Hi this is Gary with MacMost Now.
On today's episode let's take a look at the Goggle Maps App on the iPhone.
So I'm still surprised that a lot of people don't know that several months ago Goggle
came out with an independent Goggle Maps App.
Basically the history is that when the iPhone launched and for years afterwards there was
an app on there provided in a partnership between Apple and Goggle that had Goggle Maps
on it.
Then with the last version of iOS, when that was released, the Goggle Maps App was replaced
by an Apple Maps App.
They are different and there is some slightly different functionality and some people prefer
Goggle Maps.
Then after a few months Goggle came out with a Goggle Maps App.
So you can download this very easily by going to the App Store on your iPhone or other iOS
device looking for Goggle Maps and add that to your apps on your iPhone.
Here I've got it here on my iPhone and I've actually put it right next to the Apple Maps
App.
I like to use both and sometimes I like to use Goggle Maps so it is right there for me.
You can see that it looks a lot like what you might be used to if you used the old Goggle
Maps App except that the menus are in a slightly different place.
For instance, some of the most useful features at the bottom right you might not notice the
little kind of button-like thing there.
If I tap it you can see that it expands and now I can quickly go into traffic.
One of the things I like about Goggle Maps over Apple Maps is for me it is much clearer
and easier to see where there are traffic jams.
You can also go down here and turn on other things like Public transit, if it is available
in the Goggle Maps in your area, you can switch to Satellite view and you can turn those off
as well.
To use Goggle Maps here you can zoom in by pinching and separating your fingers back
and forth.
You can also have two fingers and rotate the map as well.
The button at the bottom left will zoom in on your current GPS location to make that
easy.
Now to search for something just tap at the top there and just type what you want to search
for and this is another thing that Goggle Maps does pretty well so for instance you
go to my local Apple Store and you can tap on that icon there.
It is a little different than how it looked before.
It comes up at the bottom of the screen with all sorts of information.
You can make a call.
You can see, tap that car icon there for driving directions right away.
There is photo, web sites, reviews, all sorts of things that Goggle provides.
You can see the same kind of information if you look in the web and then you just sort
of swipe down to put the search results there at the bottom.
If you want to get out of Search you hit the X at the upper right there.
Now you can also tap the directions button which looks like the little arrows there at
the top of the screen.
Now you can choose a destination you know from your current location to somewhere else
and then you can also choose at the top, you can do car, public transportation, or walking
directions.
Now after I choose directions there from one place to another it shows me the route.
It also sometimes shows you alternate routes, you can zoom in on the route there.
It gives you information.
You can preview, which is useful here since I am not actually driving, to go to each thing.
I can just swipe back and forth and see each turn at the top.
A few other things.
You can also tap the little person icon at the upper right and that takes you to things
pertaining to your gmail account.
If you've done map searches online before you might find some of your history there.
Or you can sign in using your gmail account and it will preserve the history as you search
for things here on your iPhone.
In case you are wondering, yes you can turn your iPhone horizontally and in the horizontal
mode with Goggle Maps.
So the question is which one is better.
The answer is, it doesn't matter.
Goggle Maps is free so there is no reason you shouldn't add it as an alternate to your
iPhone.
You may like somethings on one and somethings on the other.
For instance I like that Apple Maps it hooks up with Siri so I can use it for directions
without having to actually look at my phone while driving.
I look Goggle Maps traffic view.
It seems a little more clear and easy to get a good picture.
I hope you found this useful.
Until next time this is Gary with MacMost Now.