5. Google Now and Navigation
In this chapter, you find out how to use Google Maps, Navigation, and Google Now. Topics include the following:
→ Getting to know Google Now
→ Working with Google Maps
→ Using Google Maps with no data coverage
→ Getting around with Navigation
Your Galaxy Note 3 can be used as a GPS Navigation device while you are walking or driving around. The Galaxy Note 3 also includes a new app called Google Now that offers to provide you all the information you need when you need it.
Google Now
You can access Google Now from the Lock screen or from any screen and it enables you to search the Internet. The app also provides you information, such as how long it will take to drive to work and game scores from your favorite teams.
Access Google Now anytime by pressing and holding the Home button and then touching the Google logo.
Understand the Google Now Screen
1. Cards automatically appear based on your settings. Possibilities include teams you follow, upcoming meetings, weather where you work, and traffic on the way to work.
2. Touch and speak a request or search. You can also just say “Google” and then speak your request. Cards relevant to your search or request appear.
2. Touch Settings.
3. Touch Google Now to choose what cards Google Now displays and configure how some of the cards work.
4. Touch to choose what notifications you want to receive (like public alerts, heavy traffic, and more).
5. Touch to set your home and work address, reminders, your sports teams, and stocks you want to follow.
6. Touch Voice.
7. Touch to choose the language that Google Now uses.
8. Touch to set when Google Now speaks the search results. The choices are Always, Only When the Information Is Informative, or Only When You Are Using a Hands-free Device.
9. Touch to block or allow offensive words. Turning this on causes the Voice Search feature to hide any search results that contain offensive words.
10. Touch to enable or disable Hotword detection. When this option is enabled and while Google Now is running, it is always listening for you to say “OK, Google.” When you do, a voice search launches.
11. Touch to download speech recognition software so you can do voice searches even when you’re not connected to the Internet. You can download multiple languages.
12. Touch to enable or disable personalized voice recognition. When enabled, Google tries to better understand your accent to make for more accurate searches.
13. Touch to see your Google dashboard, which shows you all of your Google account information and enables you to manage settings for all of the Google services you use.
14. Touch to allow Google Now to listen for your voice when you are using a Bluetooth headset.
15. Touch to save your changes and return to the main Settings screen.
16. Touch to choose which apps installed on your Galaxy Note 3 are searched when you search using Google Now.
17. Touch to change which Google account you want to use for Google Now, and set whether you want to report your location information. (Disabling this severely limits the usefulness of Google Now.)
18. Touch to save your changes and return to Google Now.
Google Maps
Google Maps enables you to see where you are on a map, find points of interest close to you, give you driving or walking directions, and provide extra layers of information, such as a Satellite view and traffic.
1. Touch to launch Google Maps.
2. Touch to type a search term. This screen also helps you find local restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and attractions.
3. Touch to get walking or driving directions from one location to another. You can also choose to use public transit or biking paths to get to your destination.
4. Touch to zoom the map into your current location.
5. Touch to add layers to the Map view. Layer options include a satellite view, transit lines, and biking paths.
6. Touch to see information about your profile and any special offers in the area where you are (coupons, discounts, and so on).
1. Touch the Directions icon.
2. Touch to set the starting point or leave it as My Location (which is your current location).
3. Touch to choose a previous destination that you searched for.
4. Type in the destination address or business name.
5. Touch to use driving directions.
6. Touch to use public transportation.
7. Touch to use bike paths (if available).
8. Touch to walk to your destination.
9. Touch to reverse the directions.
Public Transportation
If you choose to use public transportation to get to your destination, you have two extra options to use. You can choose the type of public transportation, including bus, subway, train, or tram/light rail. You can also choose the best route, including fewer transfers and less walking.
10. Scroll down to see all route options.
11. Touch to return to the map and prepare to start your navigation.
12. Touch to cancel the navigation.
13. Touch to return to the previous screen and make changes to your trip.
14. Touch to start the turn by turn navigation.
15. Follow the audio and visual prompts that will guide you to your destination.
16. Touch to get a route preview, the full list of step-by-step directions, mute the audio prompts, or enable the satellite view.
Adjust Google Maps Settings
1. Touch the drawer icon.
2. Touch Settings.
3. Touch to switch to another Google account to use Google Maps.
4. Touch to edit your home and work addresses.
5. Touch to improve your location on the map if you are having issues with it.
6. Touch to see your map history and delete selected searches and directions.
7. Touch to change the unit of distance manually (to miles or kilometers), or let it get set automatically based on where you are.
8. Touch to write some feedback about Google Maps to Google.
9. Touch to enable or disable the ability to simply shake your Galaxy Note 3 to bring up the feedback screen.
10. Touch to change your Google Map location setting.
11. Touch to enable or disable letting Google access your location at any time. With this disabled, Maps and Google Now become useless.
12. Touch to enable or disable reporting your location from your Galaxy Note 3.
13. Touch to enable location history where Google Maps keeps track of where you have been. Having this enabled makes Google Now much better.
14. Touch to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
Use Offline Google Maps
Google Maps enables you to download small parts of the global map to your Galaxy Note 3. This is useful if you are traveling and need an electronic map but cannot connect to a network to download it in real time.
1. Find an area that you would like to save locally on your Note 3.
2. Touch search and scroll to the bottom of the screen.
3. Touch Make This Map Area Available Offline.
How Much Map Can I Take Offline?
When selecting the area of the map to take offline, you are limited to about 100Mb of map data. However, you don’t need to worry about the size of the data because if you have selected an area that is too large, Google Maps gives you a warning.