Google Maps - Monthly Timeline Review

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2013
Posts
22,325
Location
Rollergirl
Google takes a fair bit of stick for data mining, but I found this update interesting. Wow, I'm stunned at how little exercise I've did in the month! :eek:

I'm starting to think someone's dropped my phone in a taxi. :p

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It'll only count up walking from one place to another. It won't count up me walking the dog round the block for a mile every evening because I haven't left the same 'place'.
 
About a week ago I was tracking on Maps where I'd been when the Mrs looked over and said 'Who do you know in such a such street?'.
I worked out that on that day I'd been to my Mums which was around 200 yards away from where Google had tracked me to.
Looking over my other maps and they are way off, at one point my commute is half a mile from the correct location.
This stuff could get people in trouble.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
Perhaps I need another phone because it would tell me I've been in another town.
It's bob on with Strava though.
Click to expand...
The general maps location won't be continually checking GPS like strava does. It will use WiFi networks to guess approximate location but you'll notice that if you use the phone for sat nav, that section will be tracked more accurately in the timeline, as it will use the GPS data being used by the other app. If it constantly checked GPS your phone battery would last about 6 hours on standby :p
 
Kenai said:
The general maps location won't be continually checking GPS like strava does. It will use WiFi networks to guess approximate location but you'll notice that if you use the phone for sat nav, that section will be tracked more accurately in the timeline, as it will use the GPS data being used by the other app. If it constantly checked GPS your phone battery would last about 6 hours on standby :p
Click to expand...
Not sure that is right, the wife and i have location sharing on and you can accurately track each other along all the motorways. Doubt there is any wifi along the M62. I think it just checks once every 5 or so minutes via the GPS.
 
robj20 said:
Not sure that is right, the wife and i have location sharing on and you can accurately track each other along all the motorways. Doubt there is any wifi along the M62. I think it just checks once every 5 or so minutes via the GPS.
Click to expand...
Location sharing is different to the general location history
 
I find it incredibly useful for when I have to submit company mileage claims for fuel.

If you only walked 3 miles in a month, you really need to get out more :)

I walked 40 miles, which still isn't a huge amount really but I do go to the gym as well.
 
Kenai said:
The general maps location won't be continually checking GPS like strava does. It will use WiFi networks to guess approximate location but you'll notice that if you use the phone for sat nav, that section will be tracked more accurately in the timeline, as it will use the GPS data being used by the other app. If it constantly checked GPS your phone battery would last about 6 hours on standby :p
Click to expand...

Yeah, when travelling by train my Google history is pretty much a straight line between the departure station and arrival station, but when I drove 140 miles using Waze (not Google Maps) it was 100% accurate.
 
Google lets you chose between 'High accuracy' which uses GPS, Wifi and Mobile networks or 'Battery Saving' which just uses wifi and mobile networks.

But yeah, I do notice that sometimes the google maps whilst driving is just straight lines not actually mapping where I am on the road.
 
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