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Tag: google latitude

  • Google Makes An Update To Its Big Google Maps Update

    Google announced the launch of its big new Google Maps update for Android this week. It’s coming to iOS soon. The update includes a tablet-oriented version of Google Maps for the first time.

    We took a fairly extensive look at what the app has to offer here.

    As part of the announcement, Google revealed that it is retiring its location feature Google Latitude. Also gone was the Offline Maps feature, though Google did offer a workaround.

    Anyhow, Google announced today that it has made an adjustment to the release related to these two particular items. Google said in a Google+ post:

    We’ve been happy to hear so many of you enjoying the interface and features of the new Google Maps app for Android, but we know some of you are missing an easy way to access maps offline. That’s why our engineering team has been working around the clock to add a “Make this map area available offline” card below the search box for easier access. And, if you still want some #thumbercise, typing “ok maps” will work too!

    With this update, we’ve also added a “Where’s Latitude?” link at the bottom of the side menu which provides more information about the future of location sharing.

    The update is beginning a global roll-out today.

    Make Maps available offline

  • Google Kills Latitude, Launches New Maps App

    Google announced on Wednesday that it is launching a new Google Maps app for Android smartphones and tablets. It will soon come to iOS. Along with this app comes the news that Google is finally killing its Google Latitude location service.

    Google showed off the new Google Maps interface at Google I/O back in May, and launched the desktop version.

    In the new app, the Explore feature lets you browse and discover new places with visual cards that appear without searching. These include eating, drinking and shopping destinations. Here’s what that looks like:

    Google Maps

    Maps Android

    There are also enhanced navigation features. There are two new traffic features to accompany current traffic conditions: incident details and alerts for better routes.

    Incident details

    Route alerts

    If you ever have any trouble with Google Maps (as many of us do from time to time), you can simply shake your device while you have the app open to send Google feedback.

    The app takes advantage of Google’s new 5.0 star rating system for places like restaurants, bars and cafes. Zagat badges and curated lists are integrated into search results:

    Zagat

    Zagat lists

    The app comes with new Google Offers integration, making it easy to find nearby offers.

    “When you search for a restaurant or store in the app, you’ll see a blue tag icon near the business name or next to its pin on the map if they have an offer available,” explains Gayathri Rajan, Director of Product Management for Google Offers. “Simply swipe the place info sheet up to get more details on the business, and tap on the offer to use it immediately in store or save to your Google account to use later.”

    Offers

    Google is also showing Offers in search ads and on websites, and announced that it has partnered with brands like Michaels Stores, RadioShack, Red Mango, Red Robin, Ulta Beauty, Toys”R”Us, Sports Authority, BJ’s Restaurant, Macy’s, Disney Store, and Payless Shoesource.

    As far as tablets go, this is the first time Google has offered a dedicated Maps app for Android tablets and iPads.

    “A dedicated tablet design brings all the features of this new app to Android tablets and iPads, which makes exploring the world from the comfort of your living room much more fluid, smooth and fun,” says Google Maps Director Daniel Graf.

    With the retirement of Google Latitude, Google Maps no longer includes check-ins. This will end August 9th. Google says if you still want to share your location with friends, you can do so with location sharing and check-ins for Google+ (currently on Android, and coming to iOS).

    Google is also saying goodbye to offline maps for Android.

    “Instead we’ve created a new way for you to access maps offline by simply entering ‘OK Maps’ into the search box when viewing the area you want for later,” says Graf. “Finally, My Maps functionality is not supported in this release but will return to future versions of the app. People who want to create powerful custom maps can still do so with Maps Engine Lite on desktop.”

    The new app is gradually rolling out globally in Google Play. It is compatible with the Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean versions of Android, and will soon come to the App Store for iOS 6 and higher. Not all features are available in all countries.

  • Google Maps’ New Tool Helps Bosses Stay on Your Ass

    If you travel a lot for your job or happen to be in the type of delivery service where you get to wear brown shorts in the warm seasons, Google’s latest mapping tool could either be a great help or a great big pain in the backside depending on how your boss should implement it.

    The new tool, Google Maps Coordinate, combines Google Maps with aspects of Google Latitude, the company’s tracking service that shows other people your location in real-time (you have to opt-in to Latitude and even then only people with whom you allow to see your location will be able to keep tabs on you, but that’s also only when it’s working). If an employer regularly has workers out in the field, whether its a cable company or a messenger service, she will be able to create tasks for the employees currently dispatched and then assign the tasks according to whichever worker is available and nearest.

    On the employee’s side of things, they will be able to check in when they arrive at the job and then update the information whenever the job is complete. Employers will also be able to see each other’s location when out in the field so they can travel over to lend in a helping hand if need be (or just coordinate a good location to meet for their lunch break).

