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Did You Lose Google Navigator? Miss It? Want It Back?


JohnG

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On my droid, the blue navigator icon suddenly disappeared on Thursday or Friday last week.  Frustrated the hell out of me cause I use it about every day for miscellaneous travels.  Apparently, Google pushed out a huge update that changed Maps and eliminated Navigator, but I searched on line and found out how to get it back.

 

Its simple to revert back to get your navigation and local icons/apps returned, just go into 'manage apps' under the menu icon on the lower left of your phone (or system settings, then apps,). Then on the top horizontal bar, scroll to the far right to 'all' (apps). Then find the 'maps' app, touch it once to open its 'app info' screen, then if you see a button that reads something like 'uninstall updates', touch that button. It will uninstall the updates that removed 'navigation' and 'local' apps. It will take about 20 seconds, tops, to do the uninstall. Then go back out to your home screen, click on the apps button on the home screen, and you should find 'navigation' and 'local' icons, which you can set again onto one of your screens.

 

Credit where credit is due:  http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/mobile/MnerdQJGa9Q

 

 

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The above trick will not work forever, sooner or later the old version will not work.  Good possibility that will happen around Aug. 9th when all the old Maps API's go away. It really pisses me off that Latitude is gone. Simple easy way for my wife to keep track of me when I am on a trip.  There are third party apps that replace it but that is just more crap I have to install on two phones.

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Navigation is still there for me... Oh wait, I don't let apps update on their own! (Maybe I'm just a control freak when it comes to software on my devices/computers?)

I never update unless I want a new feature. If it ain't broke don't fix it IMO because updates seem to break more things than they fix a lot of times.

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The above trick will not work forever, sooner or later the old version will not work.  Good possibility that will happen around Aug. 9th when all the old Maps API's go away. It really pisses me off that Latitude is gone. Simple easy way for my wife to keep track of me when I am on a trip.  There are third party apps that replace it but that is just more crap I have to install on two phones.

 

 

it's not gone, it just moved to the G+ app. there is a location tab the G+ app slide out menu. it works exactly the same as latitude did, the only difference is how you organize the people who you are sharing with. you choose who you share with by circles. you can share publicly so anyone can see, you can share with extended circles or just with certain people. you can set up so its always sharing, or only certain dates/times/locations etc. 

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it's not gone, it just moved to the G+ app. there is a location tab the G+ app slide out menu. it works exactly the same as latitude did, the only difference is how you organize the people who you are sharing with. you choose who you share with by circles. you can share publicly so anyone can see, you can share with extended circles or just with certain people. you can set up so its always sharing, or only certain dates/times/locations etc. 

 

I new they had moved it there but didn't know the details.  Set up Google+, for me and the wife.  Add each other to our Circles....set up the sharing...dick around some more. Naw, I am not falling for Google's blatant attempt to make Google+ relevant. My location anywhere near a social app just isn't happening.

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I new they had moved it there but didn't know the details.  Set up Google+, for me and the wife.  Add each other to our Circles....set up the sharing...dick around some more. Naw, I am not falling for Google's blatant attempt to make Google+ relevant. My location anywhere near a social app just isn't happening.

 

 

i think they are just trying to streamline things...  i mean all 5 people who used latitude aren't going to make G+ overtake FB or something now...

 

 IMO the app is what you want it to be. if you dont want the public to have access to your location, then you can restrict it. if you want your wife to be the only one who has access to it, then you can set it up that way. 

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real gps units are still best.  lose cell phone reception and its over for you.  and no data useage.  works in a pinch but i prefere my garmin. it works a lot better too. i actually disabled maps on my phone.  it always had 3 processes running sucking up 70-80 mb of ram

Edited by serpentracer
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I have the latest update and works fine. Infact I like if better now because it gives you multiple options for different routes. I used it all day today roaming through the Rockies. Instead of a arrow now there its a little blue car icon

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

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That may have been something google killed during their "refocusing" on core products. They killed reader, listen, wave and a bunch of other shit. Was pissed about reader, I used that app/site constantly for at least 3 years.

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My blue arrow disappeared from the regular menu, but is still in the choices when I use the car dock.   I use Nav almost daily, and was initially disappointed in the change UNTIL I used the new version.  I now like the changes, and the multiple route options.  I typically map out a route on my desktop using Google maps of anywhere from 3-8 properties all over the place.  It SEEMS that this info is xferring indirectly to the phone app, as when I go to type in the "next" address, its already on the choice list on the phone.   Are they tracking me too much?  Yep.  But they're tracking me anyhow...

I'm giving the "new" version two thumbs up.  Give it some time.  

Someone mentioned no GPS if you lose cell coverage.  I don't think this is the case as my Razr M seems to have its own GPS, not related to cell towers.  It uses cell towers as a secondary locator, I believe.

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Is this update also responsible for removing the Local ap?

Sent from the shitter using Tapatalk 2

Yes, but it's still there. Tap the search icon and scroll down then you will see the icons for food, bars and so on.

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Mine started crashing yesterday when I was headed to pikes peak. Don't know if it's my phone or the app. It works till it "has to unexpectedly close"

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Go into settings then applications then hit maps. Clear cache and clear data. Then uninstall updates. Then let it update again.

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