When I was in elementary school, and even early into high school, I would decorate my notebooks and binders with stickers. In the 80s, it was Garbage Pail Kids, and as I got older, rock bands and such. Yeah, I was totally cool.
In the tech world, customization is always popular, including stickers. Think about it -- some people decorate their laptops with stickers, while other folks put case badges on their gaming PCs. Today, Google is bringing virtual stickers to Google Maps on Android.
"Have you ever dreamed of living in a treehouse? Maybe an igloo or a farm house? Or how about an RV -- free to go wherever your wheels take you? Whatever your dream home may be, Google Maps can help make it a little less make-believe. Starting today you can customize your home and work addresses in Google Maps on Android with stickers, so your map is a little more you", says Beth Findley, Software Engineer Google Maps.
Findley further says, "home and work are not the only places you can label in Google Maps. For example, if you look up the best route to avoid traffic on your way to your kid’s school, or to see when the next bus is coming to get to your friend’s house for your favorite sitcom every Thursday, or the gym on Mondays and Wednesdays, you can now label these places for quick access to directions, traffic conditions, best routes and more".
Why this is limited to the Android version of Maps is not clear -- I am sure we iOS users would appreciate adding virtual stickers to our favorite locations too. If it proves popular, maybe Google will expand it beyond its own mobile OS.
While many people will consider this nothing more than fluff, it actually serves an important purpose -- organization and speed of recollection. Some human brains could react quickly to icons rather than words.
Will you use this new feature of Google Maps? Tell me in the comments.