Technologies

Google Maps: 2 new features to help you with holiday shopping

We’ll also show you where to find five of our favorite Google Maps tricks and how to use them.

This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2021, our list of ideas, by topic, by recipient and by price, to help you discover the perfect gift.

With less than two weeks left before Christmas, it’s time to start making the best use of your shopping and travel time. Two new additions to Google Maps have arrived just in time to help you do that.

The holidays can be stressful, especially when shipping delays mean you’ll need to make in-person trips to the store. But an update to Google’s driving directions can help you figure out how to steer clear of crowds while you’re shopping and how to navigate around airports and transit stations if you’re traveling this month.

You can also use Google Maps to let your family know your whereabouts when you’re running late. Plus, you can book reservations through the app instead of calling a restaurant. We’ll tell you all the ways Google Maps can help make your holidays go smoothly and how to use all seven features.

Navigate through airports, malls and transit stations

If you need to quickly find a store in a large mall, Google Maps announced in November that it’s expanding its Directory tab for all airports, malls and transit stations. This can help prevent running around the airport, trying to find a place to eat or grabbing a last-minute souvenir before catching your flight. The tab will tell you the business hours and which floors it’s on. You can look through restaurants, stores, lounges and parking lots.

Browse Google Maps to see how busy a place is

Google added a new feature to its Google Maps’ busyness tool. Before, you needed to search a location, like a business, to see a chart that showed how crowded it is in real time. But now, a new feature called Area Busyness lets you see when entire map areas are clogged with people.

Using the new feature, you open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or your computer’s browser) and move around the map to find a general area, say downtown, a riverwalk or a quaint nearby town. The busyness information will now automatically appear on the map, so you don’t need to specifically search a place to see how crowded it is. Google Maps may say something like «Busy Area,» and when you click for more details, it could say, «As busy as it gets.»

Track your trip itinerary in Google Maps

Google Maps can chart your travels, but it can also quickly show you your holiday flight, hotel, car rental and restaurant reservations, saving you the hassle of searching through your email for check-in times and confirmation numbers.

To see your upcoming reservations:

1. In Google Maps, tap Saved in the bottom menu row.

2. Tap Reservations. Here, you’ll see a list of upcoming reservations you’ve made that Maps has pulled from emails in Gmail.

3. Select an item to see more about the reservation, including date and location.

4. You can also search for «my reservations» in the Google Maps search box to see a list of what you’ve booked.

Make a restaurant reservation right in Google Maps

Planning and preparing a holiday dinner can be a multiday chore. If you’d rather spend time with family and friends instead of sharp knives and hot stoves, Google Maps can help you book a lunch or dinner reservation.

1. In Maps, tap the Restaurants button at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.

2. Select a restaurant that looks good, and in the window that pops up, reserve a table or join a waitlist, if it gives you that option (not all do).

Remember to use the «busyness» feature mentioned above to pick the least packed place. Also, note that some restaurants are still closed to dine-in, but will often allow delivery, curbside pickup or outdoor seating.

Use Google Maps offline

Heading someplace remote where you may not have a mobile network connection? Google Maps can still give you directions when you’re offline.

1. Before you head out, in Maps search for the location where you’ll want directions.

2. In the location’s window, pull up the menu at the bottom.

3. Scroll right through the tabs and tap Download and then, in the next window, tap Download again. Maps will download a map to your phone for the area you selected.

Now, as you use Google Maps for directions in the area you downloaded a map for, when you lose your cellular connection, Maps will switch to the offline map to guide you. Because you’re offline, Maps won’t be able to offer real-time traffic info, of course.

Find EV charging spots and gas stations wherever you are

If you’re taking your electric vehicle out for shopping, dinner or a holiday drive, Google Maps can help you find EV charging stations on your route, along with estimated wait times for a charging port. You can also filter your search by connector type — such as J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2) and Tesla — to see just the stations that are compatible with your EV. Note you can also search for gas stations by following these same directions.

1. In Maps, scroll through the tabs on the top of the screen and tap More.

2. Scroll down to the Services section and select Electric vehicle charging.

3. Maps will display nearby charging stations and how many are available.

4. Tap a charging station on the map to have Maps add it as a stop on your trip.

You can also use this trick to search for other places along your route, like a coffee shop.

Share your location through Google Maps

Is anything more crazy-making during a group activity than when the group gets split up and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help bring you all back together.

1. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the top right corner and tap Location sharing.

2. Tap Share location and select who you want to share your location with and for how long you want to share it.

3. Tap Share, and Google Maps will send your location to everyone you’ve selected.

4. If you want to see someone else’s location, tap that person’s icon at the top of the window and then tap Request.

If, after all this, you’d rather stay inside during the holidays, here’s how to use your Prime benefits to your advantage while shopping. And if you don’t intend to leave your couch at all, here are the best new TV shows to watch.

