“Ditch the GPS. It’s ruining your brain,” writes M. R. O’Connor in a recent Washington Post editorial. O’Connor is the author of Wayfinding: The Science and Mystery of How Humans Navigate the World (St. Martins Press, 2019), and what she says isn’t new to me. I have always had a terrible sense of direction, but I know it has gotten much worse with the convenience of saying, “OK Google, navigate to ____.” Apparently, our reliance on turn-by-turn directions has a deeper effect on perception and judgment, and even on our ability to imagine the future. But if recent news is any indication, it’s only going to get easier and more convenient to stick with the navigation assistance from our phones.
- Google Maps’ New AR Walking Directions Are Pretty Cool (Lifehacker)
“When it’s activated, you’ll sometimes see a virtual sign to let you know about how far away you are from your next turn. As you approach, you might also see a gigantic blue arrow in the sky, letting you know how important it is that you do not miss this turn.” - Apple gives Maps a major rebuild, includes Street View-like 3D imagery (TechCrunch)
“The Maps reveal also is important for one other aspect: the company has been going big on the privacy angle, not least because others have not.” - Google Assistant comes to Waze, allows for hands-free incident reports (Android Authority)
“Now, instead of having to jump through several on-screen menus to report a broken-down car or construction, users can say, ‘Hey Google, report debris on the road.'” - Google Maps tests a new alert for when your taxi goes off route (XDA Developers)
“Last week, Google added the functionality to track delays in public transport and view auto-rickshaw fares for Google Maps users in India. This is among the several India-first initiatives that Google has taken eyeing the massive opportunities in the country.”
From the Ohio Web Library:
- STULEANEC, Andreea, and M. V. Herbei. “Can I Be Tracked by Google?” Research Journal of Agricultural Science, vol. 50, no. 4, Dec. 2018, pp. 351–360.
- D’Onfro, Jillian. “How Google’s Work With Motorbike Riders In India Demonstrates Its Plan For Emerging Markets.” Forbes.Com, May 2019, p. N.PAG.
- “28 Waze: FOR CLEARING THE ROADS. (Cover Story).” Fast Company, no. 223, Mar. 2018, pp. 66–67.
