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Why is this a thing? Why would Google invest money to create this? To use it, you must hold your phone in front of your face, with camera on, while walking. It

Why is this a thing? Why would Google invest money to create this? To use it, you must hold your phone in front of your face, with camera on, while walking. It is a regression in my opinion, because it adds no value to their current walking navigation system, and also encumbers the user with having to hold their phone up at eye level. Is it a cool novelty? Yes. Is it useful or productive (other than creating a new surface for advertising)? No. I strongly advise against using this gimmick. Please don't feed the bear. That is all.

jjeaff 7y ago
It actually does not allow you to walk and use it at the same time. It is meant for stopping, getting your bearings, and then putting your phone down and continuing on your way. It definitely would be useful in unfamiliar, dense urban environments where maybe the streets are a bit too close together to easily distinguish on an overview map.
- the_seraphim 7y ago
  I've had this exact situation, I was looking for a place in London and i was close... real close. I ended up giving a homeless guy £5 and asking him to walk me to where i needed to be (i still missed my coach home and had to book the last one) it was less than 100 yards from where i was. This would have given me an instant bearing on the area and a direction to walk in. I since have been back and it took me two goes to find my route (walking round a massive building to find the part i needed)
- yoz-y 7y ago
  It does allow you to walk and use it at the same time. But since it auto switches to normal view when you hold the phone flat it is easy to swap between both modes.
Dayshine 7y ago
I routinely navigate in London where I walk out of a tube station and have absolutely no clue which way is which. The roads are unlabelled and all look the same and the GPS direction dot isn't quite good enough Last week, with this feature, I pointed my camera across the street and it told me to go left. It was really really useful.
- ForHackernews 7y ago
  The roads are not unlabelled. There are street signs mounted on walls at almost every intersection, and additionally a huge number of local area maps for pedestrians: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/boroughs/maps-and-signs https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/boroughs/maps-and-signs Every single tube stop has "exit maps" that show you where you'll be emerging at street level before you exit the station. Being able to read a map and orient yourself in your environment appears be a dying art.
  - Dayshine 7y ago
    > Every single tube stop has "exit maps" that show you where you'll be emerging at street level before you exit the station. Not at every exit, and you can't just casually stroll over to one in the middle of rush hour. > The roads are not unlabelled Sure they are, half the time the tiny road sign is obscured by adverts, construction, or just at an awkward angle not visible from the tube exit. > and additionally a huge number of local area maps for pedestrians: Again, not at every station, mainly the tourist ones.
- chkaloon 7y ago
  Yes, I was in London last week and had the same issue with the tube exits. The tall buildings also make block level GPS pretty useless. I hope this is as good as it sounds
xxpor 7y ago
It was extremely useful for me in Tokyo, where the streets are completely unlabeled. The big win is using image recognition of buildings over pure GPS direction finding, since that can get turned around in the caverns.

jjeaff 7y ago

It actually does not allow you to walk and use it at the same time. It is meant for stopping, getting your bearings, and then putting your phone down and continuing on your way. It definitely would be useful in unfamiliar, dense urban environments where maybe the streets are a bit too close together to easily distinguish on an overview map.

the_seraphim 7y ago
I've had this exact situation, I was looking for a place in London and i was close... real close. I ended up giving a homeless guy £5 and asking him to walk me to where i needed to be (i still missed my coach home and had to book the last one) it was less than 100 yards from where i was. This would have given me an instant bearing on the area and a direction to walk in. I since have been back and it took me two goes to find my route (walking round a massive building to find the part i needed)
yoz-y 7y ago
It does allow you to walk and use it at the same time. But since it auto switches to normal view when you hold the phone flat it is easy to swap between both modes.

Dayshine 7y ago

I routinely navigate in London where I walk out of a tube station and have absolutely no clue which way is which. The roads are unlabelled and all look the same and the GPS direction dot isn't quite good enough Last week, with this feature, I pointed my camera across the street and it told me to go left. It was really really useful.

ForHackernews 7y ago
The roads are not unlabelled. There are street signs mounted on walls at almost every intersection, and additionally a huge number of local area maps for pedestrians: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/boroughs/maps-and-signs https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/boroughs/maps-and-signs Every single tube stop has "exit maps" that show you where you'll be emerging at street level before you exit the station. Being able to read a map and orient yourself in your environment appears be a dying art.
- Dayshine 7y ago
  > Every single tube stop has "exit maps" that show you where you'll be emerging at street level before you exit the station. Not at every exit, and you can't just casually stroll over to one in the middle of rush hour. > The roads are not unlabelled Sure they are, half the time the tiny road sign is obscured by adverts, construction, or just at an awkward angle not visible from the tube exit. > and additionally a huge number of local area maps for pedestrians: Again, not at every station, mainly the tourist ones.
chkaloon 7y ago
Yes, I was in London last week and had the same issue with the tube exits. The tall buildings also make block level GPS pretty useless. I hope this is as good as it sounds

xxpor 7y ago

It was extremely useful for me in Tokyo, where the streets are completely unlabeled. The big win is using image recognition of buildings over pure GPS direction finding, since that can get turned around in the caverns.