    The service sounds a lot more benign than it potentially is in the intro video that Google put together, which is why Google probably used the example of an “alternative power business” instead of, say, a pimp or a hitman.

    Google Maps Coordinate, perhaps obviously, works across mobile platforms and also integrates Google Indoor Maps.

    While this is only available for businesses at the time, this could potentially be an amazing tool for organizing personal outings, too, such as when planning a protest or simply just trying to herd everybody together in a timely fashion for impromptu dinner plans.

  • Google Latitude Continues to Hobble Along, Website Down

    Two days after initial reports started appearing in a help forum that Google Latitude was performing about as well as a rocking horse at the Belmont Stakes, it appears that the service is still buggy for several users.

    The problem seems to be affecting both Android users and, for some, the desktop website. Basically, users have been unable to update their location on Latitude, assuredly leaving many of their friends and family to work up the obvious conclusion: that they have tripped and fallen off the face of the Earth.

    Yesterday, Googler Jade Wang offered up some advice on how to remedy the problem, but according to a few of you readers as well as commenters over at the Google help forum, that fix didn’t actually fix Latitude much. Today, however, a second Googler, Daniel Mabasa, contributed to the forum. His post was less advice but more reconnaissance for details about users experiencing the Latitude bug.

    Thanks for all the continued reports, the team is currently investigating the issues–we need a bit more information from you.

    1. What is the make/model, service carrier, OS version of your device (if you haven’t already provided it)?

    2. Is the email account you’re using for the forum the same as your latitude account? Only answer yes/no, do not post your email address.

    3. Do we have permission to look at your account’s Location History for debugging purposes? (This is strictly confidential and used solely for troubleshooting)

    Thanks for working with us to help resolve the issue.

    -Daniel

    He later provided a follow-up post with the following suggestion:

    A few more questions and steps for you:

    The following steps have helped some users resolve the issue, make sure you’ve done the following before sending us a new report:
    Update to Google Maps 6.8.1
    Tap “Join Latitude”
    Reboot your phone
    Wait several minutes
    Still not working? What are you seeing?

    A. Are some or all friends missing?
    B. Can your friends see you?
    C. Is your location updated on the website?

    His proposed fix still only addresses the Android problem and, even then, many subsequent replies to the suggestion have indicated that Latitude still isn’t working for people. Beyond the mobile problem, several users (myself included) continue to have difficulty when using the desktop version of Latitude on a variety of browsers.

    Actually, having just typed that, I decided to try Latitude out on my browsers just to be sure of its non-workingness but now it appears that Latitude has crapped out altogether.

    Google Latitude Server Error

    We’ll keep you updated as we find out what’s going on over at Google and, as always, feel free to let us know what your status is with Google Latitude in the comments section below. Especially let us know if Google’s advice above helped you out.

  • Google Latitude Bug Said to Be Fixed; Still Not Working for Some

    Following up on yesterday’s reported outage of Google Latitude, Google+ Community Manager Jade Wang posted an update in the Google Maps help forum about the Latitude problem:

    We recently noticed a bug in Google Maps for Android 6.8 that affected Latitude. We are aware that service was disrupted for some users, and we apologize. We have been working on the situation and have implemented a fix.

    To implement the fix, please upgrade to Google Maps for Android 6.8.1. Open the app and tap on the “Join Latitude” icon from the drop-down menu from the top toolbar to sign into Latitude.

    Despite the solution, several Latitude users posted replies in the thread stating that the proposed fix did not in fact fix Latitude for them. Although Wang offered the later suggestion that Android users should try the old turn-off-and-turn-on reboot, users still reported that Latitude wasn’t working for them after following the advice.

    Checking in the desktop version, I’m still met with the same “Unknown Location” location that I was seeing yesterday (evidenced in the lead image).

    As far as a possible Android fix is concerned, one user, rgrhcs, posted in the forum with this suggestion:

    Ok so after uninstalling Maps from my Android and then reinstalling the newest version 6.8.1 and rejoining Latitude it appears to have fixed the issue, but it will require all other people using it to the do same to allow for there location to also be updated and viewed.

    That same user then appended, “Hopefully this helps you get Latitude back working like it’s current crappy self….”

    So…. good luck, everybody?

    We contacted Google for an update on what’s going on with Latitude and to comment on why the proposed update doesn’t appear to be working for all users, but as of writing this we’ve yet to hear anything. In the meantime, anybody out there that’s experienced this bug had any success with Google’s proposed fix? Anybody discovered a different solution? Or is Latitude still not working for a lot of folks? Let us know in the comments.

  • Google Latitude Appears to Have a Buggy Problem

    According to user reports in the Google Maps help forum, Google Latitude, the real-time location app that lets you tell people where you are in this great big world, is currently down.

