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Apr 10
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Tech Insight : Could ‘Digital Mindfulness’ Reduce Your Tech Stress?

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In this insight, we look at what ‘digital mindfulness’ is, how it could help you and your business, and what challenges there are to introducing it.

The ‘Digital Stress’ Problem 

Although the digital age has revolutionised work in terms of levels of productivity and connectivity, it has come at a cost. A significant challenge emerging in the workplace is digital stress, sometimes called ‘technostress,’ a phenomenon increasingly recognised for its detrimental effects on employees’ mental and physical health. This issue is characterised by the stress, anxiety, and burnout resulting from the relentless pace of digital communications, the pressure to remain always ‘on’, and the blurring lines between work and personal life. This constant connectivity, while purportedly beneficial to a business has actually introduced a new stressor into the workplace (technostress) which can come from the anxiety and discomfort stemming from overuse or inefficient usage of technology.

The Scope of the Issue 

There has been quite a lot of research into the issue which has shed some light on the magnitude of this problem. For example:

– A Gallup report (2021) highlighted how 44 per cent of the global workforce experienced workplace stress in 2021 (an increase on the previous year). In the US and Canada, for example, this number is even more alarming, with 50 per cent of the workforce reporting stress in the workplace (CFAH, 2024), positioning these regions as some of the highest for workplace stress globally.

– Also in the US, the American Institute of Stress has noted that more than 8 out of 10 US workers suffer from work-related stress, with 25 per cent identifying their job as the number one stressor in their lives.

– In the UK, stress levels vary by department, with employees within customer service reporting the highest levels of stress at 25 per cent. Interestingly, stress appears to affect women 25 per cent more than men, with work-related stress hitting working mothers 40 per cent harder than their childless counterparts (Spill, 2024).

– Financial stress is, not surprisingly, also a significant contributor to workplace anxiety. According to PwC’s annual (2023) Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 41 per cent of workers who feel financial stress also say that this affects their productivity at work.

The Impact on Health and Productivity 

The consequences of digital stress / technostress extend beyond personal health, affecting organisational outcomes and economic costs. For example:

– 20,000 deaths annually in the US are attributed to work-related stress, with businesses losing up to $300 billion each year due to productivity losses linked to this stress (Spill, 2024).

– Also, stress leads to absenteeism. In the UK (ONS, 2021) mental health conditions, which can include stress, were one of the top reasons for sickness absence, demonstrating the impact of work-related stress on overall employee well-being and productivity.

– In the US, it’s a similar picture, with a million Americans taking time off work each day with stress, thereby perhaps indicating how pervasive and damaging unmanaged stress can be to both individuals and organisations.

Addressing The Problem 

These statistics underscore the urgent need for strategies like using ‘digital mindfulness,’ which aims to cultivate a healthier relationship with technology.

What Is Mindfulness and How Is ‘Digital Mindfulness’ Different? 

Mindfulness, originating from Buddhist meditation practices, is the psychological process of bringing your attention to experiences occurring in the present moment (‘the now’).  Research in neuroscience shows that mindfulness training can actually rewire brain circuits associated with stress, attention, and emotional regulation. For instance, a study published in the journal “Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging” showed that an eight-week mindfulness meditation program led to increased density in the hippocampus, a region associated with memory and learning, and decreased density in the amygdala, which is linked to anxiety and stress responses.

Digital Mindfulness is a concept that adapts traditional mindfulness principles to our interactions with digital technology. It involves being consciously aware and intentional about how we use digital devices and online platforms, aiming to foster a balanced, reflective, and engaged approach to technology, counteracting the autopilot mode with which we often engage with digital devices. This practice encourages individuals to recognise and mitigate the potential for technology to contribute to stress, distraction, and disconnection from the physical world, promoting healthier digital habits and well-being.

The Benefits 

By integrating (digital) mindfulness practices into the workplace, businesses can mitigate the adverse effects of digital stress, improving employee well-being and productivity.

Digital mindfulness also offers a pathway toward a more balanced digital work life (something of real value to employees), encouraging employees to engage with technology intentionally and mindfully, thus reducing the likelihood of stress and burnout.

