Using Google Offline: How Does It Work?

Every time I write about Google, I am always a little bewildered. Not only are they a hugely popular search engine, but they also develop and support Internet analytics, cloud computing, advertising technologies, and Web app, browser and operating system development. It is one of the most highly valued companies in the world and yet they offer many of their services for free.

However, no matter how big and powerful they are, they continue to develop ways that will give people who live in areas that don’t have access to a good internet connection a fighting chance. I get frustrated at times because they seem all powerful and can change their formula (such as algorithm changes and products that get the ax) without a word’s notice, but they still champion the little guy and their humanitarian projects are quite impressive.

Initially, most people used a PC to search, work, and discover and their Internet connection was generally stable. But now that people are much more mobile with smartphones and tablets, this isn’t always the case. So, Google is advancing methods that will allow you to work offline until an Internet connection is available. The following article outlines the products that they are focusing on for offline work:

Google Is Quietly Rebuilding Itself Offline | Co.Design | business + design

Google is never down. It’s the most resilient, expansive cloud infrastructure ever built, with layers of redundant servers to promise that when you ask Google to look up some inane piece of trivia or search your email—from a restaurant, or in the middle of the night—it’s always there to respond.

Yet for the past few years, Google has been quietly updating its offline capabilities. Search. Maps. Docs. Chrome. YouTube. Each of Google’s largest branches is now fit with some level of functionality, even when the internet is out of reach. Maps will download cities to your phone. YouTube Red automatically downloads your favorite songs. Chrome can save webpages so you can view them even without Wi-Fi. And most recently, Google announced that even good old Googling can work without a connection. On Android, the searches will queue up when you don’t have a connection, then the system will automatically alert the user with results when a connection comes back online.

Read the full post here:  Google Is Quietly Rebuilding Itself Offline | Co.Design | business + design

Using Google offline isn’t like being connected, but it is definitely better than nothing. Through some settings on your phone, you can queue up a search and be notified when the search results are available. This video demonstrates how to work offline using your smartphone:

One of the best offline functions they have cultivated is using Google Maps offline. This works really well to store specific locations on your device or an SD card so if you happen to be where your phone doesn’t have service, you can still utilize the saved map to find your way around. You have to think ahead and search for the area you need to save while you have Internet, but once you are connected you don’t have to worry about getting lost.

These are the step-by-step instructions straight from Google support:

1. On your phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Make sure you’re connected to the Internet and signed in to Google Maps.
3. Search for a place, like San Francisco.
4. At the bottom, tap the name or address of the place. If you search for a place like a restaurant, tap More .
5. Select Download .

Read more here on the Google Support Page

This post from CNET gives a few more helpful tips on using Google offline. Keep in mind that the instructions are pretty much identical for iPhone and Android users:

How to use Google Maps offline mode on iOS, Android – CNET

You’ll then be tasked adjusting the area to be saved via panning and zooming around, making sure to pay attention to the size limit alert along the top of the screen. If the mapped area is deemed to large, you’ll need to zoom in and repeat the process for the area left out. Once you’re happy, tap on Save and give the offline map a name.

To access your saved maps, slide you the menu draw and select My Places from the list of options. Scroll to the bottom of the page, where you should find any offline maps still stored on your device.

Keep in mind that any saved maps will only remain on your device for 30 days. Presumably, after that the app will purge a saved map to clear up space on your device.

Read more here:  How to use Google Maps offline mode on iOS, Android – CNET

Google continues to amazing me with their innovative and charitable ways. In the end, though, it really comes down to the fact that Google wants to encourage anyone they possibly can to be part of the community as well as a potential paying customer.

First posted here:  S&S Pro Blog

What’s New With Google Voice

The virtual phone number service, Google Voice, was originally launched in 2009.  How did Google Voice initially work? It allowed you to use call forwarding and voicemail services for a chosen phone number.

From Pixabay

When it came out, we were excited to use it because it allowed a way to create a unique phone number for our business in the preferred area code and have calls forwarded to our landline phone. We didn’t have to pay for a second phone line or receive business calls on our personal line.

However, the days of landlines are gone, and in the meantime other companies came out with virtual phone numbers that worked similar to or better than Google Voice with your mobile phone. In fact, many people thought Google Voice was being completely removed from the Google lineup, but recently there have been some surprising updates to the service.

One big issue with the previous version of the app,  besides its awkward interface, was the inability to receive an image with the transcribed text that the service provided. The Verge reviews the MMS inline feature and what’s new with Google Voice in the following article:

Google Voice gets a new look for its first major update in years – The Verge

Aside from simply bringing Voice up to date aesthetically, the upgraded app carries over some features that until now were only available for users who

Image from Flickr

had switched to Hangouts for some Voice functions like texting and voicemail. For one, photo MMS is now supported by Google Voice on all platforms and across pretty much all major carriers. Images show up inline in your conversations, and firing off your own is as easy as any other texting app. That sounds like basic functionality, but MMS has been a longtime sore spot for Voice. No more emails with MMS attachments or other weird workarounds.

Read more here:  Google Voice gets a new look for its first major update in years – The Verge

This video analyzes the new features for Google Voice. The author goes through the ins and outs of using the app, how it is still integrated with Voice and Hangouts, but in addition also being integrated with the web application.  It is still an option for people who don’t want to use a phone carrier and prefer to use VoIP for their calls:

 

In this post by CNET, it examines the differences in how the application works for Android users as opposed to iPhone users. The main variable is the placement of the three dedicated tabs:

Revamped Google Voice has five new features you really need to check out – CNET

Most notably, Google Voice is now split up into three different sections. Each section has a dedicated tab, instead of a series of links.

Android users will find the three tabs along the top of the screen, with the standard Android Compose button in the bottom-right corner. Select the compose button to reveal your contact list, along with a dial-pad button to place a call.

iOS users will have four tabs along the bottom of the app, the three mentioned above and a dedicated dial-pad button. Once you begin using the updated mobile app, the web interface will update as well. The web interface has three tabs plus a menu button.

Read the full post here:  Revamped Google Voice has five new features you really need to check out – CNET

Another big change includes the ability to do a group message. It seems that the new interface is very similar to other messaging apps, which brings the service back to being a viable option for virtual calling. Google never fails to surprise me.

See the original post here:  S&S Pro Blog