With the busy lives we lead, it is a common sight to see people rushing to catch the train or bus. Wouldn’t it have been simpler if public transportation was scheduled? Well, it looks like the folks over at Google are listening. Google Maps for Android version 4.3 allows users to catch the next train or bus thanks to the new upcoming schedules feature. The app now also gives users the ability to search for the right place and add latitude to friends.
The tool boasts of a couple of interesting new features that seem to enhance the locating experience on Android phones says the official Google Mobile blog. For those used to making split decisions for dinner plans, straight on the search result pages is a snapshot of what people are saying about the places. Enthusiasts may no longer have to span through complete reviews to get a know-how of the restaurants.
They can start by glancing at the aspects that have the most frequent mention like food, service, atmosphere and more. Similar to Place Pages for the computer, the tool’s color coded bar proffers on an average how positively individuals are speaking about an individual aspect. Nevertheless, a simple tap will detail out the actual review snippets.
The public transit station pages too have got an interesting addition namely upcoming schedules. Tapping the window on selecting any transit station icon right from the map will open its page. This reveals a useful listing of next departure times for any subways, trains or buses decamping from that station offering transit information.
Google Latitude moreover, has been simplified to help users find friends and family with whom they wish to share their location. They can now begin sharing their location with their Google Contacts right at the bottom of their Latitude friend list. Tapping the + icon allows users to add any suggested friends and post them a sharing request while tapping the x will drop the contacts from the suggested friend list. The dropped friends can always be added later by opting for the ‘Add friends’ option from the Latitude menu.
Version 4.3 of Google Maps for Android has been unveiled for all countries and languages that currently offer Maps. Users can avail of the application by searching for Google Maps in Android Market from their Android 1.6+ phones.