    The first report of the outage was posted roughly one day ago. Latitude appeared to only be down for users of the mobile app for Android but as of writing this the desktop app doesn’t seem to be working, either (see lead image). As far as the desktop version goes, if you try to share your location, you’ll find yourself with nothing other than a cornflower-blue abyss with the dubious “Unknown Location” as your locale. 31 posts have been made to the forum, all corroborating that Latitude is not functioning properly.

    Over at Search Engine Roundtable, Barry Schwartz confirmed with Google Map’s community manager that there is a bug afflicting Google Latitude at the moment but that a fix is on the way.

    We asked our Google Maps people for an update, but as of publishing this article we hadn’t heard back from them.

    In the meantime, playing with that Unknown Location feature is peculiar. For some reason, it’s not just a big blue abyss you’re sent to but somewhere in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Hawaii and just east of the islands of Buariki, Bonriki, and Bairiki. What’s neat about this location is that this specific spot is almost exactly where the International Date Line is.

    Fun factoid of the day: Google Latitude defaults you to the earliest beginning of the the day when it’s not working.

    Update: As of 5:21PM this afternoon, Latitude still doesn’t appear to working; still no word from Google. Guess you’ll just have to let people know where you are the old-fashioned way: telling them directly.

  • Google Latitude Check-In Offers Take On Foursquare

    Back in February, Google added check-ins to Google Latitude, the company’s social location-based service. The feature found its way to the iPhone a couple weeks ago.

    During SXSW, Google rolled out check-in offers for 60 places around Austin, Texas, and now they’ve launched check-in offers all across the United States for Android and iPhone users.

    “Checking in lets you share the places that you visit and add context to your Latitude location for friends and family,” explains Douglas Gresham, a Software Engineer on the Google Maps for mobile team. “At the same time, you can keep a history of where you’ve been while gaining status at the places you visit the most. When you gain status at places, they can now reward your loyalty with check-in offers. From discounts to a free snack, check-in offers let places give you an extra reason to keep coming back.”

    “By default, you can become a Regular, VIP, or Guru at places, but we’re also letting partners create their own status levels for you to achieve (coming soon on iPhone). For example, you can become a Champion of Taste at Quiznos or an AE Gold Shopper at American Eagle Outfitters, unlocking their check-in offers at the same time.”

    Google Latitude Check-in Offers

    Foursquare recently launched seven new types of offers for businesses to extend to customers. This move by Google should be seen as a direct competitor to this.

    Google may have started this at SXSW, but I can tell you from having been there that Foursquare’s presence was much more widely felt throughout the event and the town.

    Currently, Google partners on check-in offers include American Eagle, Quiznos, Arby’s, RadioShack, Finish Line, and Macy’s. This will no doubt get expanded much more widely in the future.

    Read here for some other ideas on how to use Google Latitude for business.

  • Google Latitude App Updated

    Google Latitude App Updated

    Over at the Mobile Blog, Google announced updates to two different iPhone apps, Google Latitude and Google Places.

    Google Latitude, the app that lets you see your friend’s locations on a Google map and share where you are, has added check-ins to the iPhone. (Check-ins were previously available on the Android) Now your friends will know that you are at that Irish Pub as opposed to just somewhere on the corner of Walnut and Main.

    Check-ins are of course optional, and can be made public, private or somewhere in between. However, if you set the app to continuously update your location, it will automatically check you out of places when you leave – something that Foursquare or Facebook cannot yet boast. Repeated check-ins earn you Regular, VIP, and Guru status. Austin, TX offers deals for repeated check-ins, and it wouldn’t be surprising if other cities began to follow suit.

    The app requires iOS 4 and above. You can use it on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad and iPod touch.

    Google also announced that it added languages to its Places app, which brings the count to 30 available. The app is now allowing you to save places as well. Hitting the “Saved” icon takes you to a depository of all your starred places from the app, google.com/hotpot or maps.google.com.

    All this check-in talk makes me wonder if a Google-Foursquare partnership could be anywhere on the horizon.

  • Using Google Latitude For Business

    Using Google Latitude For Business

    Using Google Latitude is and should be a personal thing – only to be used with people you trust. I use Latitude with my friends and make sure to only confirm close friends. However, recently I met a woman that works in marketing for a health organization. She told me about how her company uses Google Latitude for business tasks. In case you’re not familiar, Google Latitude shows your location to your selected contacts via your mobile device’s GPS.

    In the marketing and sales field, this woman travels frequently and has a number of responsibilities she juggles. Using Latitude allows her boss to see her location and share tasks according to her location. Grouping errands is always a good thing, especially when it’s a part of your job! Not only does this allow the business to cut costs of back-and-forth trips, but helps this marketing coordinator get her job done – faster.

    Google Latitude

    For sales people and other employees on-the-go throughout the day, using Latitude allows management to delegate tasks, depending on location of their employees.  Especially if multiple employees are on the road, tracking their location increases productivity and efficiency of the business. Although there are other applications and services that allow management to implement tracking of their employees – Google Latitude is a tool that’s easy to use, and free.

