Google Maps

The work of Berlin-based artist Aram Bartholl examines the blurred lines between our physical lives and encroaching digital borders. His public art series, Map uses the familiar red destination marker from Google Maps to question how technology dictates the center of the city and how it then directs citizens' real lives.

Aram took further inspiration in creating a near 20-foot high scale model from how when in Google Maps' satellite mode, the red marker seems to actually be a part of the city rather than just the animated map. Map has appeared in cities in Germany, Poland, and Taiwan.

The latest Google Maps update for Android smartphones is set to be our Summer traveling savior. Google Maps can now be downloaded for offline viewing, perfect for those times when a phone loses a data signal or while abroad and without a foreign data plan.

While you still have a WiFi connection, look up the Google Places page of your desired location (Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower, etc.), click "More" for the menu and then select "Download map area." A 10-mile radius map of the selected location will download to your mobile device. While the map will give you all the basics like landmark and street names when offline, an Internet connection is necessary for searching for directions within the map. Still, it's an invaluable resource when exploring new cities this Summer.

You could be trekking all the way across the globe (and dropping some serious cash) to witness the spectacle that is the royal wedding, but the good news is you don't have to travel to jolly old England to get in on the action. Thanks to technology and a few livestream options, you can watch the entire thing unfold right from your couch and for a lot less money. Check out these apps, sites, and tools that will let you in on a little royal wedding fun at home.

• Tour Westminster Abbey — A new iOS and Android app ($4.50) lets you tour a virtual replica of Westminster Abbey, where William and Kate will be saying their vows. Also included in the app are points of interest, so you can stop and take a look from all angles. Who needs an invite?
• Get updates on Twitter — There may be a rule against cell phone use during the ceremony, but you'll still be able to get up to the minute updates about the royal wedding on the official Clarence House Twitter page.
• Watch it live — You have three solid options for watching the royal wedding live online, so even if you don't have cable, you'll be covered.
• See the royal procession route in 3D — No need to battle the crowds after the ceremony, just check out the sights on Google Earth instead! Taking you on a virtual 3D tour of the postwedding parade, you'll see sights like Big Ben, Parliament, and Buckingham Palace, where the reception will be taking place.

The Internet has collectively been helping Japan since the moments after the massive earthquake that struck nearly two weeks ago. One of the major players, Google, has laid out the best ways to help in a recent blog post. Here's a quick rundown:

• An official crisis response page aggregates all of Google's efforts; check it out for the latest news.
• Google's person finder has gone beyond its original inception to accommodate all users: those with smartphones and those without.
• Attempted real-time updates to Google Maps show the destruction in Japan and also detail passable roads and shelter locations.
• Google Translate supports English-Japanese and 55 other language translations.
• Google's official crisis response page details the best ways to donate to relief efforts. You can also donate via Facebook or Twitter, or even pick up one of these cool t-shirts for relief.

If you're on the go, using a smartphone to navigate a road trip or long drive puts you at a serious advantage. There are plenty of apps to track traffic and apps to help you on a road trip. Now, the latest update to Google Maps for Android will navigate you around traffic, finding the fastest route from point A to point B.

Previously, the app found the fastest route based on distance and expected traffic but didn't take real-time traffic into consideration, which could lead to a whole lot of frustration and wasted time if you hit an unexpected backup. Now, historical and real-time traffic results are both considered when displaying a route. According to Google, 35 million miles are guided by Google Maps Navigation every day, so this latest change could equal hours saved by drivers.

Starting today, Google Maps will automatically default to this new "fastest route" but will continue to offer alternate options, too.

Google Street View has taken us through our own neighborhoods, down Olympic ski slopes, and even inside art museums. Now, it's taking us where cars can't go using the Trike, a bicycle outfitted with street view equipment to pedal around areas where cars can't go.

The Trike has been collecting data since 2009, and Google recently introduced the new images to street view. Castles, gardens, parks, even Stonehenge are included, giving users a close view of places they may never have the opportunity to see in person. Off-road locations on Google Maps are designated by the same blue outline that designates Street View on streets.

The big day is here, and if you're finding yourself short on time to pick up a mushy stock card from the drug store, you could send a sweet and personalized evalentine to your love to remind them of a special location you both share instead. Thanks to Google Maps, it's super easy to Map Your Valentine.

Just enter your valentine's email address, a location (some ideas may be where you met, where you went on your first date, where he proposed, etc.), and a message to seal the deal. Google will deliver a cute heart-shaped evalentine with your location and message (like you see here). Somehow, you can always count on Google to be on top of the holidays.

Over the past few years, Google Maps and Street View have made huge progress in bringing us to faraway places we might not otherwise get to visit. Now, its new Art Project provides street view-style access to 1,000 pieces of art in 17 different museums around the world. Art is displayed via high resolution photos through Picasa. So hi-res, in fact, that Google refers to the technology as "gigapixel photo-capturing technology."

Such advanced imaging technology means that you can zoom into the art to get an incredibly close look at its detail, and an informational panel describes the specific piece you're viewing. You can even build your own virtual "collection" by adding notes for future reference. And in addition to works of art, the new project gives you the ability to virtually tour museums from New York's MoMA to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Google Maps has, at times, been slightly inaccurate when it comes to exact details in foreign countries. And now, a border drawn between Costa Rica and Nicaragua has sparked debate about where the border actually lies. A side-by-side comparison of maps from Google and Bing shows different borders in a coastal area. Now, the accuracy of the Google Maps border has been called into question.

Find out what Google has to say about the possible inaccuracy when you read more.