Earlier this afternoon, Google pushed Maps v5.7 to the Android Market . The app’s Transit Navigation (beta) feature brings GPS stop-by-stop nav to public transit systems in over 400 cities around the globe, helping you locate the subway or bus stop, then letting exactly when to get off as you ride. There are obvious benefits to using this in a foreign city, where alert-enabled (English!) directions could potentially prevent hours of frustration. We left our office to brave the sunlight in NYC, walking a block to the closest subway station en-path to Times Square. The app worked well up until we reached the underside of the primary staircase, where it lost cell reception and its GPS fix. Jump past the break to work out the way it fared above ground, and try our hands-on video for a Google Maps -led adventure through Big apple City’s public transit system.
For now, let’s head back off below. Our first train arrived early, just seconds after reaching the platform. Without adequate GPS reception, however, the app didn’t even know we boarded until we resurfaced 10 minutes later in Times Square. Maps did provide a catalogue of stops, which literally reflected the on-train display (phew). After reaching Times Square, we decided to come to the office via bus. Unfortunately, Maps insisted that we ride the subway instead, refusing to offer door-to-door routing for any of the bus lines that will have enabled us to get home without losing GPS. Your best option was to input a place to begin too on the brink of our destination for the subway to be practical, so we walked 20 blocks to catch the bus, which arrived two minutes early. When we started moving, Navigation adjusted, swapping a bus arrival countdown for our destination stop, and an adjusted countdown. As we passed the second one-to-last stop, our Nexus S 4G vibrated and displayed a “get off” warning — so you’ll know when to get off even though you are taking an unexpected snooze.
After we hopped off the bus and made a turn off the bus route, the app switched to walking directions, which we followed for a couple of feet until we reached our destination. We imagine the identical instructions would seem when riding other vehicles, including trams and trains, though we couldn’t test at the subway by way of poor connectivity. Overall, Google Maps Transit Navigation (beta) worked alright, though we needed an technique to opt to ride the bus as opposed to the subway (hint hint, Google!). We’re especially serious about the growing availability of transit nav beyond Ny city, and expect to find our destination without hassle at the next overseas adventure.
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