Tech travel
Published:Sunday | August 8, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Laranzo Dacres, Gleaner Writer
Getting lost these days has certainly got harder. Today, with the aid of a smartphone and applications such as Google Maps or Google Latitude, Jamaicans are finding their destinations hassle free.
"My grandfather once said you can't get lost in Jamaica, but having Google Maps on my cell has been really helpful," said Karen Hylton-Grayson, a forensic officer. "This is because on the map; it shows you where roads connect and dead ends you can avoid."
She continued: "I recently moved to Portmore and when I can't find places, it is what I use, as it has icons that show you popular spots."
Accessing the feature
To access this feature, your mobile smartphone must have an active data plan (Internet access). Proceed to the website www.google.com/latitude to instal the application.
"I've been using it for a year now and I've found that it gives me directions to places and also provides the quickest route to get there," Hylton-Grayson added.
Despite its benefits, Google Maps' full functionality cannot be accessed in deep rural sections of the island and, unlike in several developed countries, traffic conditions cannot be mapped.
Andrew Campbell, IT technician, said the feature assists him on his rural runs.
"I use it when I'm going further into the country, like Montego Bay. The application gave me directions to as far as Rose Hall, but not further as there was not as much information on where I was going," he said.
Passing grade
The IT technician, however, still gave the feature a passing grade.
"It's helpful man. It gives your location and it shows where you want to go. It accurately identifies your current position to a 3,000-metre proximity. If you are at the same spot for awhile it can break that distance down to 200 metres. It has a lot of information about places in the corporate area," he said.
DJ Fire Blacks of sound system Area Code 876 said he uses Google Maps to help him find places both here and abroad.
"I enter the address of the place I want to go and it plots the best route," he said.
"It might not be able to identify the exact address in Jamaica, but it shows most of the street names."
The interface is very user-friendly and there is an option to enter your current location. You can enter your mode of transport to help the software calculate the time you would take to cover a specific distance with moderate road and traffic conditions in addition to give you directions.