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Google plugs its Field Trip app into Google Now

google plugs field trip app now
You may not be aware of Google’s Field Trip app, the travel discovery tool that shows points of interest wherever you happen to be. The app has been around since 2012 and has just been rolled into Google Now’s functionality, though it looks to be staying as a standalone app as well. If you’re a Google Now user, it means more recommendations of places to see while you’re on the move.

The original app is available for both Android and iOS and promises to be “your guide to the cool, hidden, and unique things in the world around you.” It has earned positive reviews since its release but has a userbase of thousands rather than millions at the moment. Perhaps its new role in Google Now will encourage its developers to devote more time and focus to the project.

Related: Google’s Field Trip is a mobile tour guide that fits comfortably in your pocket

The app covers all kinds of venues and uses your phone’s location to check for nearby attractions. Everything from gigs and local restaurants to historical sites and notable architecture is covered — there are even a smattering of local deals available through the app. Of course, this all ties in very neatly with Google Now’s mission to give you the most relevant information at any particular time in any particular place.

“When you’re traveling, you can always use a little extra help to learn more about a cool landmark, or to make sure you don’t miss the most interesting local architecture or public art,” Google said in a press release reported by BGR. “The Field Trip app from Google’s Niantic Labs was designed to allow people to discover the hidden and unique locations in the world around them — and now, when you’re traveling you’ll start seeing information from Field Trip in Google Now.”

The Field Trip features should be rolling out to Google Now on both Android and iOS (via the Google Search app) immediately.

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David Nield
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
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