谷歌地圖迴歸iPhone 比以往更好

Google's rich, reliable Maps app is back on the iPhone, and that means iPhone users can stop relying on the flawed, fledgling Apple maps app that replaced it as a built-in feature in September。

谷歌(Google)詳盡且可靠的地圖應用程序迴歸iPhone，這意味着iPhone用戶可以不再依賴於尚不成熟、漏洞百出的蘋果(Apple)地圖。今年9月，蘋果將其自有地圖應用作爲一項內置功能替換掉了原有的谷歌地圖。

Apple's version is still bolted into the phone, and the new, free Google app must be downloaded from Apple's app store. Google says the app was downloaded 10 million times in just its first two days of availability last week。

Google 更多的信息：在谷歌地圖上輸入一個地名後，再點擊屏幕上的信息欄，你就能獲取包括營業時間和街景照片在內的各種信息。蘋果的地圖仍然內置在iPhone 中，而新的免費谷歌地圖必須通過蘋果的應用程序商店下載。谷歌說，該應用僅僅在其上線的頭兩天就被下載了1,000萬次。

The reappearance of Google Maps on the iPhone closes a big advantage Google's own Android phones had gained when Apple's replacement turned out to lack some key features, such as labeling of buildings and businesses, street-view photos and public-transit routing. It also offered too much inaccurate location data。

谷歌地圖迴歸iPhone使得搭載谷歌安卓(Android)系統的手機失去了其自蘋果地圖作爲替代應用上線以來贏得的一大優勢。蘋果地圖缺少一些關鍵功能，諸如建築物和商家的標籤，街景照片以及公交線路。它還提供了太多不準確的位置數據。

However, the biggest news here is that the new iPhone version of Google Maps isn't just better than Apple Maps. For now, at least, Google Maps is better in most respects on the iPhone than it is on Android phones. It has been redesigned with a cleaner, simpler user interface that makes it easier to use. Google officials say they took the sudden need to build a new iPhone version as an opportunity to rethink the popular app from the ground up。

然而，最大的新聞是新的iPhone版谷歌地圖不僅僅比蘋果地圖好，至少目前來看，iPhone版谷歌地圖在大多方面都要比安卓版谷歌地圖強。它在經過重新設計後擁有更清爽、更簡潔的用戶界面，這使得它更加易用。谷歌高層說，面對突如其來的開發新iPhone版地圖的需求，他們藉此機會重新調整了這款備受歡迎的應用程序。

I've been testing the new Google Maps on iPhone for a week or so in the San Francisco and Washington metro areas, and I really like it. It isn't perfect, but I prefer it to any other iPhone Maps app I've used, and to Google Maps on Android. The latter will likely also gain the new design in time, but for now, it looks inelegant by comparison。

我在舊金山和華盛頓地鐵區域對這款新的iPhone版谷歌地圖進行了大約一週的測試，我真的很喜歡它。它並不完美，但與我所用過的所有其他iPhone地圖應用以及安卓版谷歌地圖相比，我都更喜歡它。安卓版很可能也會及時地擁有這些新功能，但目前來說，iPhone版看起來更爲精緻。

Why would Google bail out iPhone users and give its rival's phone a better version of its Maps app than its own Android customers enjoy, even temporarily? Because, while Apple makes its money from hardware, Google is a services and advertising company, and wants its products to be heavily used on a popular platform like Apple's。

爲什麼谷歌要來解救iPhone用戶，並且給予其競爭對手的手機一款比其自己的安卓系統用戶所能享用到的更好的地圖應用，即便只是暫時的？因爲，蘋果憑藉硬件掙錢，而谷歌是一家服務和廣告公司，希望其產品能夠在像蘋果產品這樣的受歡迎平臺上被廣泛使用。

The Android version still has a few features the new iPhone version lacks: maps of the interiors of stores, malls and airports; bicycling directions; the ability to view map segments offline; and special offers that show up for some businesses. Google says it left these out for now because they aren't heavily used and the company wanted a new Apple version pronto. It says these may be added over time。

安卓版本仍然有一些新iPhone版沒有的功能：商店、購物中心和機場的內部地圖；自行車行駛線路；地圖片段的離線查看功能；商家特別優惠信息的顯示。谷歌說它目前尚未在iPhone版中加入這些功能是因爲它們被用得並不是很多，並且公司希望儘快打造出一款新的蘋果版本。谷歌說這些功能可能會在以後被加入。

More important are the Android app's traits Google abandoned in the new iPhone version: too many menus and steps to get things done, confusing icons, and a concept called Layers that was techie talk for things like switching from map view to satellite view。

Google 紀錄地名：點擊屏幕上的一個按鈕，就會打開一個你最近保存和分享過的位置列表。更重要的是谷歌在新的iPhone版本中拋棄了安卓版本的一些特性：繁多的菜單和繁瑣的操作步驟、容易混淆的圖標以及被稱作“層”(Layers)的東西。“層”是在談到諸如從地圖視圖轉換到衛星視圖這樣的操作時所涉及的一個技術性很強的概念。

