The search giant’s mobile apps are slowly starting to offer offline support, something that is definitely appreciated by Google Now users, as of late.
There are plenty of scenarios when the lack of an Internet connection could disrupt our well-being. Fortunately, Google gave that some thought and jumped to the conclusion that some of its apps could fare well even in offline mode, Google Now Cards being the latest such example.
Last Friday, the company announced on Google+ the new feature of the Google Now cards: “Next time you’re on the subway and want to check on your day’s appointments with Google Now, you won’t have to worry about lack of cell service. Starting today (make sure you update your #GoogleSearch App for Android http://goo.gl/idgt3y) your Google Now cards stay loaded, even when you lose service in the subway… or your favorite underground bar!”
The above image was attached to the Google+ update, and as some noticed, the Wi-Fi seems to be on, despite the app saying that there’s no connection. That’s a bit odd! Another user gave an explanation for that, pointing out that if a wireless network loses its uplink, it would show up just like that on the smartphone’s display.
Google Now’s latest update also brought some kind of a parking detector. By using the smartphone’s sensors, Google Now can tell when you’re leaving your car. The reduction of speed will trigger a parking card to show on the map, so after a long walk in an unknown area, you will still know where you parked your car.
Google explained how this works on its Help page: “When the card shows up in Google Now, you’ll see an indicator showing the approximate location of your car. To see other locations where you’ve recently parked, touch Previous locations. Your location data for parking location cards isn’t shared with anyone else.”
Still, this update is not without drawbacks. For the time being, Google can’t tell whether you’re leaving your car, someone else’s vehicle, or just a bus. Because of this, the parking card might confuse some people. The feature is still useful if you want to find the bus station where you got off, or if for some reason you need to get back to the place where your friends dropped you.
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