New Google Maps at Google I/O: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

At today’s one and only keynote address at Google I/O 2013, the annual Google developer conference, the tech giant unveiled a drastically different Google Maps — the flagship service that provides accurate and thorough maps for mobile and desktop devices. Here’s what you need to know about the new Google Maps update.

1. The Map is Now Fully Interactive

Gone are the droppable pins and old way to navigate through Google Maps. Now, the entire map is interactive and clickable. Hypothetically, if you want directions to a restaurant, just click on the icon and information will instantly pop up. You can do the same with unfamiliar location and almost any point to activate Street View or find directions with one click.

2. The More You Use It, The Better It Is

Google will remember what you try to find on Google Maps for Desktop, which means that, yes, they’ll know a lot about you, but they’ll be able to give you some great recommendations. Google teamed up with Google Offers and Zagat to give you access to deals and recommendations about local spots from professionals. So, the next time you’re going to Starbucks, check your phone because you may be missing out on a discout!

3. It Integrates With Google+

Google Maps will also work with your Google+ account to see some places that your friends have enjoyed. Google+ got a huge facelift and it has drastically changed the social media site’s user interface. This new feature should be great for Google+ users, but might be difficult for people who don’t really use their social account.

4. You Can Easily Select The Best Public Transportation Method

Google continues dominate on the public transportation front. If you live in a metropolitan area, like New York City or Washington DC, the public transportation feature on Google Maps is a must have. Now, you can look up subway schedules for the entire day, just not the next three. Not only that, but Google will pick out the best one, and if you don’t like it, you can create your own path.

5. The Carousel Will Show You Google Images From The Area

The Carousel is a new feature that, when enabled, shows you images of a certain area. For instance, in the highlight video above, you can see that, when you’re browsing through a city, a new bar on the bottom shows the images of popular locations nearby. Seems pretty useful if you’re in a new city.