    What shocked me most was that a business owner saw the opportunity in a product – mostly used for personal friendships – and took it to new levels for the business. Not only is transparency a theme with social media jobs, but here, it gives employers a portal to see where their employees are at any time.

    This whole concept reminds me of an app that will alert you when you’re near one of your errands. Keep forgetting to run to the pharmacy? This app will alert you when you’re near one. For android folks out there – ListPlus will do the job and for iPhone users there’s Errand Alert.

    Since there are applications that will let you know when you’re near one of your errands, do companies really need to be asking employees to share their location 24/7? Of course there are tasks that arise in the middle of the day while employees are already out, so the errand alert type applications wouldn’t do the trick. Using Google Latitude could add in the ability for those back at the office to survey which employee is closest to the desired location. Then the task could be assigned to that one person without sending a frenzied email – "Who is closest to _____ location?"

    Will GPS enabled apps end up being another staple of all businesses – like email? Would you consider sharing your location with your boss or employees?  If you already are Foursquare friends with your boss or employees you aren’t really that far away. Let me know what you think.

    Originally published at SearchMarketingSage

  • Google Latitude Adds Check-in Options

    Facebook, Foursquare, and Gowalla (along with several other companies) now have a little more competition when it comes to location-based check-in services.  Starting this afternoon, Google Latitude users can also let their friends know when they’ve arrived at a certain place.

    Google’s rationale for this upgrade is that check-ins add context.  Now, rather than just seeing a pal is on a certain street, a user can figure out whether he’s grabbing a drink at a coffee shop or buying a new vehicle at the adjacent car dealer.

    As for how it works, the check-in process can be about as discreet or obtrusive as desired.  Options range from notifications – where Latitude will nudge users to check in at nearby places – to automatic check-ins and check-outs to keep people from fumbling with their phones or appearing to spend the night at Walmart.

    Then here’s an incentive for individuals to play along: the act of checking in can take a person to a business’s Place page, allowing them to learn more about it.

    There shouldn’t be much to worry about on the privacy side of things, either.  A post on the Official Google Blog explained, "[W]e thought carefully about how to make checking in to places quick and easy while giving you control over your privacy.  Just like when sharing your location with Latitude, checking in is 100% opt-in, and you can choose to share any check-in with your friends on Latitude, publicly on the web and your Google profile, or just yourself."

    The main problem, of course, is that Google’s quite late to the check-in game and could have some trouble getting potential users’ attention.

  • Google Latitude App For iPhone Launches

    Starting today, iPhone users may begin enjoying a lot more lunches, coffee breaks, and random shopping mall sit-downs with friends.  The Google Latitude app for iPhone was officially released this morning, and it promises to keep users informed of their (consenting) pals’ locations at all times.

    We won’t delve too deep into how Latitude works since it’s been out for 20 months and has amassed more than 9 million users through the Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile operating systems.  The main point is that it shows friends’ positions on a map, and then lets people message each other to set up meetings.

    An added plus: the app can continue to provide location information when running in the background, so a person can use his or her phone for other things without disappearing off the face of the virtual earth.

    Privacy shouldn’t be a concern, though, as Google was sure to remind everyone.  A post on the Google Mobile Blog noted, "Remember, Latitude is 100% opt-in.  You must install the app and add friends (or accept requests) to start sharing your location.  You can turn off background updating if you’d like and control the same privacy settings: share only city-level location, hide your location, or sign out of Latitude at any time."

    A demo of sorts is available in the video below.

    Enjoy the app if you decide to download it.  Just be careful that sharing your location all the time doesn’t leave you with a dead battery.

  • Google Latitude API Launched at Google I/O

    During Google I/O today, out here in San Francisco, Google announced among many other things, that it is opening up a Google Latitude API.

    Google Latitude is of course the company’s major component in the increasingly competitive location space. With the release of the API, its presence will be felt much more greatly throughout the mobile web. The company calls the API an "easy and safe way" to use Latitude location with any apps/services.

    "Since launching Latitude, our team has been talking about all the cool things you could do with your continuously updated Latitude location," says Ana Ulin, a software engineer on the Google Mobile team. "While we’ve built some of our ideas, there are simply too many exciting ones for us to do alone. Instead, we wanted to  let you safely share your Latitude location with third parties who could create apps that do more with your location."

    Some examples Ulin gives include thermostats that turn on and off automatically as you approach/drive away from your home, alerts for heavy traffic ahead of you on your driving route, credit card account alerts of potential fraud, and photo albums so your vacation photos appear on a map.

    The Latitude API is certainly not the only thing Google is up to today in enhancing its presnece in the location space. The company also announced new Google Buzz APIs, and that "everything is geo-enabled."