Google has rolled out an updated version of Google Maps for Android with three key new features. The first is support for voice and ringtone notifications in Transit Navigation. This allows you to receive an audible alert when it’s time to transfer or when you’ve reached your destination.
The company also says it’s adding support for Transit Navigation to tablets, allowing you to get bus, subway, and other public transit directions on Honeycomb tablets — although this doesn’t seem to be working on the Samsung Galaxy Tab I tried it with today.
Finally, Google is returning the “Bubble Buttons” option which had been removed in earlier builds. You can open up the “Labs” area in the settings menu and enable this option. Then when you tap on a place on the map you’ll see buttons that allow you to place a phone call or get navigation directions to that place right away, without opening the Google Places page first.
You can download the latest version of Google Maps for Android from the Android Market.
I love the button on the right for the direct link to the navigation! Each of those confirmation clicks just sucks. In 99% you click on what you want. In 1%, you miss it. That translates to a useless click in 99% of the cases to save you a click in 1% of the cases –> DECELERATOR AND LATENCY MULTIPLIER – WHAT THE F***????
I LOVE the new “bubble buttons”.
So before:
1. tab on the search field
2. type address
3. tap on “go”
4. tap on the bubble
5. tap on navigation
6. tap on some navigation again
And now:
1. tab on the search field2. type address3. tap on “go”
4. tap on the right navigation button – there you go much faster