TORONTO, March 3 — Google has announced enhancements to Google Local Canada, including the integration of Google Maps. In addition, Google Local Canada now also offers reviews of businesses and additional information about establishments such as hours of operation, payment types accepted, WiFi availability, restaurant menus and hotel amenities.
The new reviews are pulled from numerous sources across the web. Google Local ranks reviews by their relevance to the user's original query. Therefore, a user searching for "romantic hotel" would see different reviews from a user searching for "inexpensive hotel." Google Local also colour codes reviews to help users quickly pick the cheers from the jeers.
Google Maps is a dynamic on-line mapping feature that enables users in Canada and the U.S. to find location information, navigate through maps, and get directions quickly and easily. Images showing users' business locations and directions provided by Google Maps are now available at maps.google.ca and on Google Local Canada search results and business detail pages. In addition, Google Maps offers users:
Users can drag the map to view the adjacent parts of a map without reloading the page.
They can type in an address and Google Maps plots a route, displaying it visually on the map itself, together with step-by-step directions for getting there (or back from there). When users click on one of these steps, they will see a magnified view of the area mentioned in the directions.
Users see where businesses in Google Local search results are on a map and in relation to each other.
Users can see maps, locations and directions in French.
Google Maps also recently launched support for Opera and Safari browsers.