How? 

Some of the ways that businesses can introduce digital mindfulness to the workplace include:

– Introducing ‘taster’ sessions, i.e. introductory sessions led by skilled practitioners to allow employees to experience mindfulness benefits firsthand.

– Offering training and resources. Supplying formal training and access to mindfulness apps or resources for guided practices.

– Designating a quiet space. Providing a dedicated area for meditation or quiet reflection, free from workplace distractions.

– Encouraging daily practice: Fostering a habit of regular mindfulness breaks among employees to help detach from work momentarily, enhancing focus and rejuvenation.

– Cultivating mindful leaders. Training leaders in mindfulness to model and promote mindful practices within their teams, enhancing overall workplace mindfulness.

However, for a better chance of success, employees must be engaged from the start, understanding their interest in and preferences for mindfulness activities to ensure the program meets their needs. Also, the purpose of it within the organisation needs to be clarified, and active participation and endorsement needs to be secured from senior management to underscore the initiative’s importance and encourage wider adoption.

What’s The Evidence? Does It Work? 

The effectiveness of digital mindfulness is backed by research highlighting its positive impacts on mental health and workplace productivity. For example, a study from the University of California, Irvine, found that employees who practiced mindfulness techniques reported a 27 per cent reduction in stress levels. Also, a program aimed at reducing digital distractions through mindfulness practices at a multinational corporation led to a 31 per cent drop in reported stress among participants and a 26 per cent increase in focus on tasks. These statistics underscore the real benefits that mindfulness can introduce to a technology-saturated work environment, including improved emotional well-being, enhanced concentration, and lower instances of burnout.

Challenges in Learning and Implementing Mindfulness 

Despite its benefits, the path to integrating mindfulness, especially in a digital context, can have its challenges. Scepticism about its effectiveness, the perceived time investment, and the irony of leveraging digital platforms to escape the downsides of digital overuse are common hurdles. However, incremental steps, such as designated tech-free periods and mindfulness meditation breaks during the workday, can facilitate a smoother transition. Encouragement from leadership and success stories within the organisation can also help overcome initial resistance.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

For businesses, the adoption of digital mindfulness may qwll be more than just a wellness initiative and once it’s learned, its power shouldn’t be underestimated. In fact, many businesses now see it as worthwhile as a strategic investment in the digital age. This is because the benefits extend beyond individual well-being to impacting organisational health too, by driving down stress-related costs and increasing productivity. Companies that cultivate a culture of digital mindfulness can, therefore, expect to see not only happier employees but also a more focused, efficient, and innovative workforce. To embark on this journey, however, businesses can start by offering workshops on digital mindfulness, and how to integrate mindfulness practices into daily routines, and promoting a culture where disconnection is respected and valued. Possibly easier said than done!

By confronting the realities of so-called ‘technostress’ head-on and embracing digital mindfulness, businesses can foster an environment where technology isn’t a source of endless distraction and stress.

Apr 10
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Tech News : Google May Charge For AI Internet Searches

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Google is reportedly considering charging for premium AI-powered Internet searches as the company fears that AI chatbots are undercutting its search engine.

Advertising-Funded 

Google, up until now, has relied mainly on an advertising-funded business model (Google Ads) as a way to collect data and monetise its market-leading search. However, it seems that fears around users asking queries via generative AI chatbots (e.g. Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT) which they would normally use Google search for, could cut Google out of the equation. This threat of missing out on user data and revenue, plus damage to the value of its ad service have apparently prompted Google to look at other monetising alternatives. Google, like other AI companies (with its Gemini family of models) is also likely to be looking for some return on its considerable AI investment thus far.

The Big Idea 

Google’s big idea, therefore, appears to be:

– Making its AI search become part of its premium subscription services (putting it behind a paywall), e.g. along with its Gemini AI assistant (offered as Gemini Advanced).

– Keeping its existing Google search engine as a free service, enhanced with AI-generated “overviews” for search queries, i.e. AI-generated concise summaries / abstracts to give users quick insights.

– Keeping the ad-based model for search.

