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Google Maps Starts Showing Parking Availability For Some Users (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Back in August, Cody found strings in his teardown of Google Maps v9.34 beta that hinted at an upcoming display of parking difficulty. The option may have crept up for some users since then, but now we have our first glance into how the feature will work since it has started showing up for more users on Maps v9.44 beta. Parking availability will be shown as a small rounded P icon next to your route duration estimate when you search for driving directions, followed by more descriptive text. As Cody's teardown showed, there are three levels to look for: Limited, Medium, and Easy. Limited parking will get the P icon to turn red. Once you start driving toward your destination, you can expand the directions to get a more descriptive explanation of the parking situation. Our tipster tells us that according to his tests, parking availability shows up for public destinations like malls and airports and various attractions. The option doesn't seem to be live for everyone on Maps v9.44 beta (APK Mirror link), so you may need to be patient to see it on your phone.
if Maps is right.
I understand Google has some insights about parking availability, but where does it get this information from?
I have seen places where it is impossible to park. Notably in San Francisco and New York City. It is NOT possible to park anywhere close to where you want to unload your cargo. That's the way it is. Deal with it.
In SF for 1997 ISPCON, I paid to park in a garage and carried heavy boxes a long way to get to the hotel and convention center. There was NO POSSIBLE way I could have parked in front and just carried my gear in. Without losing my car... Or worse.
A dingo ate my sig...
This sounds like the Valet Me app from Amazon's short-lived Betas series. Don't you know that the more successful the app becomes, the less useful it is?!?
How about making sure directions are rational?
Sure, it may ~technically~ be a shorter distance to cross the street, but when it can tell the average speed on both sides of the street is 2 mph, each side has 3 lanes plus 1 or 2 turn lanes, and I'm coming from a side street with no light, it should realize that I'm going to be sitting there for an hour until 6-8 good Samaritans show up at exactly the same time to let me across. ... or it could have added 8 seconds, had me take a right onto the crossroad at a light further up, a quick jaunt down the road, and a left across only 3 lanes from the turn!
There's a bunch of common-sense updates people could be making in these things.
Do you know that are already technology in your Android and iPhone to display the maps in your car dashboard?
It can be actually more safer people doing the right turns, than realising mid-turn they are turning in the wrong direction, and being idiots to the point of trying to correct the situation atm.
Or worse, starting to back away in the motorway/freeway/highway after passing their exit. Because often local signs are idiotically placed to the point that when you see them the damage is done.
GPS/Maps can be quite useful and actually improved the security in the road *if used* properly.
Plus, it also reduces the stress of driving in unfamiliar locations.
Navigon is way better than Google Maps.
Talking at the phone and writing...Navigon is way better than Google Maps AND Tomtom.
A feature that shows you the parking condition prior to your departure giving you exactly what you want is stupid?
Maybe a little more reading and a little less frothing from the mouth.
She is the goddess of parking, and has provided me with rock star spots in San Francisco, New York, LA, San Diego, Boston, and Providence consistently to the amazement of my friends and acquaintances.
and screw Karen Stock as we have been praying for parking since the 90's.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.