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Not too long ago, Google Maps determined to collapse to the Trump Regime and obey upfront. With no single menace and even an government order requiring it (it solely utilized to the federal authorities, not personal corporations), the corporate modified the identify of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” on the favored Google Maps program.
After all, some individuals will say that even being mildly aggravated by it is a signal of 1 being a “snowflake” or “woketard” or no matter they’re calling individuals they disagree with nowadays. However, it is a superficial view of the state of affairs at greatest. When Barack Obama fired the pinnacle of Normal Motors after the bailout, Republicans had been fast to name the transfer “communism” or “fascism,” however when an American firm bends the knee to their man, they’re 100% cool with it. If there weren’t double requirements for these sorts of issues, they’d don’t have any requirements in any respect.
As a substitute of simply stopping at encouraging everybody to boycott the app (which might deprive Google of advert income in Maps and drive them to rethink), I’m as an alternative going to level out that Google Maps already sucked, particularly for EV drivers. Even for those who’re the sort of Common man who agrees with the “Gulf of America” change since you assume Trump someway made you nice by placing others down, it’s important to admit that the app left a LOT to be desired for EV drivers.
For instance, the EV charging station function nonetheless has numerous issues. For one, there are stations that aren’t listed on the map. Maybe extra importantly, there are stations listed as quick chargers that solely present L2 charging. Both means, everybody is aware of that you simply’re higher off utilizing your automobile’s navigation or an app like PlugShare to seek out locations to cost. For a corporation that prides itself on offering individuals with one of the best information rapidly, that’s fairly pathetic.
One other downside is the dearth of first rate EV navigation. Positive, it will probably route you to a close-by charger, however it will probably’t allow you to really provide you with a plan for a street journey the way in which Tesla’s built-in journey planner does. To get that with out a Tesla, it is advisable to use A Better Route Planner (Rivian makes use of this natively) or Chargeway to get the identical function. All Google would have wanted to do was associate with ABRP or construct their very own journey planning app to plan journeys that don’t depart you stranded.
Actually, at this level, Google Maps is half-heartedly attempting to implement EV driver options with out offering an actual end-to-end expertise for EV drivers. As a substitute of changing a handful of apps and offering all the pieces vacationers in EVs want, anybody really attempting to depend on Google alone for EV journey nonetheless runs the intense threat of getting stranded or spending 8 hours charging as an alternative of half-hour.
Given the conceitedness of Google, mixed with this rank incompetence, it’s protected to say that the corporate is aligned with MAGA much more than on map location names or even donations. MAGA ought to actually be referred to as “Make Average Great Again,” as a result of that’s the market they cater to. Pathetic individuals who have to really feel a way of delight in issues they didn’t earn (race, faith, sexuality, and so forth.) and really feel higher about themselves by placing others down — that’s the sort of loser that Trump provides an affordable dopamine rush to each time he “owns the libs.”
As a substitute of constructing an ideal product that appeals to everybody and stands by itself benefit, the corporate as an alternative seeks to outlive by licking Trump’s boot in hopes of constant to get particular favors, or a minimum of an absence of mistreatment, from the regime. That’s the sort of weak point this transfer actually places on show.
Featured picture: a screenshot of Google Maps exhibiting the “Gulf of America” (truthful use).
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