Chapter 33. Finding Places and Getting Directions with Maps

To keep you from wandering around aimlessly, you can use the Maps app to get directions. Not only can the Maps app help you find your way around, but it can also help you find nearby restaurants, gas stations, coffeehouses, or supermarkets. All you need is your iPad and an Internet connection to find the shortest, fastest route to your destination.

In this chapter, you will learn how to look for directions, and find specific places on a map on your iPad.

What You’ll Be Using

To find places on a map and get directions, you need to use the following:

  • An Internet (Wi-Fi or 3G) connection

The Maps app

Finding Places on a Map

One of the most common uses for a map is to help you find a specific location, such as a friend’s house or a restaurant where you plan to meet with others. Other times you may not know exactly where you want to go, but you do know what you want to find, such as the nearest pizza restaurant, gas station, supermarket, or coffeehouse. Whether you want to find a specific address or need to find a certain place, your iPad can show you the way.

Searching for an Address

If you know the exact address you want to find, you can locate it on your iPad by following these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the Search tab in the upper-left corner of the screen. (It may already be selected.)

  3. Tap the Search field in the upper-right corner of the screen. The virtual keyboard appears at the bottom of the screen, as shown in Figure 33-1.

    The Search field lets you type an address to locate on the map.
    Figure 33-1. The Search field lets you type an address to locate on the map.

  4. Type an address and city. Then tap the Search key on the virtual keyboard. The map displays a red pin to identify the address, as shown in Figure 33-2.

    The map identifies an address with a red pin.
    Figure 33-2. The map identifies an address with a red pin.

  5. Tap the orange circle with the white silhouette of a person in it. The screen shows you a photograph of the area around the address, as shown in Figure 33-3. By sliding your finger on this picture, you can see a 360-degree view of the surrounding area.

  6. Tap the screen once, and tap the Done button that appears in the upper-right corner of the screen. Or tap the viewing circle that appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen to return to the map.

Note

After you have searched for one or more addresses, the Maps app stores those addresses in a Recents list, as shown in Figure 33-4. The Recents window appears automatically when you tap the Search field. You can clear this list by tapping the Clear button in the upper-left corner of the Recents window.

You can view a picture of the surrounding area.
Figure 33-3. You can view a picture of the surrounding area.
The Recents window stores your last searched addresses.
Figure 33-4. The Recents window stores your last searched addresses.

Searching for Certain Types of Places

If you’re looking for the nearest gas station or coffeehouse, you probably won’t know the specific address. Fortunately, you don’t have to know this type of information since you can just type pizza or supermarket into the Search field, and the Maps app is smart enough to figure out what you want and display multiple pins identifying locations of businesses that match what you want.

To search for specific places, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the Search tab in the upper-left corner of the screen.

  3. Tap the Location icon, or simply scroll the map to an area that you want to investigate.

  4. Tap the Search field in the upper-right corner of the screen. The virtual keyboard appears at the bottom of the screen (shown earlier in Figure 33-1).

  5. Type a description of the place you want to find, such as pizza or gas. Red pins appear on the map to identify locations that match your search criteria, as shown in Figure 33-5.

    You can locate different types of businesses on the map.
    Figure 33-5. You can locate different types of businesses on the map.

  6. Tap the Results icon (it looks like three white horizontal lines inside a gray circle) at the far right of the Search field. A list of names and addresses of places that match your search criteria appears, as shown in Figure 33-6.

    The Results window lists the names and addresses of businesses that match your search criteria.
    Figure 33-6. The Results window lists the names and addresses of businesses that match your search criteria.

  7. Tap a name, and the map highlights the location of that business on the map.

Bookmarking Favorite Locations

When you find a location on a map, you can bookmark it. That way, if you find a great restaurant, bookstore, or bar that you know you’ll want to return to, you can save this location for future use or send an email message to a friend so they’ll be able to find that place too.

Saving a Location as a Bookmark

To save a location as a bookmark, follow these steps:

  1. Search for a location using one of the instructions in Finding Places on a Map in What You’ll Be Using. Your chosen location appears on the map, marked by a red pin.

  2. Tap the Information icon that appears (it looks like a white lowercase i in a blue circle). A window pops up, listing information about that location, as shown in Figure 33-7.

