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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | DECEMBER 2020 29 THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! By Steve Benoff Subject to change. Changes to apps can be big or small. Noticeable or unnoticed. Great or awful. And since these changes are automatically downloaded to the apps on our phones without notice to users, sometimes the changes can be surprising. Take a look at the Apple weather app. Notice how it now includes air quality information and an hour-by- hour rain graph. I've sung the praises of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto before. And I mentioned that I prefer the traffic information provided for free to Apple and Android smartphone users to the XM/Sirius subscription traffic service offered in many cars. But it's taken awhile for me to discern the differences between the two major smartphone mapping services. I know, I know – I'm leaving out Waze. But Google bought Waze and incorporates much of its data without the terribly overwrought interface. So, I'm going to restrict my discussion to Apple Maps and Google Maps. Because apps are subject to change, my view of these two apps has changed. For example, if I Googled a restaurant, a map or a "directions" button would appear in the search results. In the recent past, if I pressed the map or asked for directions, Apple Maps would pop up and show me my current location, not the location of the restaurant. I would have to enter the restaurant name in Apple Maps search for directions; or, I could do the same on Google Maps. At some point recently, if I ask for directions within Google and I have Google Maps on my phone, Google Maps will open with the directions I want. So, this is my notice to you that between now and when you read this, the comparisons I make may no longer apply. One of the things I like about Apple Maps is that it's tied to my contacts. If one of your contacts has an address, it shows up as a tiny map. If you tap the map, Apple Maps opens with the contact locations and the option to request directions. Google Maps isn't quite so accommodating. But if you enter a contact name in its search bar, it will find its location and give you directions to it. I'm going to compare these two apps in two ways. First, this month, using only a smartphone. Second, next month, using Apple CarPlay. When navigating with the help of your phone, you should have it securely positioned in your car. There are any number of car phone mounts. If you have a CD player in your car, and it's not too close to essential controls, I can recommend the Mpow 051 CD Slot Holder ($11.99 on Amazon). Let's take a trip to Pacifica in Palm Desert, one of my favorite restaurants (order before 5:30 to get their early-bird Sunset Dinners, but these days don't go there without a reservation). I Googled Pacifica and requested directions. Google Maps popped up with an overview maps of the route, miles, and time to destination. Once I press Start, however, I'm brought to my location with starting directions. There's a "Y" looking symbol at the bottom of the screen which will return me to an overview map. There is a compass arrow symbol which will reorient the map to a "north is up" view. Pardon the interruption, but ever since my days as a Boy Scout when I was the best orienteer in my troop, I've known that you always look at a map with north pointing up. I've held fast to that opinion until recently when I've come to appreciate the direction of travel view. This is especially true as it is augmented with what mapping apps call 3-D view which emphasizes the locale closer to you but included more territory in the distance. What I like about Google Maps is the traffic information it presents in addition to just your route. For example, besides showing me the recommended route, other routes are shown with current traffic conditions. But on my small phone screen, I only observe these things when my car is parked. While driving, it's better to rely on the app's spoken directions and ignore the details shown on the small screen. Since I have Pacifica in my contacts with its address included, I can tap on the little map and bring up Apple Maps. But instead of giving me an overview, it gives me the location of the restaurant on a map. I have to select Directions for an overview with a couple of alternate routes with their respective travel times. If I press Go, I see a local map with directions. I can return to an overview by pressing the top of the screen and return to the former view by pressing an arrow button. Because Google Maps presents in 3-D view with its photo-realistic satellite presentation and off-route traffic, when using only my phone, I prefer Google Maps. If you use an app you'd like to share with others, let me know at steve.benoff@verizon.net. Apple Maps vs Google Maps

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