Getting directions to businesses now easier on Google Maps for mobile
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 | 7:08 AM
One of my favorite things about Google Maps for mobile is finding businesses on the go. Today we launched a server-side change that makes it easier to get directions to businesses. You can now get directions to restaurants, stores, and other points of interest by entering their names in the start or end point. Consider this example:
Until today, if you tried to get directions and entered a business name, "starbucks" for example, as the end or start point, Google Maps for mobile did not understand that you meant Starbucks the business. Rather, Google Maps for mobile would search for an address with "starbucks" in it.
Google Maps for mobile now recognizes when your end or start point is a business and not an address. Try setting "starbucks" or "mcdonald's" as an end point when getting directions, and you'll quickly see what we mean.
If you've already got Google Maps on your BlackBerry, Nokia S60, T-Mobile G1, iPhone, or other smartphone, then you don't have to download anything to start using this new feature. This is because today's launch was made on our servers, not the Google Maps for mobile client.
But if you don't already have Google Maps for mobile, visit google.com/gmm on your phone to download it today.
Posted by Constantinos Michael, Software Engineer
Labels: google maps for mobile, Mobile Blog
10 comments:
Rob said...
Thank you! It's funny that you used Starbucks in your post as I always use Starbucks when I demo the feature to friends. I always used to type in Starbucks Coffee to make it work. I tried just Starbucks this morning on my Verizon BlackBerry Pearl and it works great!
Now if only GPS worked...
January 7, 2009 at 8:08 AM
Wade Dorrell said...
Very nice, although Starbucks isn't the greatest example. Where I live, there's more than one, and it's a lot easier (in Live Search mobile app, as well as Google Maps mobile app IIRC) to search for "starbucks" first, see the businesses plotted on the map (against your location and other potential destinations, such as the meeting you're going to after Starbucks.) Was that scenario broken in Google Maps before this update?
January 7, 2009 at 11:47 AM
mcjung said...
Those of us who don't have browsers (or don't pay for data service) can get directions by texting to GOOGL. But we're being left behind - "[my location] to starbucks" doesn't seem to have been activated yet.
January 8, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Naaptol said...
Google map is really good. I think it would help user to find our their way
January 8, 2009 at 10:55 PM
Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo said...
Google Mobile maps is a super program! I love it. It works great on my HTC P3600.
Today, I was trying to get the address of my local Sam's Club. I sent a text message to Google. It did not return a address or phone number after repeated tries.
I downloaded the new version. I put in Sam's Club as a destination. Immediately, it gave the locations of the 4-5 Sam's Club in Indianapolis. GREAT!
The only drawback is the font is smaller and different (looks like New Times Roman) on the new version. It makes it VERY HARD to read.
Woody
http://WhatsWoodyDoingNow.blogspot.com
January 10, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Unknown said...
YES IS A PROGRESS,BUT IF WE HAVE AMBITION AND YET WE OFFER GLOBAL SERVICES WY NOT WE CAN LOAD EFECTIVELY AND IN DETAIL THE DRIVING MAPS EVEN IN ROMANIA! YOU HAVE MANY STRETS AND THE SERVICE DISPLAY ONLY A FEW ROADS,IN FACT WHO CROSS ROMANIA,EUROPEAN ROADS!!!!!!
WE HAVE IT"S IN US AND ALL OVER I KNOW THEY ARE GOOD ,WY NOT!TEY HAVE MANY CONTRYBUTON,LIKE WE HAVE,WE ARE NOT FROM THE 3RD WORLD!
EX BIT DEFENDER OR ATHERS!
THANK YOU!
January 15, 2009 at 12:29 AM
zahoor said...
首页上的链接为什么没有中文版本的呢？
January 15, 2009 at 1:36 AM
observator said...
I am not too happy with the new Google Maps for Mobile (GMM).
There are a number of issues which make it difficult for me to use:
1.
It is impossible to discover the geocoordinates of a given point. This would be a very useful feature when trying to give a friend my location using a voice telephone connection, e.g. mobile to mobile. Some people have standalone GPS devices for which links are not really useful, but geo coordinates are,
2.
When I try to link to a YouTube video, spawning a video via the YouTube site will be frustrated because the inbuilt GMM browser does not understand links to streaming media for Windows Mobile 3gp and exits. Direct links to the 3gp file will not be accepted by the GMM editor.
January 20, 2009 at 1:50 AM
Unknown said...
Please fix the blackberry version to work with the storm.
January 29, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Anonymous said...
March 28, 2009 at 3:01 AM
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