MapQuest – Advanced Training

This page contains the MapQuest Advanced Training material. The video contains a significant amount of detail on using MapQuest. There is an index at the beginning of the video that lists slide numbers and video times. Once you start the video training you can use your finger on the slider at the bottom of the video to go to a specific section rather than watching the entire video. Try it out. You can learn a lot by watching the video from 1:41 to 9:30. And it’s easy to just watch a little at a time, referring back when you want to learn more.

In the video we mention a number of things you can do with your tablet. The video discusses using it for driving but it can also be very help for walking. If you save your home address then you can use the “find places” function to quickly get directions home. Although the application does not provide verbal directions, since it does not have GPS capability, you can see a list of instructions with the START button. You can also roughly follow your path as the app will show your approximate location via WIFI signals.

Similarly, you can get directions to a coffee shop near you. Using “Find Places” select the “Coffee Layer” on the map. You may need to zoom out depending on where the nearest coffee shop is. When you see one, hold you finger on the figure marking the location and select “WALK” as the method of transportation. MapQuest will provide options on how to get there. You can jot down the directions or take a screen shot of them and print them (if you have access to a printer).

MapQuest can also be useful for exploring the world. You can use a satellite view to see a birds eye view of a location and zoom in and out to understand what the surrounding countryside looks like. I find this useful for planning trips but it is also very useful for visualizing where a news story occurs. When coupled with a web browser (Silk in our case), you can not only see a birds eye view of the location but also browse the web to see pictures and learn a lot about a location your are interested in.