Maps update...what were they thinking???

GadgetRick

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For me, one of the most useful features of Google Maps is the traffic layer. If I'm driving, and happen on some traffic, I'd fire it up to see how bad it is or if I need to detour. More often than not, this is when I'm NOT navigating using Google Maps.

So last week Google updated Maps again. Ok, that's always a good thing, right? Well, not in this case. Unless I'm missing something, after this update, the only way to see the traffic layer is to be in navigation. What the heck are they doing? I mean, why change that? I'm hoping I'm just missing something but I poked around Maps for quite some time and cannot find how to display layers when not navigating.

This is now the second app Google has updated and screwed up. They screwed up Google Voice when they started changing the access number they use. Can't do free calls with friends and family now since it's a different access number each time. Have to downgrade the app to be able to do this again...
 

dbutters

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Yeah, traffic doesn't even show up in nav mode. Hit the layers button, traffic is the first one.
 

DF Smod

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Great update with the addition of Pegman in streetview :)
 

Vulcan1600

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I found the traffic in Layers too after the update. Overall I'm not too happy with the update. It seems like it takes longer for the satellites to find me, the street view doesn't seem to work well, and takes a long time for it to start working, and I could never get the pegman to work. To me, it was unneeded for my usage.
 

moot

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I can still see traffic in the Maps (not navigation). Just tap the layers icon and select the traffic layer in maps main screen.
 

m2thedeep

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The only thing I don't like is the removal of the My Location blip that was included in Google Labs. The feature isn't entirely removed though, Google just changed the location of it to the top right corner.
 

pyro6128

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Yea the traffic layer works fine in my Maps app too. Just click the layer icon on top and there you go. If anything its easier now since you have to make one less button press.
 

czerdrill

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For me, one of the most useful features of Google Maps is the traffic layer. If I'm driving, and happen on some traffic, I'd fire it up to see how bad it is or if I need to detour. More often than not, this is when I'm NOT navigating using Google Maps.

So last week Google updated Maps again. Ok, that's always a good thing, right? Well, not in this case. Unless I'm missing something, after this update, the only way to see the traffic layer is to be in navigation. What the heck are they doing? I mean, why change that? I'm hoping I'm just missing something but I poked around Maps for quite some time and cannot find how to display layers when not navigating.

This is now the second app Google has updated and screwed up. They screwed up Google Voice when they started changing the access number they use. Can't do free calls with friends and family now since it's a different access number each time. Have to downgrade the app to be able to do this again...

Wrong on both counts :). I still have traffic in my Maps when selecting Layers.

As for GV, just download GVMyNumber.apk - gvmynumber - GVMyNumber - Project Hosting on Google Code and you'll be fine regardless of the versions. And all you have to do is add your GV number to your friends and family and not two numbers.
 
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GadgetRick

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Doh! :::smacking myself on head::: Sorta missed the layers button. Thanks.
 

brochaos

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took me a minute at first to find them too.

ok, here's another maybe dumb one, how do you get the search bar to go away? i lost a 1/4th of my screen when in landscape...
 
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