Ad-Revenue Still Vital 

When you consider that Google’s revenue from search and related advertising constituted at least half of its sales in 2023 (£138bn), and with the rapid growth of AI competitors such as ChatGPT, it’s possible to see why Google needs to adapt. Getting the monetisation of its AI up to speed while protecting and maximising its ad revenue as part of a new balance in a new environment, therefore, looks like a plausible path to follow for Google, in the near future.

As reported by Reuters, a Google spokesperson summarised the change in Google’s tactics, saying: “We’re not working on or considering an ad-free search experience. As we’ve done many times before, we’ll continue to build new premium capabilities and services to enhance our subscription offerings across Google”. 

AI Troubles 

Although a big AI-player, Google perhaps hasn’t enjoyed the best start to its AI journey and publicity. For example, after arriving late to the game with Bard (being beaten to it by its Microsoft rival-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT), its revamped/rebranded Gemini generative AI model recently made the news for the wrong reasons. It was widely reported, for example, that what appears to be an overly ‘woke’ Gemini produced inaccurate images of German WW2 soldiers featuring a black man and Asian woman, and an image of the US Founding Fathers which included a black man.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

With Google heavily financially reliant upon its ad-based model for search, yet with generative AI (mostly from its competitor) acting as a substitute for Google’s search and eating into its revenue, it’s clear to see why Google is looking at monetising its AI and using it to ‘enhance’ its premium subscription offerings. With a market leading and such a well-established and vital cash cow ad service, it’s not surprising that Google is clear that it has no plans to change ad-free search at the moment. However, the environment is changing as generative AI has altered the landscape and the dynamics. Thus, Google is having to adapt and evolve in what will potentially become a pretty significant tactical change.

For businesses, this move by Google may mean the need to evaluate the cost-benefit of subscribing to premium services for advanced AI insights versus sticking with the enhanced (but free) AI-generated overviews in search results. This shift could mean a reallocation of digital marketing budgets to accommodate subscription costs for those who choose the premium service.

For Google’s competitors, however, Google’s move may be an opportunity to capitalise on any dissatisfaction from the introduction of a paid model. If, for example, users or businesses are reluctant to pay for Google’s premium services, they might turn to alternatives. However, it may also add pressure on these competitors to innovate and perhaps consider how they can monetise their own AI advancements without alienating their users.

Apr 10
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Tech News : Headaches For MSPs As Microsoft Unbundles Teams

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Microsoft’s announcement that it will sell its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product globally is likely to cause considerable headaches for IT departments and managed service providers.

Why Unbundle? 

Teams is to be unbundled and sold separately globally (it’s been unbundled in the EU since last October) in response to an antitrust lawsuit and to avert the possible associated fine.

An antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft over its bundling of Teams with its Office suite in the EU was initiated based on a complaint from competitor Slack Technologies in 2020. Teams was originally bundled with Office 365 as a replacement for Skype back in 2017 and became popular during the pandemic.

However, rival Slack (now owned by Salesforce) alleged that Microsoft was illegally tying its Teams application to its dominant Office productivity suites, thereby leveraging its market dominance to stifle competition unfairly.

The European Commission said at the time: “Microsoft may grant Teams a distribution advantage by not giving customers the choice on whether or not to include access to that product when they subscribe to their productivity suites.” 

This led to The European Commission investigating Microsoft over its amalgamation of Office and Teams since 2020 and then to Microsoft separating Teams for Office 365 In October last year in the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

Pressure 

Continued pressure from the regulator and the desire to (understandably) avoid a fine that could potentially be up to 10 per cent of its global revenue has now led Microsoft to announce that it will now be unbundling Teams and selling it separately, globally.

How Much?

Starting from April 1, customers can either continue with their current licensing deal, renew, update or switch to the new offers. Unbundled Teams will be available for new customers as a standalone app for $5.25, whereas Office packages without Teams will range between $7.75 and $54.75.

It’s worth noting that these figures may vary by country and currency and Microsoft hasn’t yet disclosed prices for current packaged products.