  3. Tap Add to Bookmarks. The Add Bookmark window appears, as shown in Figure 33-8.

  4. Type or edit a descriptive name, and tap Save.

A window listing information about the location on the map
Figure 33-7. A window listing information about the location on the map
The Add Bookmark window lets you type a descriptive name for your bookmarked location.
Figure 33-8. The Add Bookmark window lets you type a descriptive name for your bookmarked location.

Note

Another way to store a location is in the Contacts app. That way, if you have already stored someone’s name in the Contacts app and later find that person’s street address through the Maps app, you can merge the information without retyping a street address.

Placing Your Own Bookmark

Rather than look for an address or place and then create a bookmark, the Maps app also gives you the option of placing a purple pin on a map to identify any location you want. This can be handy for identifying a particular area without caring what that street address might be.

To place a bookmark on a map, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the gray corner in the bottom right of the screen. A list of options appears, as shown in Figure 33-9.

    Tapping the gray corner of the map displays a Drop Pin option.
    Figure 33-9. Tapping the gray corner of the map displays a Drop Pin option.

  3. Tap Drop Pin. A purple pin appears on the map, as shown in Figure 33-10.

  4. Tap and slide the purple pin anywhere on the map. Lift your finger when the purple pin appears where you want it.

    You can slide the purple pin anywhere on the map.
    Figure 33-10. You can slide the purple pin anywhere on the map.

  5. Tap the Information icon that appears (it looks like a white lowercase i in a blue circle). A window pops up, listing information about that location. (You can remove the pin by tapping Remove Pin.)

  6. Tap Add to Bookmarks. The Add Bookmark window appears (shown earlier in Figure 33-8).

  7. Type or edit a descriptive name, and tap Save.

Finding an Address with Bookmarks and Contacts

If you have stored someone’s street address in the Contacts app, you don’t need to retype this address into the Maps app to find its location. Instead, you can just tap that person’s name, and the Maps app will find that location for you.

To see how to find an address from the Contacts app, make sure you have stored someone’s street address, and then follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the Bookmark icon. A window appears.

  3. Tap Contacts at the bottom of this window. Your list of Contacts appears, as shown in Figure 33-11.

  4. Tap a name. The map displays a red pin identifying the location of the address stored with that name. (If you choose a name that doesn’t have a street address stored with it, you’ll see a “No Street Addresses” message.)

You can search for an address stored in the Contacts app.
Figure 33-11. You can search for an address stored in the Contacts app.

Saving a Location in the Contacts App

If you find the location of a business that you need to store for future use, you could save it as a bookmark, but you might want to save it in the Contacts app instead. This makes it easy to find the phone number or street address of the location just by opening and browsing the Contacts app.

To save a location in the Contacts app, follow these steps:

  1. Search for a location using one of the instructions in Finding Places on a Map in What You’ll Be Using. Your chosen location appears on the map, marked by a red pin.

  2. Tap the Information icon that appears (it looks like a white lowercase i in a blue circle). A window pops up, listing information about that location (shown earlier in Figure 33-7).

  3. Tap Add to Contacts. The Create New Contact, Add to Existing Contact, and Cancel buttons appear, as shown in Figure 33-12.

  4. Tap Create New Contact, Add to Existing Contact, or Cancel.

Note

If you tap Create New Contact, you can edit any information before tapping the Done button. If you tap Add to Existing Contact, you’ll need to pick a name in your Contacts list to store the location information.

Buttons appear, giving you the option of creating a new contact or adding the address to an existing contact.
Figure 33-12. Buttons appear, giving you the option of creating a new contact or adding the address to an existing contact.

Sending a Location to a Friend by Email

People are always sharing tips for the locations of the lowest-priced gas stations, the best restaurants, or the most trustworthy doctors. One way to share this information easily is by email. To share a location by email, follow these steps:

  1. Search for a location using one of the instructions in Finding Places on a Map in What You’ll Be Using. Your chosen location appears on the map, marked by a red pin.

  2. Tap the Information icon that appears (it looks like a white lowercase i in a blue circle). A window pops up, listing information about that location (shown earlier in Figure 33-7).

  3. Tap Share Location. An email message appears with your location’s address stored as a vCard (.vcf) format, which programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Address Book can read.

