Personally Yours on the Go - Personalized Recommendations in Google Maps 4.7
Monday, November 15, 2010 | 7:30 PM
Google Maps on Android just got even hotter with Hotpot, our new local recommendation engine that helps you discover places you’ll love based on opinions from you and your friends. Here’s how to get the benefits of Hotpot on your phone:
Rate places on the go — Now you can write and publish ratings and reviews from your mobile phone. We make it quick and easy with a new rating widget designed for rating places on the go. Install it from your homescreen by going to Menu > Add > Widgets > Rate Places. You can also post ratings and reviews directly from any Place page. So, when you polish off the crispiest carnitas taco you’ve ever eaten, you can pull out your Android phone to celebrate the event and give that taqueria the public love it deserves.
Get personalized recommendations — Why rate the places you’ve been? First, your ratings will personalize your search results by customizing them according to your tastes. Even better, when you add friends to the mix using Hotpot on your computer, your ratings will point them in the direction of the best enchiladas in town the next time they crave Mexican food, wherever they happen to be.
Of course, this works the other way too — so to reap the rewards, you’ll want to add friends to get recommendations for the places they love. Notice how John Hawkins, a colleague of mine in London who knows a lot about English pubs, recommends The Grenadier below.
Get Google Maps 4.7 for Android 1.6 and above everywhere Maps is already available. Just search for Google Maps in Android Market (or tap here from your phone).
By the way, if you’re an iPhone user, good news: we’ll soon have a Places app that allows you to rate and get place recommendations as well. Alternatively, you can rate and get place recommendations from your phone browser (iPhone and Android) in the US. Just visit the Places tab at google.com as we roll out over the next day.
We hope you enjoy getting and giving personalized recommendations to make place finding better and more fun.
Labels: android, android widget, google maps for mobile, googlenew, hotpot, Mobile Blog, Places
18 comments:
Georgi Kodinov said...
Hmm, is this update somehow geographically restricted ? I'm not getting it in from the Bulgarian android market in my froyo updated Samsung galaxy S phone.
November 15, 2010 at 9:08 PM
vkondra said...
Same for me, never seen google maps in the market. Orange/Israel. Friends of mine, having rooted phones, are able to see maps in the market by changing operator ID, so it is definitely some restriction based on your network operator.
November 15, 2010 at 11:19 PM
SDsc_rch said...
i entered a few reviews - hmmm.. they don't let you review a lot of places -- you have to complete a certain number and then they give you more choices
but i couldn't honestly review enough places to get more suggestions
that kinda holds me back
:(
but, its a cool idea - i'll definitely download the new maps app to my android phone
:)
November 15, 2010 at 11:24 PM
anilyzed said...
Why the hell does it not have a ADD ALL button. how can google expect me adding all my 300 friends by clicking add button 300 times ? and why cant I just import my friends list and send an automatic invitation e-mail to all my friends .. google builds great products with absolute silliness.
November 15, 2010 at 11:27 PM
howard said...
Is that it for the update? The most important question is does it still have the search bar, because if it does I won't bother updating.
November 16, 2010 at 12:13 AM
Martin Strnad said...
This is just great! I've not been a big fan of Foursquare or Gowala, but this is exactly what I like very much. No games, no silly coupons or badges, just simple rating and sharing. Clean and simple, that's what I expect! Good job Google.
November 16, 2010 at 1:58 AM
RandomCamden said...
Great update, however.... still got the issue where Starred Items are showing address, rather than the customized title I've given them..
I'll have to stick with 4.5.1 :o(
November 16, 2010 at 4:28 AM
Adriano W Almeida said...
Isn´t this Four Square´s idea?
November 16, 2010 at 5:58 AM
fran said...
I can't find it in my market here in Chile
November 16, 2010 at 7:03 AM
RShemesh said...
Never seen google maps in market same as ppl here.. Cellcome/Israel..
November 16, 2010 at 7:30 AM
Don Crowley said...
That widget does not just appear by magic... or is it 'Planet USA' only? Please make these things clear in posts. We hate launch hypes that are US only. We want it as well... AND Google voice. Please start rolling things out to the rest of the world just as quick :)
Just my 2 cents
November 16, 2010 at 7:43 AM
Unknown said...
Wow! That's epically cool. Google and Facebook are really going head to head on this front.
I wonder which I'll feel more comfortable submitting info to. Should be interesting to watch.
Google I trust, but FB I've been submitting.
More Tech News
November 16, 2010 at 7:55 AM
Paramendra Kumar Bhagat said...
Looks like Marissa Mayer has been busy.
November 16, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Puuks said...
No maps in market for Motorola Milestone in Latvia.
Why can't you just explain once and for all what is available to whom and why some are less lucky. And who to blame - Google, operator, manufacturer?
November 17, 2010 at 2:52 AM
Anonymous said...
Thanks for the warning that it won't work with Google Apps Accounts (or doesn't appear to).
I just spent an hour rating Bars near me, and when I refreshed to get a new selection, it failed to 'remember' what I had done, or who I was, or what I had amended my nickname to, or set my photo as.
I so LOVE it when Google wastes an hour of my life like that, when it is totally avoidable!
November 17, 2010 at 7:11 AM
Nitin Nayyar said...
I don't understand one thing, which is so basic to have in Google Maps and was working earlier I guess.
If I wish to put the current location as a Starred item, then all I need to do is to long touch the map, and it starts loading the address.
The address shown is that of a near by location, but If I wish to mark that location or starred item as my home, I cannot edit the Starred item.
So the point is , when I use navigation and in the destination location when i choose starred items, I cannot have my personally identified items like home etc...I have to go with the Addresses loaded while starring the point on map on my phone.
Please help
November 18, 2010 at 11:38 PM
ClubUgly ™ said...
Please release Google Maps Navigation for iPhone.
November 20, 2010 at 2:08 AM
AnteB said...
Nexus One - Croatia - Can't find google maps in Market! Wtf? I bought this phone so I could get new software and OS releases ASAP. And where is Android 2.3???
November 24, 2010 at 5:15 PM
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