Agree, the old one was better… it kind of looks like they are trying to copy Apple Maps to a degree, but somewhat ironic as i think Google Maps is better.
Apple’s Look Around (where available) is better in current form than Street View, but Street View still has better coverage and 15 years worth of images now.
Agree. It was better, by far.
I like the new colour scheme. Much easier to see roads and turn offs now.
Previously I did feel that the colour scheme was a little too light so when driving it could be a bit hard to make out upcoming side roads etc.
RE: Google Maps
As a regular user for a long time, I couldn’t believe the new colour scheme about a week ago and personally I hate it (only thing I notice which may be an improvement is the traffic layer / freeways seem to stand out more, especially the more zoomed out).
Great, lengthy comment from an OG developer of the platform some 16 years ago, which is going viral online today (did some territories only have it change this weekend perhaps):
https://x.com/elizlaraki/status/1727351922254852182?s=61&t=oO6ptizS9TsvQMK_wJM__g
I don’t love the new colour scheme and still prefer the old.
I do think Google should have kept the classic style as a map type option (like satellite and terrain). That way it’s the best of both worlds.
Just wondering what other members use for a PC monitor?
As I have recently taken to using a 43 inch Hisense 4K TV as a monitor and it works really well, I’m loving the big screen PC experience!
Or does anyone use a dual screen set up for home (not work use)?
I don’t know if anyone noticed with the new Google Maps, but in some areas I noted missing street numbers & buildings where there are none.
All of a sudden other maps providers are looking like a better option in some instances.
Also noted one mode of public transport timetables just aren’t correct like they once were.
I once had high regard for Goggle Maps.
Can only hope they get their sh_t together…
Random tech thought:
Does anyone miss the simplicity of ‘web 1.0’ i.e. the net in the 1990s and very early 2000s? Hear me out.
I love some facets of the modern Web, mainly the wealth of entertainment content that is on demand and able to be consumed over high speed broadband connections. The depth of E-commerce is pretty great, too. But social media is toxic enough to be considered a public ‘bad’ rather than a public ‘good’ these days. Likes are the currency of social media which creates distortions, most notably in news and information content. More crap is being produced in service of the social media machine and unfortunately there’s been a general decline in information and media literacy in society because of it. This cycle is self re-enforcing to a degree as well, because if you have less media literacy, you’re less likely to seek out quality news and information.
There’s also too much information clutter on the modern Web. Dial up connections in the ‘1.0’ era necessitated simple pages. It’s easier to consume information and not be distracted when you don’t have fifty million sidebars and sidelinks, and annoying graphics. Searching for information on the ‘old’ Web was a skill, pre Google! Remember Altavista?
I’ve been trying to recreate the uncluttered experience of the old Web, when consuming news and information. This is how I do it (editorial note: I’m not affiliated with these sites)!
Startpage dot com: A simple text search engine with NO advertising or suggested links; you do sometimes get images in search results though. This is as close to an original Google search as one can find; the results are generated from Google.
Textise dot net: Renders (most) WWW pages in pure text form. Distraction free reading; like Text mode but more retro!
And a special mention to the Wayback Machine which allows virtual time travel to the ‘good old days’.
Would also say theoldnet dot com, it uses/takes the snapshot system and data from Wayback, but works better under older browsers that find Internet Archive too demanding (IE5-6, Netscape Navigator, etc)
Another honourable mention would be the Space Jam website, which hadn’t been updated since the movie came out in 1996. Frozen in time basically, with all the hallmarks of a Web1.0 site.
Bought a new Samsung TV a few weeks ago and they have really revolutionised the remote control.
It’s solar powered now so won’t need to replace any batteries but it concerns me that they say it has a life of five years. I suppose they expect people to replace their TVs every five years now. My old one was eight years old and I only really replaced it because the speaker was stuffed.
Really having trouble adjusting to this new remote control though. There are very few buttons now and each button has multiple functions which is confusing for new users. You have to remember what the multiple functions of each button are.
I’m starting to figure it out but I do wonder how other people cope, especially the elderly. Someone else in my household is frustrated by it and is using the old remote instead.
I have one of those. I detest it. The minimal interface is a pain and the solar power is rubbish.
Yeah, I’d prefer the old one too…
Can you use the old remote on the new TV?
Or try a universal remote?
even an app on the phone might be easier. I do hate those remotes though. The old Samsung ones were a pretty good one.
I have those too. You can charge it with a USB C cable anyways. But it does charge with lights inside the home, so no need for direct sun.
A universal remote would work, you need to set it up with the original remote
Yeah. It seems like they went for the minimal look and forgot about the ease of use. While the old Samsung remote was very busy, I would have preferred to have something in between, like the Fetch remote.
I got my new Samsung TV at the start of this year it came with the new remote. The remote is great but admittedly I’m not used to it lol. I still use the old one. lol.
Seems that Samsung is going down the same minimalist route as NVIDIA Shield media player which uses this remote.
How is the new remote charged as it is solar powered?
Vodafone will be the first Australian telco to shut its 3G network this Friday (December 15).
It’s way past that remote on the minimalist route. All those play, pause, fast forward, rewind functions are done by the directional pad. The button for volume controls up, down and mute. The channel button controls up, down and the guide. 
If it didn’t have those new fast connect buttons to the streaming services, it would be very, very minimalist.
The solar panel is on the back above that sun symbol. Surprisingly, although the panel is underneath, it seems to charge itself even when the remote is always on the couch or coffee table. It also has a USB-C connection to recharge or urgently need to use it and it is drained.