Instead, the new iPhone version of Google Maps emphasizes two things: uncluttering the map itself, and swiping vertically and horizontally to move quickly among places, map views and information. In my tests, I found this design refreshingly easy to use. It even enhances the voice-prompted, automatic turn-by-turn navigation whose absence on the original iPhone version of Google Maps was the key thing that prompted Apple to get into the maps business。

新的iPhone版谷歌地圖加強了兩個功能：自動調整地圖視圖，以及可通過橫向和縱向滑動操作來迅速地在地點、地圖視圖和信息頁面之間跳轉。在測試中，我發現這項設計用起來格外地簡便。它甚至強化了帶語音提示的自動逐項導航功能。而原先的iPhone版谷歌地圖不支持語音導航功能是促使蘋果自己開發地圖業務的關鍵原因。

When you first open the new Google Maps, all you see is a map with a search bar across the top and two small icons at the bottom. In the lower left is a button that brings up your current location, and in the lower right is a tiny icon that lets you switch to satellite view, to see public transit and traffic information, or to launch the separate Google Earth app. You can also get to these latter choices by swiping left with two fingers。

當你首次打開新谷歌地圖時，你所能看到的全部內容就是一張地圖和橫跨頂部的一個搜索欄以及底部的兩個小圖標。左下角的是顯示你目前位置的按鈕，右下角那個極小的圖標點開後，你可以切換到衛星視圖，查看公交線路以及路況信息，或者啓動獨立的谷歌地球(Google Earth)應用程序。你還可以通過用兩個手指在屏幕上向左滑動來查看上述選項。

The top search bar includes two buttons on the right -- one to start a navigation, and one to bring up a list of places you've recently saved and shared. These are automatically synced with places you've saved and shared via Google Maps on other devices, such as PCs and Macs, or Android phones。

頂部的搜索欄包括位於其右部的兩個按鈕──一個用以開始導航，另一個會打開一個你最近保存和分享過的位置的列表。你在PC電腦、蘋果電腦和安卓手機等設備上使用谷歌地圖時保存或分享過的位置記錄將與此處的信息自動同步。

In addition to this clear, clean, main view, Google Maps for iPhone simplifies other functions. If you enter the name or address of a place, a small bar appears at the bottom of the map with summary information, like the estimated travel time or, with restaurants, a summary of reviews。

除了這個明瞭、清爽的主視圖外，iPhone版谷歌地圖簡化了其他一些功能。如果你輸入一個地點的名稱或者地址，地圖底部會出現一個小的摘要信息欄，顯示例如預計行程時間等信息，或者，如果是餐館，會顯示簡短的評價。

If you tap on this bar, you get an 'info sheet' with a wealth of information and functions, including the photographic street view of the location, interior photos, reviews, hours, menus, and the ability to phone the place or share its location. If your search is for a category, like 'cigars,' swiping horizontally will bring up alternate info sheets for other locations。

Google 導航幫助：當你開始朝目的地行進的時候，地圖頂部會出現一個大大的綠色導航條，顯示導航步驟中下一步的行駛方向。如果你點擊該信息欄，你將會看到一個“信息頁面”，包含了豐富的信息和功能，包括該地點的街景照片、內部照片、評價、營業時間、菜單以及可撥打其電話和分享該位置的功能。如果你搜索的是一類位置，比如“雪茄店”，在屏幕上橫向滑動會跳轉至顯示另一位置信息的備選頁面。

You can start the navigation process by tapping on a colored icon showing travel time, either in the initial small bar at the bottom of the map, or on the info sheet。

無論是在最初的地圖底部信息欄還是在信息頁上，你都可以通過點擊一個彩色的顯示預計行程時間的圖標來開始導航步驟。

Once you choose to get directions, a list of routes pops up, with estimated time and traffic. You can switch routes by simply swiping on the bar。

一旦你選擇獲取路線，一個線路列表就會彈出來，並註明了預計耗時以及路況。你只要在信息欄上水平滑動就可以切換線路。

Once a navigation is under way, the map is topped by a large green bar showing the current step in the directions. You can peek ahead by just swiping this bar to the left. You also can quickly call up a text list of the route。

一旦導航開始，地圖頂部會出現一個大大的綠色導航條，顯示導航步驟中目前的行駛方向。你可以往左滑動這個導航條來查看下一步路線。你還可以快速調出該線路的文本列表。

In my tests, location and navigation were generally accurate. A couple of flubs: A location pin was a few hundred yards off, and Google put me on a freeway when local streets would have been faster. But overall it worked well. It guided me on two routes between Silicon Valley and a bowling alley in San Francisco's Presidio area, where I had once been lost. It provided accurate directions for Washington's subway。

在我的測試中，位置和導航信息總的來說很準確。也有一兩個錯誤：一個位置標記被打在了幾百碼外；谷歌地圖指引我上高速路，而那時走地面街道應該更快。但總的來說它表現得很好。它給我指了從硅谷到舊金山Presidio地區一個保齡球館的兩條線路，我以前去那裏曾經走丟過。它還準確地給出了華盛頓地鐵的路線信息。

Apple is already improving its competing app, but for now, iPhone users, my recommendation is to go with Google Maps。

蘋果正在改進它的地圖應用，但就目前來看，我還是推薦iPhone用戶使用谷歌地圖。