready to go to your parking spot, you have to look for the saved parking notifications on your phone. You can also just tap the Parking Location card at the bottom of the screen, after opening Google Map.
You can inform about your location, even while you are moving
If you want anyone to know about your current location or to find you, even while you are moving, Google Map will help you. Google Map’s simple system has real time location sharing feature.
You have to tap the blue dot on your screen of your phone, after opening Google Map. This time, you can select “Share your location”. This feature allows you to set an end time for your location sharing. It will also be active till you turn it off manually. You can select any of your contacts to share your location or you can get a private link to paste on any place you want.
This feature allows you to activate this even while you are in midst of Maps navigation. You have to swipe up from the white bar at the bottom of the screen of your phone and select “Share trip progress”. It will share your current location with whom so ever you choose, till you reach your set destination.
Anyone who is having this app or in a regular browser, will see an icon by opening the link that shows your current location on a map, as you move, within the application of the Map. This is active in either scenario. You have an indicator at the bottom of the Map that informs you about your location sharing feature being active. You can stop the sharing feature anytime, just by tapping on that box.
You can search along your route and navigate too
This swipe up while navigating menu has another useful feature for you. You can search while navigating on your current route.
You can activate this feature and you will find one tap buttons for you to help you find gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants or coffee shops etc, along your current route of travelling. You can also type what you really want to find on your present path and it will tell you.
You can find what is near anything
This feature on Google Map works, even when you are not navigating. You will be able to find specific places you need to find, near your current location or any other place. You have to tap the search bar at the top of the mobile application and ask queries, such as, “Restaurants near here, vegetarian restaurants near hear, pharmacies near here, book stores near hear, gas station near the airport, leisure points near Metro theatre” etc.
You can browse to find what is near your current location. You need to open Google Map on your phone. You have to scroll and swipe through the Explore tab, at the bottom of your phone screen, to find the desired result.
You can explore at eye level
One of the coolest features on Google Map is Street View.
You have to search within Maps for any location you want, on your phone. Then you have to tap the image of the location that appears in the lower left corner of your screen.
Now, you have to tap the compass icon in the app’s upper right corner. Then, hold your phone up and move it around. The view will shift to match the actual direction you are facing at any given moment. It will give you t
he feeling of standing inside the map and looking around.
You can go back in Time
It is a little known feature of Google Map. It allows you to look at the Street View for any area, as it existed at various points in the past.
You can make this feature work only from a desktop site. You have to open up your computer and pick a site. There you will find Pegman, a little yellow guy in the lower right corner. You can drag him up with your mouse and drop him on the place you want to go. You can look at Clock icon in the gray box, at the top left of the screen.
You have to tap that to have a 360 degrees view from previous years, by dragging the slider through time. This feature is not available for every location.
You can beam a map directly, to your car or phone
You can beam a map directly to your phone or your car by clicking on an option, that appears whenever you search for a place or have pull up directions. It’s in the box in the left side of your screen, either as an icon or as a plain text link, beneath the place’s name or its address. If you have clicked through to a specific route, you will find an unlabelled icon, immediately at the right of the travel time estimate.
When you click on any version that appears, you will find a list of devices that are connected to your Google account. The Maps information will show up as notifications on your dashboard or device, whichever way you go, only seconds after you send it from your desktop.
You can see time specific traffic estimations
Google Map has a Mega Intelligent traffic estimation tool. This tool the same box helps you to find the estimated time you will take at any given time to drive to your desired location. You have to search for a location in Map’s desktop version and click on the “Direction” button and put on the starting point you want.
You will see a sign “Leave now” at the bottom of, where you typed the address. You have to click on the downward facing arrow next to that. Select “Depart at” or “Arrive by” and you can view the expected traffic conditions and estimated time to travel at any given day or time.
You can add extra destinations into your directions
Google Map has a feature that allows you to add many stops into any navigation. You can do it from your phone. You search for your first destination, tap the “Direction” button and type your starting point. You can see the three little dot menu icons to the right of the same field.
You tap it and select “Add Stops” from the menu that appears. You will now get a third field. Here you can enter your another destination. When you fill that in, an option of fourth destination will appear. You can drag and drop the destinations to reorder them as per your requirements.
You can have this feature more prominently, if you use a computer. When you fire up your first destination, you can see a small plus sign with the text “Add destinations”, alongside the sign. You can add as many extra stop you want, on your trip, just by tapping on the sign. You can also drag and drop destination to arrange them differently in order, with your mouse.
You can measure distances between multiple destination points
You can map your morning log with this feature. It will tell you exactly how far you have to travel on a particular trip. Google Map can precisely measure the distance between two or more points. This measurement of distance is down to second decimal.
You have to tap and hold your finger on your starting point, on your phone. It will result in appearance of a red pin along with a white bar. You select the “Measure Distance” option. You can use your finger and the Blue Plus icon to find and select the second point. You can repeat this as many times you want to measure your full path.
You can right click on your starting point on your computer and select “Measure Distance” from the menu, which will be now appearing. You can get all your distance measurements by clicking on the subsequent points.
There are Advance Gestures that helps you to save your time
The Google Map has a bunch of many useful gestures to help you to be around your application on your mobile phone. You can pinch to zoom but you should also try all these advance maneuvers for wonderful results.
You can zoom in or out of a Google Map with your only one hand; you have to double tap and then slide up or down the screen. There is no need to lift your finger. You can try several other functions such as, Spin a map around, Shift your perspective, saving steps while navigating, Google Map take me home etc with this Advance Gesture.
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