Trouble For MSPs 

Unfortunately, although the move may be good news for Microsoft’s rivals, it’s not a welcome announcement from the perspective of the many managed service providers (MSPs) who are resellers of Microsoft’s packages and products. Indeed, for MSPs it is likely to mean headaches in several key areas, such as:

– Service delivery and integration. Unbundling may disrupt how MSPs bundle services, demanding changes in delivery models due to the deep integration of Teams with Office applications.

– Billing and subscription management Separate billing for Teams and Office could complicate financial operations, requiring more administrative effort to manage distinct subscriptions and compliance.

– Training and support. A standalone Teams setup might increase support queries and necessitate updated training materials, placing additional demands on MSP resources.

– Client satisfaction and retention. Crucially, the change could confuse clients who are accustomed to (and expect) the convenience of integrated packages, potentially affecting their satisfaction and loyalty (during the adjustment phase), lowering the barriers to exit from their supplier.

– Market competition. Facing competitors offering more cohesive solutions, MSPs may need to reevaluate their offerings and pricing to stay competitive.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

This is not an unexpected development, given Microsoft’s unbundling of Teams in the EU last October, continued regulator and competitor pressure, and the threat of a massive fine. It’s good news for Microsoft’s competitors like Slack, however, for Microsoft, some say that even this concession and change in its product strategy may not be enough to avoid a fine.

The complications and unsettling effects it could have on UK business customers could also cause some considerable problems for the UK’s many MSPs. For example, they may find themselves having to navigate a more complex service landscape, facing challenges in service integration, billing management, and customer support. This could mean that MSPs will have to now monitor the impacts carefully and adjust their strategies to minimise the likely negative effects on their business and client relationships.

This could mean having to adapt current offerings and trying their best to ensure seamless integration and support for both Teams and Office applications independently – an extra challenge in an already difficult market.

Apr 10
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An Apple Byte : Apple To Allow Retro Console Game Emulators On App Store Globally

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As part of its compliance with EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules, Apple has announced a change in its App Store rules to allow emulators for retro console games globally. The change allows an option for downloading the titles, but Apple has warned the developers of such emulator apps that need to follow copyright rules.

Android users already enjoy access to these types of emulators and Apple’s move to allow them via an in-app purchase mechanism could provide another welcome revenue stream.

Following its hefty $1.9 billion fine by the EU earlier this month for restricting music-streaming app developers from sharing subscription options outside of Apple’s App Store, Apple has introduced new “Music Streaming Services Entitlements” for apps distributed in the EU. These are guidelines allowing some music streaming apps to include links, e.g. ‘buy buttons’ that go to external websites.

Apr 10
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Security Stop Press : German Hotel Check-In Bug Prompts Fears Of Wider Problem

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A researcher from Swiss security firm, Pentagrid, has reported discovering that the self-service check-in terminal at a German Ibis budget hotel could be easily fooled into leaking hotel room keycodes. This has prompted fears that similar systems in hotels around Europe could be at risk.

The researcher reported that, simply by inputting a series of six consecutive dashes (——) instead of a booking reference number, the system displayed private details like the cost of the booking, the room entry keycodes, the room number, and a timestamp that could indicate the length of a guest’s stay. The researcher highlighted how the bug could put guests at risk from thieves.

It’s understood that the owners of Ibis Budget chain, Accor Security, is developing a software fix that could correct all affected terminals in under a month.

Apr 10
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Sustainability-in-Tech : Prototype Means Solar Farms In Space Getting Closer

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Oxfordshire-based Space Solar has reported a world first with the development of a UK Prototype for space-based solar panels that could mean a constant, sustainable energy supply to the planet.

Solar Farms In Space 

Space Solar’s plan is to be able to power more than a million homes by the 2030s using a mile-wide complex of mirrors and solar panels – a solar farm – orbiting 22,000 miles above Earth.

Panels Must Rotate Towards The Sun 

For the space-based solar farm to work effectively, the panels must be able to rotate towards the sun whatever its position, while still sending power to a fixed receiver on the ground. It is this ability that has just been shown to work for the first time at Queen’s University Belfast, in a prototype that used a wireless beam “steered” across a lab to turn on a light. Space Solar has called its super-efficient design for harvesting constant sunlight CASSIOPei.

