Google Maps

While finding directions to a destination is simple enough to do on any navigation app, many of us like to research travel destinations on our computers or tablets beforehand, if for no other reason than having a bigger screen to look at. If you look up directions as part of this pre-travel research, you might as well send them along to your phone so they are ready to go as soon as you sit down in your car. It's not a life changing shortcut but it is a convenience that both Apple Maps and Google Maps offer. Here's how to use it for each:

Apple Maps

A lot of people these days use a navigation app while driving, if not for directions, then at least to alert them to traffic, accidents or police. Those that do are used to the blue arrow or dot that represents their vehicle, which it has since the beginning of navigation apps. If you'd like a change, Google Maps now lets you change your "avatar" to something more representative, and Waze has had this feature for a while now. Unfortunately you still have to be a blue arrow on Apple Maps.

Punching in your home address (or work or any common destination) in your favorite navigation app grows tiresome after a while, even if it is already there in your recent places. Thankfully both Waze and Google Maps offer shortcuts to directions to your favorite places through a simple 3D Touch and a tap. All you have to do is assign your home, work, etc. locations, then they will be available for quick navigation. Apple Maps, as you would expect, is supposed to have this functionality as well, but as of this writing it is not working properly in iOS 11.3

April Fools' Day has arrived, and as usual Google joined in the fun. iPhone owners can play Ms. Pac-Man directly in the Google Maps app. The feature works by automatically converting any location into a completely functional Ms. Pac-Man board. In fact, desktop users of Google Maps can also play by clicking the "Insert coin" button.