Original post by Unknown author on January 22, 2017<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While definitely not a new app, in fact Google Maps has now been around for almost 12 years, it and other mapping technologies have changed the way people interact with the world. Especially in its mobile form, Google maps has changed the way we navigate new locations and as a result our interactions with people. Previous navigation was dependent on maps and occasionally stopping to ask for directions. If you wanted to eat somewhere you would ask local people where a good location would be or perhaps just drive till you found a place. Feeling comfortable with navigating an area required you to learn more about it and build a general understanding of its overall layout. With mapping technology you can get step-by-step instructions to your location. It gives alternate routes, indicates high traffic areas and potential detours. If you want to find a place to eat nearby you can pull it up on the map along with reviews. In some ways, Google Maps removes the social aspect of travelling to new places. When discussing the best way to get somewhere with others there often seems to be a sense of pride expressed by those who know the area well. I would suggest that in many ways a person\u2019s sense of identity is tied to where they live and pride is demonstrated in an ability to communicate their knowledge of the area to others. Mobile apps like Google Maps puts this expertise in the hands of everyone. On the flip side Google Maps allows people like myself, who are notoriously bad with directions, to navigate to places with relative ease, although I likely could not get to many of those places again without the map. It also opens up a wealth of knowledge about an area to the user. Smaller restaurants, stores or attractions can become evident as a result of Google Maps drawing in visitors who would otherwise not have known about the location. Whether positive or negative, Google Maps in its mobile form is changing culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some interesting reads<\/p>\n\n\n\n