  4. Type an email address to receive your message, and tap Send.

Getting Directions

Many times you want to know where you are and the shortest route to get to your destination. Not only can your iPad show you the fastest driving directions, but it can also show you public transportation options or directions for walking. All you need to know is your current location and your destination.

Getting Directions to a Specific Address

If you know a specific address that you want to go to, you can type that address into the Maps app and get driving, mass transit, or walking directions to your destination by following these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the Directions tab in the upper-left corner of the screen. The upper-right corner of the screen displays Start and End text fields, as shown in Figure 33-13.

    The Start and End fields define the starting and ending points for directions.
    Figure 33-13. The Start and End fields define the starting and ending points for directions.

  3. Tap the End text field. If you tap the Reverse icon (it looks like a squiggly line in between the Start and End fields), you can reverse your starting and ending points.

  4. Type an address, and tap the Search key on the virtual keyboard. The map displays your ending destination and shows how long it will take to drive there from your current location, as shown in Figure 33-14.

    Driving directions appear at the bottom of the map.
    Figure 33-14. Driving directions appear at the bottom of the map.

  5. (Optional) Tap the Bus icon that appears at the bottom of the screen. Mass transit directions appear.

  6. (Optional) Tap the Person icon that appears at the bottom of the screen. Walking directions appear.

  7. Tap Start to get directions. To view step-by-step directions, tap the Left or Right arrow icons that appear on the blue bar, as shown in Figure 33-15. The map will zoom to each turn.

  8. To get a list of all directions, as shown in Figure 33-16, tap the List icon at the far left of the blue bar (shown earlier in Figure 33-15).

Each time you tap the right arrow, another step in your direction appears.
Figure 33-15. Each time you tap the right arrow, another step in your direction appears.
Viewing a list of directions
Figure 33-16. Viewing a list of directions

Getting Directions from an Address Stored in the Contacts App

Rather than type an address, it’s often easier to take advantage of an address stored in your Contacts app. To get driving directions to an address stored in the Contacts app, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the Bookmark icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. A window pops up.

  3. Tap Contacts at the bottom of this window. A list of your names stored in the Contacts app appears.

  4. Tap a name that has a street address stored. The map displays that person’s name on the map with a red pin identifying the street address.

  5. Tap the Information icon that appears to the right of the person’s name. A window appears, listing that person’s contact information stored in the Contacts app, as shown in Figure 33-17.

  6. Tap Directions To Here. A blue bar appears at the bottom of the screen, letting you choose driving, mass transit, or walking directions. Tap one of these choices, and tap Start.

    The contact information appears when you tap the Information icon.
    Figure 33-17. The contact information appears when you tap the Information icon.

Getting Directions from the Information Icon

When the map displays a location with a red pin (such as after searching for a specific type of business like a pizza place or supermarket, as explained in Searching for Certain Types of Places in Searching for Certain Types of Places), you can get directions to that location by tapping the location’s Information icon, which appears as a lowercase letter i inside a blue circle.

To get directions using the Information icon, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Maps. The Maps screen appears.

  2. Tap the Bookmarks icon, tap Contacts at the bottom of the window, and tap a name. Or tap the Search field, and type a business that you want to find such as supermarket or gas to display a red pin on the map, the name of a person or business, and the blue Information icon.

  3. Tap the Information icon. The Information window appears, listing details about the location.

  4. Tap Directions To Here. A blue bar appears at the bottom of the screen, letting you choose driving, mass transit, or walking directions. Tap one of these choices, and tap Start.

Additional Ideas for Finding Places and Getting Directions with Maps

Before you go to a location that you’ve never been to, locate it on the Maps app, and then look at its picture so you can see the surrounding area. Not only will this help you identify what type of neighborhood the place might be in, but it can also help you identify potential parking areas nearby.

If you’re looking for something to eat, just type in the food you want in the Maps search field, such as pizza, thai food, or seafood. When you see all the nearby restaurants, just tap on the name, get directions (driving, mass transit, or walking), and find a new restaurant where you can enjoy your meal.

The Maps app acts like an interactive guide to help you find your location and find nearby businesses. If you travel often, take your iPad, and you may never be lost again (unless you lose your iPad).

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