The Ultimate Form of Clean Energy 

Space Solar says that space-based solar power will be the ultimate form of clean dependable energy because it will deliver a constant, 24/7 clean source of power from space that’s unaffected by the weather, seasons, or time of day.

Other Benefits 

Some of the many other benefits of space-based solar highlighted by the company include:

– It is dispatchable, modulating the output and integrating well with intermittent wind and terrestrial solar.

– Solar panels in space capture 13 times more energy than ground-based ones due to higher light intensity and the lack of atmosphere, clouds … or night!

– It has a low environmental impact with respect to land usage, carbon footprint and mineral resources.

– The technology is very flexible, e.g. it can export energy to other co-operating nations without the need for an expensive fixed infrastructure such as underwater power cables.

– It can be switched rapidly to power green Hydrogen generation or water desalination plants, as well as providing electricity into the grid.

Challenge – 68 Space Flights 

Although the prototype has been developed successfully, there are still some major challenges ahead for Space Solar, not least the estimated 68 space flights that are likely to be needed to get the parts into orbit that could then be assembled by robots into a working space power station.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

Major challenges such as tackling global warming, decarbonising the energy sector to meet targets, keeping up with a growing electricity demand, and finding a more dependable, flexible, and sustainable source of energy have required some innovative thinking. Having solar farms in space where they can provide 24/7 clean, natural energy, therefore, sounds as though it could be one of several options with real promise.

The development of the right kind of solar panel to help achieve this should be celebrated as one important step forward in achieving Space Solar’s vision. There are, however, some arguably much bigger challenges to overcome, including getting the kit into space using almost 70 flights and getting robots to successfully put it all together whilst in orbit. Also, the target of getting it all up and running by the 2030s sounds ambitious, although it needs to be ambitious to tackle our pressing climate and energy challenges. Having a constant, dependable, clean power source beamed from space could be of huge benefit for countries and economies around the world and could help solve the issue of trying to get power to areas where the geography would have prevented this before.

Also, the fact that the technology can be used to power green Hydrogen generation or water desalination plants may also help with this global evening-up of opportunities, helping the world to tackle its main challenges much more quickly and effectively than ever before.

Apr 10
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Tech Tip – Record Steps in Windows to Explain a Problem to Others

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If you need an easy way to explain to others the nature of a technical issue or the steps to take to solve that issue, Windows has an often overlooked, built-in ‘Steps Recorder’ to help you. As the name suggests, it records the series of steps you take on your computer, including screenshots and detailed descriptions, which you can then share for troubleshooting. Here’s how it works:

– In the Windows search bar, type ‘Steps Recorder’ and open the app.

– Click “Start Record” to begin capturing your on-screen actions. You can add comments at specific steps by clicking “Add Comment” and selecting the part of the screen you’re referring to.

– Once done, click “Stop Record.” Save the file and share (as a .zip) with your colleagues, your IT department/IT support company, support forums and more. It could also be used to help visually explain any other kind of on-screen issue or navigation route. Try it!

Apr 03
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Featured Article : Google Deleting Millions Of Users’ Incognito Data

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As part of a deal to resolve a class action lawsuit in the US dating back to 2020, Google has said it will delete the incognito mode search data of millions of users.

What Lawsuit? 

In June 2020 in the US, three Californians named Chasom Brown, Christopher Castillo, and Monique Trujill (along with William Byatt of Florida and Jeremy Davis of Arkansas) brought a lawsuit against Google’s Incognito mode. They filed the class-action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and potentially millions of other Google users who believed their data was being collected by Google despite using Incognito mode for private browsing.

The plaintiffs accused Google of capturing data despite assurances that it would not, thereby misleading users about the privacy level provided by Incognito mode. For example, internal Google emails highlighted by the lawsuit appeared to show that users using incognito mode were actually being tracked by Google to measure web traffic and sell ads.

The original lawsuit was seeking at least $5 billion in damages from Google.

What’s Been Happening? 