Technologies

Celebrity Private Jets Can Still Be Tracked Despite New FAA Rules. Here’s Why

The FAA’s move to hide ownership details might not stop those who post private-jet information on social media.

Owners of private jets can now request that their names and addresses be kept private, thanks to a rule enacted last week by the US Federal Aviation Administration, which was signed into law last year. According to the FAA, ownership information wouldn’t be publicly available on its websites.

The new rule appears to be partly in response to social media accounts that post air travel information about celebrities such as Elon Musk and Taylor Swift, which has faced criticism in the past due to privacy concerns. Those accounts had also allowed people to post info in the past on who the biggest carbon offenders in private jet usage were.

An electronic request form has been made available for owners to make their private jetting more private.

However, this may not thwart those who run tracking sites, as reported earlier by The Verge, who say they rely on other sources of information for their reports — not just FAA records.

Private jet privacy: not much change?

David Gitman, CEO of Monarch Air Group, a private jet charter company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, told CNET that the FAA’s new privacy control will not prevent flight trackers from posting about the comings and goings of notable people.

«There is no material change,» Gitman said. «The FAA ruling allows the aircraft owner to block the ownership information, not the actual tracking of the aircraft. Most aircraft are not owned by the individual, but rather by a corporation or a trust.»

Gitman said that because high-profile people are often photographed arriving and departing on planes and those photos end up on social media, it isn’t hard to track them.

«Once an aircraft is connected to a person, it becomes easier to track, as nothing has changed on that side,» he said.

Gitman said private charters like his can make tracking more difficult for trackers because different planes are being used at different times for different customers. However, tracking as a whole isn’t going away.

«In my opinion, aircraft tracking is a given fact, a modern reality, just like the paparazzi stalking celebrities outside of restaurants,» Gitman said. «Any aircraft movement, from Taylor Swift to strategic bombers, is available online.»

Daniel Findley, associate director at the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University, said that the FAA move is not likely to affect people in his field or other research areas where flight tracking is done since occupants are not the focus.

«For the vast majority of people who track flights, who owns the plane or who is on it is not as important,» Findley said.

Technologies

Speed Up Your iPhone Charging With These 9 Smart Hacks

Power up your iPhone in less time using these straightforward charging tips and tricks.

Spring is here, and with longer days and packed schedules ahead, a dead phone is the last thing you need. Whether you’re out enjoying the sunshine, meeting deadlines or powering through school assignments, staying charged keeps you connected and on track. The good news? You don’t have to wait around for your iPhone to juice up.

If you’ve ever found yourself sprinting out the door with only 5% battery, you’re not alone. There are a few quick and easy charging tricks that can get your iPhone powered up fast — no stress, no extra accessories. Whether your phone’s hanging on by a thread or you just need a boost before heading out, these tips will help you charge up in record time and keep going strong all season long.

Looking for more charging power? Check out the best power banks for the iPhone, and if you’re still rocking an iPhone with a Lightning port, here are some of the cheapest fast chargers you can find.

Don’t Get Burned: Tips to Avoid an Overheated Phone

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1. Juice up with a new charger

The quickest way to charge your iPhone is with a fast charger: at least a 20-watt power adapter with a USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C cable for iPhone 15 models or later. As long as you own an iPhone 8 or later, you can fast-charge your phone from dead back up to around 50% battery in about 30 minutes. If you have an hour to spare, you can fully charge it. Even just 10 minutes of fast charging can boost your battery by double digits, so if you’re short on time, always go for the fast charger option.

Apple no longer provides power adapters when you buy a new phone, only the cable, but you can purchase Apple’s 20-watt power adapter from Apple and Amazon. According to Apple, you can also use other compatible fast-charging power bricks, but you’ll need at least a 20-watt brick to fast-charge an iPhone 12 and later.

2. Charge lightning fast wirelessly

The second-fastest way to charge your iPhone is with Apple’s MagSafe charger and a 20-watt power adapter, but for this to work you must own either an iPhone 12 or later to get the faster 15-watt wireless charging. If your iPhone is dead, you should get to around 30% battery in about 30 minutes of wireless charging.

This doesn’t mean you can use any Qi wireless charger (the industry standard) for fast charging. While the MagSafe charger supports 15 watts, a Qi charger only gives you up to 7.5 watts, which is much slower than a MagSafe and only slightly faster than the traditional 5-watt wall charger. Be aware that magnetic wireless chargers that aren’t MagSafe-certified will also charge at the slower 7.5-watt speed.

