There are a whole host of tricks on the Google Maps app for Android that many users don’t know about, from parking to 3D maps
Google Maps is an almost indispensable service nowadays. It allows us to move through unknown cities or to know the traffic situation in real time. And this on our smartphone or tablet. And yet there are a number of tricks on Google Maps for Android that not everyone knows about.
Let’s start with a useful but little-used feature: manually measuring distances. Google Maps’ navigation features are great for getting from point A to point B. But sometimes it’s not necessary to check a complete route. To figure out whether to take the car or walk, we just need to check our distance to our desired destination. To do this without starting the navigation, all we need to do is manually check the meters or kilometers that separate us from our reference point. How to do this? Simple, press on the place where you want to go until a red dot appears.
Once you have selected the place with the red indicator, click on the name of the place to bring up a menu from which you can select Measure Distance. If you do this, the map will show a line path made of dots, indicating the exact distance to the destination. Pressing Cancel will erase these directions from the map.
Remind me where I parked
Everyone has happened to return to the parking lot and not find the car. Getting confused at the stadium, mall or concert is very easy. Google Maps on Android can be used to remind us where we parked. To do this, simply open the app once you’ve parked and select the Save My Parking option from the menu. At this point the location is saved and when we need it we can set the navigator to quickly return to the car.
Train schedule
Commuting life is not easy. Especially if we commute by train. Luckily, on Google Maps we can get a preview of the schedules of different public transportation. From buses to trains. To view the timetable, just click on the name of a bus stop, metro or train station. If we set up navigation then we can also choose different times among the travel options to check for changes on holidays.
Book a hotel
Google Maps can also be used to check services near us. For example, let’s say we are in an unfamiliar city and need to look for a pizza place or an ATM. All we have to do is check what is located in our vicinity. On Google Maps we can even check the availability of hotels and book directly from the app.
Share travel information
Anxious wives, husbands or relatives? No problem with Google Maps we can share the progress of our trip with a click. So that everyone at home is more relaxed.
3D maps
Some places in the world, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom, can be viewed in 3D on our Android smartphones. It’s very easy to do just by zooming in on a city and tilting the map 45 degrees you’ll start seeing the buildings and monuments take shape.