What's in a Name, Pegman

Pegman is the name of the little yellow figure in Google maps. Drag him to a location on the map and it changes to street view.

Google Maps Hack

Google probably knows more about where you have been than you can remember. This may be good or bad. If you are a criminal, law enforcement can use this information to place you at the scene of a crime. If you are not a criminal, it might just be interesting information. Many forget that phones have location turned on and never think about it. You mostly only need location turned on when using maps or for Lyft and Uber. Some also suggest when you go out to unsavory or unfamiliar places it is good to have it on, so you can be tracked or if worse, be found.


The link below takes you straight to your Google Maps Timeline, a record of all your movements logged in Google Maps. Just sign in to Google and it will direct you. Enjoy. LINK

Using Google Voice

Users of Google’s voice-control features such as OK Google are probably aware that the company stores the voice recordings it receives when they talk to it. Did you know it keeps a list of all the recordings the company has ever made of you. If you have or have ever had an Android phone with Google’s “OK Google” voice-control system, the link below will show a list of every command you have ever given it, including a play button next to it. https://history.google.com/history/audio

Google also has a location history, showing any location the company has tracked you to, through apps such as Google Maps as well as simply using an Android phone. It can be found here https://maps.google.co.uk/locationhistory/b/0

Gotta Go?

There is an app for that. When you really Gotta Go, Flush Toilet Finder is an app for smartphones that helps you find free public restrooms.

The app on Android and iOS is handy if you are in a strange city and you do not know where you can go or if you are shopping, and emergency hits.

Open the app and it searches the area around you. Its database covers over 100,000 public restrooms around the world and the database is constantly expanding. When you find the one you want, you can get directions via Google or Apple Maps. Flush also lists if a restroom has a fee, requires a key, or if it provides disabled access. LINK

Historic Photos

Historypin is a very interesting website that is a global project in partnership with Google. The site allows people to view and share historic places pictures online. It’s an open community, which means everyone can upload an old photo, locate the place on a Google Map and Google Street View and pin it.

When uploading a photo you’ll need to enter date and location. The site then pins the historic picture to a current picture in an overlay, to show past and present. There is a timeline across the top so you can look for pictures during various years. Great for history buffs, or those interested in genealogy. it also allows you to add a story to the picture. LINK It only has about 32,000 pictures so far, but this is the type of site that gets better as more folks add pictures.

Lost Cell Phone

A lost or stolen phone can be a real pain, but there is an application called phonefinder from Google Maps that might help. You borrow a friend's phone and call a number that turns on your phone ringer and transmit the GPS location to the phone you are calling from. Here is the LINK

Internet TV

An Android operating system television will be shipping during the third quarter this year. The new TV, named Scandinavia will be 42-inch, with 1080p native resolution and internet connectivity. It includes Android widgets and provides access to YouTube, Google Maps, the weather, an internet browser, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

A USB socket will also be included. Cost will likely be between $2,500 and $3,500. Finally we get the best (or worst) of both TV and the Internet.