The Next Web: Google will keep people safe with real-time SOS Alerts in Search and Maps. “The so-called SOS Alerts initiative will introduce numerous help tools to Search and Maps. Designed to keep users safe, the new addition will display top stories, authoritative local information, emergency hotlines and websites, as well as various translations of useful phrases and terms.”
Google Maps
BetaNews: Google Maps tells you the best time to start your journey
BetaNews: Google Maps tells you the best time to start your journey. “Time your departure time wrong, and even the simplest of journeys can end up taking far longer than it was meant to. Hit traffic, and your journey time could be doubled — or worse. A new feature of Google Maps aims to eliminate this problem.”
Game of Thrones: The old Views and the new (Google Blog)
Google Blog: Game of Thrones: The old Views and the new. “Ned Stark always warned, ‘winter is coming.’ The white raven confirmed that it’s finally here, and so is the season seven premiere of “Game of Thrones.” Fans have been waiting a year for the new season, but our watch hasn’t ended—the Street View team has been assembling a collection of ‘Game of Thrones’ filming locations longer than Arya Stark’s kill list. As you prepare for the episodes to come, you can go back to the iconic places and scenes with the most famous families in the Seven Kingdoms: the Starks, Lannisters and Targaryens.” The blog post warns that there are spoilers – unfortunately I can’t point to where they are because I don’t watch the show.
Zoutnet: Google has “stolen” Grobler Street
Zoutnet: Google has “stolen” Grobler Street. “The disappearance of a street in the CBD [Central Business District] is a serious matter for many residents. A number of businesses are situated in Grobler Street and these businesspeople may wonder whether people using GPS devices relying on Google Maps will be able to find their shops. In an era where technology dictates how we respond to problems, the first option was to point out the error to Google. This was done via Google Maps’ data-error reporting function. Not long after that, the friendly computer at Google sent an email, stating that ‘Your suggestion is being reviewed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.’ A week later, after not receiving any further acknowledgement for the knowledge shared, some more options were explored.”
Google Blog: Keep up with the Tour—or create your own—with Search and Maps
Google Blog: Keep up with the Tour—or create your own—with Search and Maps. “Now globally on the Google app for Android and iOS and the mobile web, when you search for Tour de France (or a similar query) on Google, you’ll see detailed information about the race and athletes as well as see the latest news stories. Most notably, you’ll also see the current standings of the race, which show jersey holders along with stage-by-stage results. As an added bonus, you’ll also have access to real-time update posts from the Tour de France directly in the search results.”
Digital Inspiration: See all your Google Contacts on a Google Map
From Digital Inspiration and the always-excellent Amit Agarwal: See all your Google Contacts on a Google Map. “Want to know where you friends and family are? Map My Contacts, an open-source web app, will help you quickly visualize the location of your Google contacts on a world map. It reads the addresses of people from your Google Contacts and puts them all on a Google Map using a simple Google Script.”
Google Blog: Building a map for everyone
Google Blog: Building a map for everyone . “Many of us take for granted simple things like walking through a doorway, taking the stairs to the next floor, or always having a comfortable seat at a restaurant table. But for tens of millions of people worldwide, those very things aren’t possible unless a place has a wheelchair accessible entrance, elevator or accessible seating. Today we’re introducing a new way to add accessibility details about places to Google Maps and Search.”
