Don’t want to allow nosey people to see your house? Try this!
🛣️ Hitting the road? Download a map of where you’re going in case you hit a no-service zone. Make sure you’re connected to the internet and not in Incognito mode. Then, open the Google Maps app and search for your destination or city. Tap the name or address > the three dots > select Download offline map > Download.
"We have pics of your home"
Scammers are sending emails with Google Maps images of your house, claiming they’ve hacked your computer. Are they for real? Here’s the answer.
Pika-chew on this: Pokémon Go players aren’t just catching digital monsters; they’re training AI to navigate the real world for free. Every time a player scans a location or uses their camera to catch a Pokémon, it builds a detailed 3D map. With over a million scans a week, this tech is filling in missing details on mapped buildings and outdoor areas. Talk about a genius idea!
When you set up your iPhone, invisible dots create a detailed map of your face so you can open your phone by looking at it. How many dots are used to map a face? Is it … A.) 7,500, B.) 18,000, C.) 30,000 or D.) 50,000?
$300 a year
For Google Maps access in a new Chevy Silverado. It’s now built into the infotainment system through Chevy’s Connected Vehicle Plan, priced at $24.99 a month. To make matters more annoying, reviewers say it doesn’t even work well.
iPhone 16 launch date: Here’s what you can expect
Mark your calendars! The iPhone 16 is dropping this September. Also, Telegram’s CEO gets arrested in France — authorities say he didn’t do enough to stop shady stuff on the app. Plus, Amazon Echo fails and fake election maps going viral.
🗺️ It’s a joke, OK? Stop sharing the mock electoral maps flooding social media as if they’re facts. The trend is to take a blank map, color it mostly blue or red, and slap a clever line about how either Democrats or Republicans could win the Electoral College. Want in? Here’s a generator to make your own.
Remove your home on Google Maps
Burglars use Google Maps to scout homes without getting close — until they strike. This is why you should blur your house, and I’ve got the steps.
🏠 Off the grid: More folks are blurring their homes and businesses on Google Maps. With burglaries and break-ins on the rise, thieves can easily use Maps to scout properties and find the best way in. Protect yourself: Search for your address on Google Maps Street View, click Report a problem in the bottom right, select what you want blurred and answer the questions.
✈️ Cheap flight cheat code: Go to Google Flights, select your departure location for a round-trip flight, then choose Anywhere as your destination. Leave the dates blank, and watch a map populate with the cheapest round-trip tickets available. From Phoenix, I could vacay in Cancún for $229, Seattle for $38 and Bora Bora for $1,341. I know what you’re thinking: “Kim, I’ve always wanted to go Bora Bora, but I’m poor’a-poor’a!”
Check your business’s Google Maps listing: Malicious competitors are using the “Suggest an edit” feature to change the location of a business’s pin on Google Maps. You probably wouldn’t know if this happened to you; Google doesn’t notify anyone. Duh.
🗺️ Plot your own route: You can add an extra stop using the Google Maps app. With an active route, tap the three-dot icon in the top right and select Add stop. Type in the second destination and click on it. Make sure the whole route is in the correct order — tap, hold and drag the three lines on each point to reorder, then hit Done.
🗺️ “Sofa King: Our prices are Sofa King low!” I’ll never forget when I saw that on a sign in Los Angeles. Own a biz? There’s a better way to get someone’s attention! Google Maps just added a bunch of options to make it simpler to get your business noticed and verified. Just upload a utility bill, a picture of your storefront or insurance documents. Follow the step-by-step instructions here.
Calling all planners: Get the nitty-gritty details of your seat on your next flight with SeatGuru’s seat map tool. On your airline’s website, you just see the seat; it’s especially helpful to get more info for the tall and/or claustrophobic among us.
MrBeast hits 300M subscribers
No other YouTuber has ever done this before. In other news, hackers stole 193 million Ticketmaster barcodes, and Airbnb has a hidden-cam problem. Plus, NASA’s heat maps show ground temperatures reaching 160 degrees in Phoenix.
Ad detour: Google Maps is pushing pop-up ads to drivers that appear as notifications, covering the bottom half of the screen. Google says the ads only expand when tapped on and disappear quickly. Still, talk about a distraction.
📍 Where am I? Ask your smartphone! So handy on vacation or if you’re lost. You’ll get your address and location on a map, which you can then share. Just say, “Hey, Siri” or “Hey, Google,” followed by, “Where am I?”