Since the lawsuit was originally filed, some of the main events of note between the plaintiffs and Google have included:

– Google attempting to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing that it never promised complete privacy or non-collection of data in Incognito mode. At the time, Google pointed to the disclaimers presented to users when opening an Incognito tab, which stated that activity might still be visible to websites, web services, and employers or schools.

– A judge then rejected Google’s request to dismiss the case. The judge emphasised that Google didn’t explicitly inform users that it would collect data in the manner alleged by the plaintiffs. This decision meant that the lawsuit could again move forward.

– Finally, back in December last year, with the scheduled trial due to begin in February 2024, the lawyers for Google and the plaintiffs announced that a preliminary settlement had been reached, i.e. Google had agreed to settle the class-action lawsuit. In doing so, Google acknowledged that it needed to address the plaintiffs’ concerns (but without admitting wrongdoing).

– In January, however, following the preliminary settlement announcement, Google updated its disclosures, clarifying that it still tracked user data even when users opted to search privately or used its “Incognito” setting.

– Google also said it was trialling a new feature that could automatically block third-party cookies (to prevent user activity being tracked) for all Google Chrome users and had made the block automatic for Incognito just after the lawsuit was filed. It’s also understood that as part of the settlement deal, this automatic block feature will stay in place for 5 years.

Mass Deletions 

Under the terms of the final settlement, the full details of which are not publicly known, Google has agreed to delete hundreds of billions of the private browsing data records that it collected (with incognito).

Google Says…

A Google spokesperson has been quoted as saying that the company was pleased to settle the lawsuit which it “always believed was meritless” and that it is “happy to delete old technical data that was never associated with an individual and was never used for any form of personalisation”. 

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

This agreement came after extensive legal battles and discussions, which in themselves highlight the complexities surrounding user privacy and data collection practices in the digital age. Part of the complexity in the case appeared to be trying to decide whether, as the plaintiffs’ lawyers argued, Google was misleading users and violating privacy and wiretapping laws or, as Google’s lawyers said, Incognito mode was designed to allow users to browse without saving activity to their local device but not to entirely prevent Google or other services from tracking user activities online.

Google has consistently denied wrongdoing and maintained its stance. However, Google (and its parent company Alphabet) are already facing two other potentially painful monopoly cases brought by the US federal government and had to pay £318m in 2022 in settlement of claims brought by US states over it allegedly tracking the location of users who’d had opted out of location services on their devices. It’s not surprising, therefore, that Google has opted to settle in this most recently concluded case although, in addition to having to delete hundreds of billions of browsing records, there are no public details yet of what else it’s cost.

The settlement, therefore, will be seen by many as a victory in terms of forcing dominant technology companies to be more honest in their representations to users about how they collect and employ user data. For big tech companies such as Google, privacy and tracking have become a difficult area. Google had already moved to free itself from other volatile privacy matters around browsing by announcing back in 2020 that it would be looking to eliminate third-party cookies within two years anyway (which has been delayed) and cookies have been subject to greater regulation in recent years.

This latest settlement is bad news for Google (and advertisers) however it is likely to be good news for the many millions of Google Chrome users whose interests were represented in the class-action lawsuit.

Apr 03
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Tech Insight : A Dozen Handy Google Maps Tricks

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With Google Maps now one of the most popular mapping services globally, used by millions of people every day, plus having new features regularly being added, here we look at a dozen top Google Maps (Android) tricks to help you on your way.

Driving 

Since Google Maps can be extremely useful in the car, the first few tricks are for driving.

1. Set Departure or Arrival Times 

What it is: With this feature, you can plan a route based on your desired departure or arrival time.

Benefits: This is a great way to help with your scheduling by estimating travel time based on traffic predictions.

How-to: To use this feature, search for your destination and tap on “Directions.”

Choose your mode of transport. Then, tap on the three dots next to the “Your location” field.

Select “Set depart or arrive time” to choose your desired time, and see the estimated duration.

2. Smarter Driving with Google Assistant 

What it is: This is a helpful driving mode with messaging assistance.

Benefits: It reads messages aloud and provides you with driving notifications.

How-to: In “Navigation settings” enable “Google Assistant settings” and “Get messaging help while driving.” Adjust the message alert settings and activate “Driving notifications.”

