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The new Google Maps app was finally released, and I’m loving it so far, but it’s missing a feature I’ve been hoping to see map apps implement for some time. I have this problem where as soon as I pull up directions on my phone, whether right after entering my destination or getting out of the subway station, I get into this confused spinning dance. What I’m trying to do is find out which direction I should be heading in. I twist the phone, I turn my body, all in the hopes that my little blue-dotted self will finally turn in line with the path I’ve been told to take.
There’s got to be a better way.
Navigating through a city like London requires a bit more than the turn-at-this-street style of directions we’ve grown so accustomed to. When you’re on foot just stepping off the bus at a crowded intersection, being told to turn left on the Mall isn’t all that easy. It’s hard to orient yourself, at least for me, and that’s when the dance begins (let’s not get into the figure-8 rave that Apple sometimes asks me to do to recalibrate the compass).
So here’s my solution:
When you’re ever confused about which way to head in, you simply tap that spinning person button, and you’ll quickly be told what to do, regardless of whether you even know where you are. Similar to the panorama feature on the Camera app, turning will trigger a progressive filling of the box. Here, however, the filling rate is not only determined by how fast you turn, but also by how far you need to turn. Once you’re set on the correct path, you’re told to take off and the box fades out until the next time you’re lost.
Kyro Beshay is a student of medicine and design. For dancing tips, you should follow him on Twitter here.
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Why don’t you just use the live compass view?
+1
That’s the view dedicated sat nav units use by default, isn’t it?
Yeah, Google maps has it if you tap the compass icon twice, gives you a pointy arrow and updates to whichever direction you’re facing.
Whoever wrote this article is INSANELY dense if they didn’t know about this.
I have to admit I’ve only ever used the navigation on Google Maps a few times, and the only thing that annoyed me was that it’s too convoluted to get to the directions list, which IMO should be the central thing the navigation should be based around… or at least the quick icons should be shown by default to get to the directions list and street view from a single click. It just seems a little bizarre from a UX perspective.
Looking into this is does seem the ‘compass’ mode is seemingly only available in map mode, as oppose to navigation mode, although I think when you are following a route in navigation the view perspective turns with you.
I should add, relating to the point in the article, the compass mode is probably the most prominent and obvious option on the screen and probably should know how to use it properly.
To be honest, I don’t understand how the writer struggles with this. If you;re in navigation mode, your icon is a triangle and the view orientates itself to match your drection and if you’re in compass mode, it’s the same.
People often tell me to get lost, but it’s just not possible anymore!
Have you tried using Apple Maps?
?