Use Google Maps Go as a lightweight alternative to Google Maps
Google unveiled Android Go some time ago. Android Go is an optimized version of Android designed specifically for low-end devices and infrastructure.
As is the case with these "lite" versions, they are not availably everywhere. The main reason for limiting access is simple: Google, and other companies, want users to use the main applications.
However, lite applications have several advantages over full apps. They don't use that many system resources which is useful for operating the app and battery live, network consumption, and operating times.
Google Maps Go
Google launched several Go-optimized versions of its services for Android Go. Google Maps Go is one of the recent ones that it launched. While listed on Google Play, it is not available for download and installation unless an Android Go device is used.
While you cannot install Google Maps Go directly on regular Android devices, you can access it anyway as it is nothing but a Progressive Web App. What that means is simple: if you know the URL of the Google Maps Go service, you can access it using any browser on your device and benefit from its low resource usage even without installing it as an app on the device.
All you have to do is open this link in a web browser to access Google Maps Go. You may need to load the URL in a new tab in your browser to avoid opening the installed Google Maps application on the device.
Google Maps Go supports many features of Google Maps. You can look up places all around the world, check out what is in the vicinity of a location, check opening and closing hours, user ratings, and reviews.
You can check out traffic, and get directions just like you would on the regular version of Google Maps or in Google Maps applications. If you sign in to a Google Account, you do get access to your places and other account related data.
What Google Maps Go does not support right now is turn by turn navigation.
Closing Words
Google Maps Go is a handy lite version of Google Maps that anyone can access without installing an application on an Android device. In fact, you can also use it from any computer or other Internet powered device, regardless of whether it runs on Android or another operating system.
The service is handy if you notice slow downs when using the main Google Maps application and prefer a more fluent experience.
Now You: Do you use Google Maps or another maps service?
Martin, I would appreciate that you do not censor this post, as it’s informative writing.
Onur, there is a misleading statement “[…] GIFs are animated images …”. No, obviously you don’t seem to have take much notice of what you were told back in March regarding; Graphics Interchange Format (GIF).
For example, https://www.ghacks.net/2023/03/31/whats-gif-explanation-and-how-to-use-it/#comment-4562919 (if you had read my replies within that thread, you might have learnt something useful). I even mentioned, “GIF intrinsically supports animated images (GIF89a)”.
You linked to said article, [Related: …] within this article, but have somehow failed to take onboard what support you were given by several more knowledgeable people.
If you used AI to help write this article, it has failed miserably.
AI is stupid, and it will not get any better if we really know how this all works. Prove me wrong.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IYl1sTIOHI
Martin, [#comment-4569908] is only meant to be in: [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/09/how-to-send-gifs-on-iphone-two-different-ways/]. Whereas it appears duplicated in several recent random low-quality non relevant articles.
Obviously it [#comment-4569908] was posted: 9 July 2023. Long before this thread even existed… your database is falling over. Those comments are supposed to have unique ID values. It shouldn’t be possible to duplicate the post ID, if the database had referential integrity.
Don’t tell me!
Ghacks wants the state to step in for STATE-MANDATED associations to save jobs!!!
Bring in the dictatorship!!!
And screw Rreedom of Association – too radical for Ghacks maybe
GateKeeper ?
That’s called “appointing” businesses to do the state’s dirty work!!!!!
But the article says itself that those appointed were not happy – implying they had not choice!!!!!!
@The Dark Lady,
@KeZa,
@Database failure,
@Howard Pearce,
@Howard Allan Pearce,
Note: I replaced the quoted URI scheme: https:// with “>>” and posted.
The current ghacks.net is owned by “Softonic International S.A.” (sold by Martin in October 2019), and due to the fate of M&A, ghacks.net has changed in quality.
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/02/microsoft-is-removing-wordpad-from-windows/#comment-4573130
Many Authors of bloggers and advertisers certified by Softonic have joined the site, and the site is full of articles aimed at advertising and clickbait.
>> ghacks.net/2023/08/31/in-windows-11-the-line-between-legitimate-and-adware-becomes-increasingly-blurred/#comment-4573117
As it stands, except for articles by Martin Brinkmann, Mike Turcotte, and Ashwin, they are low quality, unhelpful, and even vicious. It is better not to read those articles.
How to display only articles by a specific author:
Added line to My filters in uBlock Origin: ghacks.net##.hentry,.home-posts,.home-category-post:not(:has-text(/Martin Brinkmann|Mike Turcotte|Ashwin/))
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/01/windows-11-development-overview-of-the-august-2023-changes/#comment-4573033
By the way, if you use an RSS reader, you can track exactly where your comments are (I’m an iPad user, so I use “Feedly Classic”, but for Windows I prefer the desktop app “RSS Guard”).
RSS Guard: Feed reader which supports RSS/ATOM/JSON and many web-based feed services.
>> github.com/martinrotter/rssguard#readme
We all live in digital surveillance glass houses under scrutiny of evil people because of people like Musk. It’s only fair that he takes his turn.
“Operating systems will be required to let the user choose the browser, virtual assistant and search engine of their choice. Microsoft cannot force users to use Bing or Edge. Apple will have to open up its iOS operating system to allow third-party app stores, aka allow sideloading of apps. Google, on the other hand, will need to provide users with the ability to uninstall preloaded apps (bloatware) from Android devices. Online services will need to allow users to unsubscribe from their platform easily. Gatekeepers need to provide interoperability with third-parties that offer similar services.”
Wonderful ! Let’s hope they’ll comply with that law more than they are doing with the GDPR.