Google Maps adds rental car information and improved photo viewer

Google Maps has long been one of the best features of Android. Sure, it’s also available on iOS, but there’s nothing quite like using it on an Android device. Google relentlessly adds new features and improvements to keep it on top. The latest batch of features includes rental information and a photo viewer.

If you have a rental car reservation tied to your Google account you will be able to bring up that information when searching the area. You’ll see the pick up or drop off location and reservation number. Google has also improved the photo viewer so you can see multiple photos of a location. Other improvements include a new “Your Places” screen, and the removal of “Shake to send feedback” being enabled by default.

Google Maps version 9.10 is rolling out right now. Download from Google Play.

Google’s location-aware search gives you context-driven information about where you are

Google has quietly released a cool new feature for Google Search that will make life a whole lot easier for many of you. It’s location-aware search, a feature that’ll allow you to ask the search engine about a place around you without having to dive into specifics.

Location Aware Search is live unannounced feature in Google Search App. Ask about things nearby without naming them pic.twitter.com/ML7APC6Msc

— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) June 9, 2015

It uses your location to figure out where you are so you can use generic terms like “what’s the phone number for this place”or “when does this restaurant open?” While we’ve always gotten by just fine typing specific terms into Google Search, this advancement in natural language search will make lives easier than they’ve already been.

There’s one thing to note: this is not Google Now on Tap (read up on that bit of awesomeness here), though it appears to use the same natural language engine Google will use for that service. This is strictly for Google Search, and it’s actually available to try right now for many folks in the US as long as you’re on the latest version of Google Search. Give it a go yourself the next time you’re curious about a place (even if it is just a convenient excuse to try this new feature out).

[via SEL, Twitter]