3. Choosing The Fastest Routes Over Fuel-Efficient Ones 

What it is: If time is really of the essence, Google Maps allows you to opt for the fastest route instead of the (default) fuel-efficient one.

Benefits: Saves time / gets you there fast.

How-to: Disable “Prefer fuel-efficient routes” in “Navigation settings” > “Route options.”

4. Smarter Searching Along The Route 

What it is: If you need to plan some stops along the way, this feature helps you to search for the kind of places you’re interested in along your current route.

Benefits: Finds your stops without the need for detouring.

How-to: From the directions screen, tap the three-dot menu > “Search along route.”

Next, type in the kind of thing you’re looking for along the way e.g., restaurants, petrol stations, or specific businesses.

5. Traffic Tracking 

What it is: This can be particularly helpful on UK roads because it allows you to view real-time traffic information during navigation.

Benefits: Keeps you informed about traffic conditions so, hopefully, you can avoid the jams.

How-to: During navigation, swipe up (on the time estimate panel > activate “Show traffic on map.”

Making Things Easier 

These next tricks offer ways to just save time and make things easier for yourself within Google Maps.

6. Glanceable Directions 

What it is: This offers an enhanced navigation view with detailed steps and ETA – everything you need at a glance rather than having to search within Google Maps.

Benefits: Easier navigation and a better route overview.

How-to: Open Maps, tap profile picture > “Settings” > “Navigation settings.”

Activate “Glanceable directions.”

7. Live View for Walking 

What it is: This makes it much easier to know and see more of what’s actually around you while you’re walking along, especially if it’s somewhere you haven’t been before. Live View for Walking uses augmented reality to help with walking directions.

Benefits: Easier navigation in unfamiliar areas.

How-to: Start walking directions, and tap “Live View” (near the bottom).

8. Spot Saving 

What it is: If you’ve just found a great parking spot and you’d like to remember where it was for future reference, this feature will save your parking spot (or any location).

Benefits: Easy return navigation.

How-to: Tap the blue dot > “Save parking” and add details if needed.

9. Pinned Places 

What it is: If you need to visit the same place(s), it’s much easier to have these places saved somewhere so you can quickly pull them up rather than type them in anew each time. Pinned places does just that – it pins common trips for quick access.

Benefits: Simplifies starting navigation to frequent destinations.

How-to: Pin trips from the (main Maps screen) “Go” tab (at the bottom) or from the directions screen.

Eating 

Google Maps now provides plenty of details for nearby places to eat. Here’s a helpful trick if you’re looking for your favourite type of food.

10. Better Restaurant Suggestions

What it is: This Filters restaurant searches by various criteria.

Benefits: Tailored dining options.

How-to: After selecting “Restaurants” you can tap the filter icon and apply filters to find just the kind of food you’re looking for in the area.

Sharing 

If you’re meeting up with people (or just to make things safer), it can be useful to let others know where you are. This next trick does just that.

11. Shared Places 

What it is: A way to share your real-time location.

Benefits: Lets others track your progress.

How-to: Tap the blue location dot (within the main maps screen) > “Share location” or use “Share trip progress” during navigation.

Customising 

Customising a map can be a great way to make it simpler and faster for you to see what you need to see. This final trick helps with just that.

12. Customise Your Map with Labels 

What it is: You can add your own personal labels to locations for easier identification.

Benefits: This simplifies finding frequently visited places or marking spots of interest with custom names.

How-to: Search for a location or long-press on the map to select a place. Next, tap on the location’s name or address at the bottom, then choose “Label.” Enter your custom label name and save. The label will appear on your map for future reference.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

With other popular mapping tools available, Google has tried very hard in recent times to add a variety of extra useful features to Google Maps in order to compete and to retain and engage its users. However, although many of us use Google Maps, we’re unlikely to have the time or the inclination to read-up on the growing number of features and may only use Google Maps as and when, perhaps sticking to the same basic features each time. The hope is, therefore, that this collection of tricks may provide you with some useful tools and inspiration to get more value from Google Maps, perhaps saving you some valuable time and enhancing aspects of the journey on your next business or leisure trip.

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