Wherever youre headed, Google Maps can give you a photo of what youll discover when you arrive, from real-time crowd numbers to menus, rates and contact information.
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I rarely use Google Maps to get instructions, however I open the app almost every day for other factors that might not be obvious initially look– you can use Google Maps tricks to do far more than show you how to receive from Point A to Point B.
Beneath all those color-coded traffic patterns and hi-res satellite images hides a powerful search tool that provides crowdsourced real-time information on dining establishments, stores, professional offices, public parks and virtually anywhere else you want to go.
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Compared to some of Google Maps relatively more recent updates, which include hugely improved transit navigation, language translation powered by AI, and incognito mode to prevent leaving a proof, turn-by-turn directions are so last decade. If youre already familiar with this app as a navigation tool, next-level powers such as these are just a tap, press or swipe away once you know the following Google Maps tricks.
To release the hidden power of the Google Maps app on your phone or tablet, take a look at the five ways I utilize Google Maps nearly every day that have nothing to do with getting directions.
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This feature is as useful for dining establishment pickup and shipment as it is for previewing menu options and rates– not to mention getting an excellent appearance at the meals. ZIP code: This ones less typical, but when Ive needed it, Google Maps has saved me heaps of time. Of course, Google Maps is also chock-full of features that assist with what the app is most certainly designed to do– reveal you how to get where youre going. Start with these six Google Maps techniques you probably dont understand about. If you take place upon any mishaps, speed traps or other slowdowns while youre out and about, you can now report up to 7 different types of road incidents straight from the Google Maps app.
See the length of time the line is all over from Walmart to the DMV
In the Google Maps app, real-time information on lines, crowds and wait times remains in red, however you can tap any other hour of day to see what you can probably expect then.
Screenshot by Dale Smith/CNET
Before I stroll out the door, whether Im heading to Walmart, the grocery shop, the medical professionals workplace or to restore my chauffeurs license, I usually check Google Maps to see exactly how hectic I can anticipate my destination to be. Heres how you can look up that details too.
In the Google Maps app, tap on business or place you wish to scroll and visit down until you see a chart labeled Popular times. If youre planning a journey for later on that week, tap the day of the week.
Tap on the red column to see current foot-traffic information, or among the blue columns to get a summary of how hectic you can anticipate it to be at another time: Not busy, Not too hectic, A little hectic or As hectic as it gets.
Next, under the heading Plan your go to, youll find basic information like peak wait times (” up to 5 min from 6 a.m.– 12 a.m.”) and length of typical check out (” People usually spend 20 min here”). Now you know whether youll be in and out in a flash or if you require to load a great book or simply plan your see for another day when wait times arent as long.
Want to wait till the line at the coffee shop is shorter? Look under “Popular times” to see when the crowds typically wane.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Take a look at menus, images and client evaluations
In addition to its navigation tools, Google Maps is likewise a full-blown crowdsourced evaluation app, just like Yelp or TripAdvisor, so you can get an excellent idea of what sorts of options your destination provides, as well as rate, discussion and whether youll need to get a loan to manage it.
This function is as useful for dining establishment pickup and delivery as it is for previewing menu alternatives and prices– not to mention getting a good look at the dishes. It might make or break your decision to attempt someplace new. For those who rely on the wisdom of crowds, it also reveals the restaurants luxury average along with private reviews to weigh in your decision.
On a lot of dining establishment listings youll see a navigation bar at the top with Overview, Menu, Reviews and Photos noted as alternatives (you might have to side-scroll to see all of them). Tap any of those or just scroll down. The link labeled Menu is typically listed just listed below running hours, but keep scrolling till you see the heading Popular dishes to see photos of food. Keep going previous Popular times until nearly the extremely bottom to find the dining establishments five-star average and user reviews.
Get a feel for the type of food a restaurant provides by browsing menus, images and reviews in the Google Maps app.
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Reserve a table or place an order for carryout or delivery
Many of the time you dont even have to leave the Google Maps app to make a reservation as soon as youve gotten a sneak peek at all your restaurant alternatives. You can also normally order carryout or delivery from within the app if you d rather eat at house.
If the restaurant youve chosen uses a booking service like OpenTable, youll see a tab below the Menu choice that states either Find a table or Reserve a table. You do not actually have to log in to the reservation service to make the appointment (although if you collect perk points or otherwise actively utilize the service you might desire to anyhow).
For carryout or shipment, look for a choice identified Place an order. A popup will provide you a list of readily available services, like DoorDash or Postmates, however you will have to check in to complete your order, so if you have an account with any of them youll probably wish to choose that a person.
Hey, Google Assistant, how d you get on my iPhone?
I spend most of my digital life in the notoriously walled garden of the Apple community, with one glaring exception: I use a Google Home ($ 99 at Crutchfield) with Google Assistant to manage my clever home..
Google Assistant does not come baked into iOS the method Apples less capable voice assistant Siri does, but a setting in Google Maps lets you shove Siri to the side so you can have always-on access to Google Assistant while navigating..
To set the Google Maps app on your iPhone to listen for “OKAY, Google” while browsing, open the Google Maps app and tap on the menu icon (the three stacked horizontal lines to the left of the search bar), then tap Settings. At the top of the page, under the heading Getting Around, tap Navigation, then scroll to the choice labeled Access your Assistant with “OK Google” and turn the toggle on.
Google Home devices like this Nest Hub come with Google Assistant baked in, however on iPhones you have to use a Google app like Google Maps to summon the digital sidekick.
Dale Smith/CNET.
Admittedly, this workaround is a little wonky– you need to set Google Maps to navigate to a specific destination for the “OK, Google” voice command to work, and you cant summon Siri with “Hey, Siri” while this function is switched on. However until Android can charm me far from my iPhone, its much better than nothing.
Find running hours, contact number, ZIP codes and more.
Whenever I require to understand when a shop or organization opens or closes, or if I need to call the place and I dont have the number, or on the unusual event when I need the ZIP code for an organization for which the street name and number are all I know off the top of my head (say, for a task application), I go directly to Google Maps to get these responses and more..
Heres where to rapidly and easily find fundamental details about areas listed in Google Maps:.
Running hours: Businesses hours of operation are displayed instantly underneath the address. You can tap the down arrow beside todays closing time to see hours for other days of the week. Many listings are updated with any unique vacation hours, which are highlighted in a red font.
Find the ZIP code for practically any organization in the United States by searching for its name or street address on Google Maps.
Angela Lang/CNET.
Contact number: Beneath hours of operation in a lot of listings youll discover the telephone number. To call it without leaving Google Maps, tap the number, then tap the pop-up that displays the prompt to Call followed by the number.
Website: If the business has a website, it will be noted below the contact number. Tap it to open the site in a Google Chrome-powered tab within the Google Maps app.
Postal code: This ones less common, but when Ive needed it, Google Maps has saved me tons of time. Either get in the street name and number or the organization name and tap search. At the top of the listing next to the street address, youll now see the ZIP code.
Of course, Google Maps is likewise chock-full of functions that help with what the app is most clearly created to do– show you how to get where youre going. If you occur upon any accidents, speed traps or other slowdowns while youre out and about, you can now report up to seven different types of roadway occurrences directly from the Google Maps app.