3. Stop relying on your computer to charge your phone

Your laptop might seem like a convenient way to charge your iPhone, especially if you spend most of your day in front of a computer and want to keep a close eye on any incoming text messages and notifications. However, your computer will always charge your phone slower than any wall charger or wireless charger.

Your computer’s USB port, whether it’s a bigger and older USB-A or the newer, smaller USB-C, cannot deliver the same amount of power as any wall outlet can, even a 5-watt power adapter. That’s especially true if you have an older computer with a faulty USB port or an incompatible charging cable, both of which can slow down the charging process further.

4. Stop using your iPhone while it’s charging

If you want your iPhone to charge as quickly as possible, try to stay off of it as much as possible. If you’re streaming videos or playing mobile games while charging your iPhone, the battery will charge much slower, so just leave it untouched if you can.

5. Speed up battery charging with this easy tip

Even if your screen is sleeping, your phone is still working in the background. If you want your iPhone to charge quickly, the best thing to do is to turn it off.

Note that plugging in an iPhone that’s turned off will sometimes power it back on, so plug it in or place it on a wireless charger first, then power it down.

6. Switch to airplane mode if you don’t want to turn off your phone

If you don’t want to turn off your iPhone but still want to help it charge faster, you can turn on airplane mode, which disables all wireless transmission functions like cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, all of which consume power. If they’re off, your iPhone can charge quicker. This way, you can also quickly turn airplane mode off to quickly check on any text messages or phone calls you might be waiting for.

7. Tweak these iPhone settings to charge your battery faster

Do you know all of those tips that help you preserve your battery in the first place? You can use those same features and settings to help your iPhone charge faster if you don’t plan on turning it off.

Low power mode: Turn it on to reduce or affect battery-consuming features like 5G, display brightness, auto-lock, background app refresh and automatic downloads.
Dark mode: The jury is out on exactly how much dark mode actually saves battery life, but turning it on while you’re charging your iPhone doesn’t hurt, especially if every percent matters.
Lower your screen brightness: One of the most power-hungry pieces of any gadget that has one is its display. The brighter your screen, the quicker your battery drains, so turn it all the way down while it charges.

8. Optimized Battery Charging may be slowing down the charge rate

Apple has a built-in tool that helps prevent your iPhone battery from degrading as fast, but this same feature also makes your device charge slower. While the feature typically only slows down your iPhone during long periods of charging, and usually overnight, it still might be worth disabling when you’re charging your phone. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and toggle off Optimized Battery Charging to disable this feature.

9. You might just need a new iPhone battery

In the same settings page where you can disable optimized battery charging, you can also check out your battery’s health. If you see a message, like «Your battery’s health is significantly degraded,» you should look into making an appointment with Apple to replace your battery. A degraded battery doesn’t hold charge as well, so it’ll drain more quickly. A new battery will improve your overall battery life.

You can check out how much it will approximately cost to replace your battery on Apple’s iPhone Battery Service website. The price depends on your service coverage and the make and model: for the iPhone 15 series, the estimate is $99.

For more tips, check out 23 more iPhone tips and tricks you should know and how to get more space when your iPhone’s storage is running low.

Technologies

Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez Space Mission Launching in a Week

Katy Perry will «shoot across the sky» with an all-female crew, including Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, a NASA rocket scientist, a bioastronautics research scientist and a film producer.

Blue Origin, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ space company, is making history by sending an all-female crew on its next spaceflight this month. The American spacecraft company’s 11th human mission, NS-31, will include pop singer Katy Perry, Bezos’ fiancé and former journalist Lauren Sánchez, CBS host Gayle King, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyễn and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

The mission’s planned liftoff is April 14, with a launch window opening at 8:30 a.m. CDT, depending on weather and other factors. According to the Blue Origin website, the astronauts will ascend toward space at more than three times the speed of sound. Once they pass the line, the crew can unbuckle and float weightless before returning to Earth.

The mission is part of Blue Origin’s New Shepard program, which has flown 52 people above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space about 62 miles above Earth.

First all-female crew since a Russian solo flight in the ’60s

The flight will mark the first all-female crew since Russian engineer Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.

Bowe told Elle magazine in an interview published this week that she’s «been training for and waiting for this moment my entire life.» Nguyen agreed, calling it «a dream come true.»

Reactions among the others varied:

«I have wanted to go to space for almost 20 years,» Perry said during the interview with Elle.

«I had a lot of trepidation — I still do — but I also know it’s very interesting to be terrified and excited at the same time,» King told Elle. «I can honestly say it has never been a dream of mine.»

Blue Origin has taken many notable names up above the Earth before, including actor William Shatner, Good Morning America host and retired NFL player Michael Strahan and Bezos himself.