Apps
Google Maps turns 15 this year
A new icon to match
Today marks the 15th birthday of Google Maps. It’s the company’s widely-used mapping service. Google Maps’ 15th birthday also marks a pivotal moment as it introduces new features for users.
New icon for users
For its 15th birthday, Google updated the logo of Google Maps to better reflect the iconic pin that defined its brand. Gone is the old logo with “G” embedded on a map with a large pin. Now, Google Maps sports a simplified logo featuring a large pin that reflects Google’s brand of colors.
Easier navigation on the go
It is also getting an update on both Android and iOS app. Users will see five tabs on the bottom of the app now: Explore, Commute, Saved, Contribute, and Updates. From now on, these tabs will serve as the primary method of navigating through the app, as the latest update removes the iconic hamburger menu on the search bar.
Explore tab will help users find information and reviews for landmarks all over the world. Commute tab, on the other hand, will help users navigate to a place in the most efficient route.
Meanwhile, the three remaining tabs — Saved, Contribute, and Updates — will help users discover a place and make mapping an engaging activity. Saved places are consolidated in a new tab for easier access. Contributing a place is easier with the Contribute tab. Lastly, the latest news and posts about a place find home in the Updates tab.
Useful insights
Google Maps is also leveraging machine learning to give useful insights to commuters on the go. Aside from predicting how crowded public transportation is based on riders’ patterns, commuters will get insights such as temperature, accessibility and security information. Women commuters may also find the women’s section insight useful — allowing them to check whether a public transportation option gives priority to women.
These useful insights will roll out globally this March 2020.
Live View
Live View will also expand to more regions and gain new capabilities. Users will surely appreciate its new capability which lets them quickly see how far away and in which direction a place is.
Mapping the future
Google Maps’ growth has been phenomenal. In just a span of 15 years, it became the world’s favorite mapping app. Over the years, it gained useful additions, from Street Maker to Live View, which helped users navigate to their favorite places anytime, anywhere.
Google Maps is already looking ahead by expanding its open-source digital address initiative — the Plus Codes. With Plus Codes, users don’t have to look up the long, physical address of a landmark since they simply have to remember some codes.
For years to come, Google Maps will be busy innovating and adding new features for its users. Surely, the next few years will define the mapping service from Google as it faces new competitors and challenges ahead.
Apps
Firefox ad reunites all your favorite memes from decades ago
The Numa Numa Guy, Annoying Orange, and Chocolate Rain are back!
Before Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Skibidi Toilet, the early internet was populated by charismatic personalities looking to make their presences felt in a land that didn’t have a lot of rules yet. As early users, we danced to “Dragostea din tei,” belted out “Chocolate Rain,” and copied “Shoes” word-for-word. Today, Firefox is bringing all those good memories back for a grand reunion.
In a new ad, the web browser featured ten of the biggest stars of the early internet including the aforementioned Numa Numa Guy, Tay Zonday, and Shoes’ Kelly. You can also see Annoying Orange, Chuck Testa, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Bad Luck Brian, Where the Hell is Matt?, the Apparently Kid, and the Success Kid.
Now, this isn’t just a reunion. The ad has a clear message about today’s most concerning issue: AI. Everything has “built-in AI, always asking, asking, asking,” as the Annoying Orange said.
“They make money by following us, and somehow, I’m the creepy one?” the Overly Attached Girlfriend asked.
All these famous personalities are asking what happened to the internet today. Obviously, the big takeaway is that we should all go back to Firefox.
Compared to other browsers, Firefox has a lot of built-in features that offer a lot of control for users. For one, it has its own VPN for privacy. Secondly, reflecting the ad’s message against AI, the browser has a toggle to minimize AI features.
SEE ALSO: Google illegally destroys 250,000 trees for a single AI data center
Apps
Salesforce introduces Slack Frontline for deskless workers
Simple, secure, mobile-first way for deskless teams across retail, healthcare, manufacturing, field service
Salesforce is bridging the massive divide between corporate headquarters and deskless workers with the launch of Slack Frontline.
This new solution is designed specifically for retail associates, healthcare providers, factory workers, and field crews.
The mobile-first workspace brings communication, data, role-specific tools, and AI together in a single clutter-free app.
While frontline employees make up about 80 percent of the global workforce, they have historically been left out of workplace transformation, often relying on paper checklists, group texts, and broken communication loops.
Slack Frontline addresses these challenges by giving mobile workers up to 10 role-relevant channels, instant Huddles with headquarters, on-demand AI agents, and automated workflows.
Backed by Salesforce data and enterprise-grade security, the platform lets IT teams govern the entire workforce under one secure layer with employee ID sign-ins, multifactor authentication, and compliance configurations like HIPAA.
This ensures that critical updates, training materials, and shift handoffs reach workers directly in their pockets without needing corporate email addresses or shared terminals.
Moreover, the platform is tailored to transform operations across multiple industries, including retail, home healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and field services.
For instance, retail teams can instantly sync promotions and monitor inventory, while healthcare professionals can securely review patient histories and coordinate care on the go.
Manufacturing and hospitality teams benefit from drastically reduced downtime and faster issue resolution, cutting response times significantly.
Slack Frontline is available now as an add-on for businesses on the Slack Enterprise+ plan.
Apple Music is getting a revamp. In one of the tamer things going on with the brand today, Apple has introduced a new design language for its native music streaming platform.
In the midst of all the hubbub surrounding the iPhone Duo, Apple released a change in the visual identity of Apple Music. Rather than a static logo, the platform’s newest evolution offers a dynamic look that melds Liquid Glass and the power of sound together.
Confirmed through a behind-the-scenes video, Apple says that the new aesthetic was made with practical effects. Music producer Fred Again and NEST Acoustics submerged the platform’s logo in a tank of mineral oil and creating ripples with sound. The new language matches well with the chrome aesthetic typical of today’s trends and… well, Liquid Glass, of course.
Apple says that the more ripple-filled version will play before longer content like concert recordings (similar to Netflix’s startup stinger). Meanwhile, a black-and-white version will replace the app’s icon currently colored red and white. Current previews show off a simple logo, but it’s unknown whether Apple is adding a but more elements when the final version drops.
The updated version will debut for users after next week’s iOS 27.2 and macOS 27.2 updates.
SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone Duo Unboxing and Hands-on
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