BY: Alpha Barry
Have you ever felt like someone is watching you? Whether it’s from you taking a walk to the local market or during your daily commute to school or work? It is a great possibility that you are not imagining things because of the use of a tool called Google Maps. Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google. The service provides street maps and route planner for traveling on foot, car or by public transportation. Google Maps have always provided great advantages and disadvantages because of the complexity of having an accurate map enough to not violate privacy.
An advantage of Google Maps is the simplicity of which you can search your target destination. The service gives you the option of using different views that suits the person such as terrain view, normal map view, or satellite image view. Another advantage of Google Maps is the knowing the directions based on the persons travel mode. It does not matter if you are walking or riding in car, the service will automatically provide the best directional route to your suggested destination. This creates a hassle free journey and can be convenient and easily pulled out at any time on a smartphone device.
In using Google Maps, the service has provided a great purpose by helping people with the daily search of their destination. The service also has its downfalls as people become easy targets of being mislead to their destination and people begin suing Google Maps based on copyright infringement and invasion of privacy for the information provided. After hearing out the ways of Google Maps, do you think of Google Maps as great tool or another pest to our society?
I have to say google maps is a great tool. To think that 15 years ago, our parents were using actual roadmaps when trying to go places. A decade ago, people were just catching on to mapquest and online mapping. Shortly after that, the handheld GPS started to make its grand appearance. Now, we can simply take out our cell phones and have complete directions at our fingertips. Technology is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I think we have less to worry about Google Maps when it comes to privacy then actual Google search engine. Google has started recording what you search and selling it to outside companies. You have the "option" to turn this off but really, you have no say in the matter. Money is money and Google is a business.
pretty interesting and the second video was pretty funny and it reminds me of when i did see the google car a couple of times in atlanta here around the corner from the school and back at home in new york city. I guess it is invasion of privacy but i dont really care too much you know im not hiding from anyone or doing any criminal activity. bUt i guess at the same time it is crazy because someone can use google maps and type in someones address and you can not only know where they live but now you can see where they live smh. & I agree with what Marcus Kyle just said in the previous video comment.
ReplyDeleteGoogle maps is probaly one of the best tools out for getting around. Apple has really done a great job utilizing the app and finding different ways to make it better. Technology has advanced so much like Marcus said our parents along with Professor Sistrunk use to ride around with actual maps to get around. Without google maps I do not know how our generation would survive.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be a debate whether google maps is fully accurate or up to speed when comes to looking for directions to a location. I personally do believe that google maps is a great app and it beats having to print off directions off mapquest like I used to do when I was younger. Being able to get directions whether you are driving in a car, riding the bus or walking is great but with gains come problems and setbacks. I noticed that google maps was working ok when I had my andriod in the beginning of the process then afterwards I continuously had problems getting directions or just looking up an address. This is also one of the reason I also switched to the iphone but since I've had my iphone I've had no problems with google maps so Im satisfied with it.
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