Is your phone making you sick? Kim and Andrew have the lowdown. Also, there’s a new streaming service that could have you cancelling your subscriptions. Beware of a new scam at gas stations targeting your credit card. Plus, answers to your burning questions!
Hidden Google Maps features to save you time and money
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It’s getting warmer, and you’re probably itching to hit the road. With gas prices still high, who doesn’t want to save money? And while you’re at it, getting to your destination faster would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Here’s how Google Maps eases your burdens on the open road.
1. Plan ahead and save on gas
The longer you spend in traffic, the more gas you’ll burn. Google Maps helps you plan a future trip, taking in predicted traffic, routes and road conditions along the way.
Here’s how to set a planned time and date for a trip:
- Open Google Maps and tap on the Search here field.
- Enter a destination and select it from the results.
- Tap Directions and then the three dots button to the right of the Your location field.
- Tap Set depart or arrive time.
- Select Depart at and enter a date and time, then tap Done.
- You’ll get various route options and details such as time and distance.
- Select a route and tap Start.
2. Find cheaper gas
Quickly check gas prices in any area with Google Maps:
- Open Googe Maps and tap Gas under the search bar.
- You’ll see nearby gas stations and prices on the map and at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe your finger along the map or bottom of the screen to see more.
- Tap Show list to see the gas stations in list form.
3. Find a place to charge your electric vehicle
Use Google Maps to find electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on the way to your destination, along with estimated wait times for a charging port. You can also filter your search by connector type to find stations compatible with your vehicle. Here’s how to get juiced up:
5 smart tech tips for the best road trip this holiday season
Planning a road trip? You’ll want to make sure your car is safe for travel. Tap or click here for five maintenance checks to do every month.
AAA predicted 54.6 million people would travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That’s a 1.5% increase over 2021 and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes. 49 million said they would travel by car.
⛽ New pain at the pump: When you swipe a credit card at a gas station, it usually checks for a $1 balance, lets you fill up, then charges the full amount. Thieves have caught on. They can use practically any stolen card to rack up hundreds of dollars in free gas. To not get taken, use Apple Pay, Google Pay or the gas station’s app.
Gas prices are on the rise - Easy way to find cheap gas
Gas prices can be volatile; we all know that. But did you know gas prices in your city could vary by as much as 20%? That’s a huge disparity. And it can cost you a significant amount of money if you’re filling up at higher-priced gas stations unnecessarily.
Gas pump skimmers steal your money - here's how to spot them
Gas stations are some of the most popular locations for card skimmers — devices that can steal your credit or debit card information with a single swipe. This allows hackers to drain your bank account and max out your credit cards.
Apple Pay vs. Samsung Pay vs. Google Pay: Which is better?
Technology has replaced a lot of things we used to take for granted, like landline phones, typewriters, and paper maps. But a lot of people are still carrying around something that tech companies would like to consign to history: wallets. Most of us now have access to an alternative to an old-fashioned wallet. The big three options for mobile payment systems are Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. They all turn your smartphone (or certain smartwatches) into a mobile wallet, letting you pay for purchases without having to fish out a credit card or cash.
Electric vs. gas-powered cars - Which is really cheaper to own?
What ever happened to the EV-1, which was General Motors’ attempt to get into the electric car market in the late 1990s? Thinking you’ve never heard of the EV-1? That’s kind of the point, as it was gone almost as quickly as it arrived. Even though the electric car faded from memory nearly two decades ago, they have since made quite a comeback. It is all part of the eco-friendly car boom, which helps the environment by using less gas.