File photo - A man holds a smartphone, with the Google Maps app open. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)
Surely we've all spent a few agonizing moments wracking our brains trying to remember the name of a restaurant or bar we enjoyed, not to mention those moments when serendipity or happenstance led you to a place you'd like to visit again, but that you have never been able to rediscover. Google Maps can now help you retrace your steps with Your Timeline, a tool that helps you remember everywhere you've been.
Both extremely marvelous and insanely creepy, Your Timeline maps out the places you've been, the route you took to them, and the photos you snapped along the way (for those also using Google Photos).
Available on the desktop and Android versions of Google Maps, Your Timeline can give you info about any store or establishment you may have visited, just as it would if it came up on a Google Maps search. Your Timeline can be edited at will, too, so users can remove records of the places they don't need to remember, or wish to forget (or wish to destroy evidence of having visited). Frequent spots and routes can be given a name like "jogging route" or "favorite taco joint."
It only works if you've opted-in to store your location history with the all-seeing-all-knowing Internet giant. Literally having your every movement and location automatically mapped out and stored might be a little too much tracking for most to feel comfortable with, but for those who don't mind, this could be a handy reference tool for urban explorers who like to wander around cities.
Related: How to get the best out of Google Now
Another application could be for older folks who whether or not they are under care, nonetheless sometimes wander off or have difficulty remembering their day-to-day whereabouts. Either way, it's a handy tool if you're willing to trade off some of your privacy.
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