iPad Tutorial: Getting directions using Maps

The Maps application on the iPad is more usable than it is on the smaller devices. You can use it without scrolling too much; it is almost like using a paper map. Things like Traffic and Street View look gorgeous on the larger screen. Maps on the iPad also has a new Terrain view which adds a layer of topographical data to the maps.
Maps on the iPad can be used to get directions between two places. It pulls out a lot of useful information related to the route that should prove useful for a commuter, such as Driving/Transit/ Walking Directions, Distance and Time to Commute. When using Transit Directions it also shows you the Transit Timings to help you plan ahead. You can also make use of the Traffic information when using directions. This will help you avoid unwanted delays. You can also use Google Street View to get a panoramic view of the destination. Note that Google Street View is not available for all locations – you’ll know if it is available by the presence of the little man icon on the address.
In this tutorial we will find the directions from our office (Imagine Publishing Ltd) to McDonald’s in Christchurch and satisfy our hunger for tasty burgers. Why Christchurch? Because we have heard that they have the best burgers in the area.

1: Set the start address
You can either search for a location, click on it, then the ‘i’ icon and ‘Directions From Here’; or you can click Directions then enter the address in the Start box and hit Search. Use either method to search for Imagine Publishing Ltd and set it as the start address.

2: Set the destination address
Enter the destination location in the End box. In this case it’s McDonald’s Christchurch. If there are multiple search results, Maps will show red pins for them all and use the most accurate one for the destination. You can also select the address if it has already been searched for previously.

3: Getting the directions
Select your method of travel by tapping the relevant icon for driving (car), public transport (bus) or walking (little man) directions. When a method is selected, the route, overall distance covered and expected journey time are updated automatically.

4: Viewing turn-by-turn directions
Click on Start to view the turn-by-turn directions for the chosen route, displayed on the blue bar. You can navigate through turn-by-turn directions by clicking on the arrow icons. To see all the directions at once, click on the list icon.