Amazon Fire Phone: The Missing Manual

Chapter 11. Maps and Navigation

You’ll learn to:

• Check out landmarks in 3D

• Find contacts, businesses, and recreational destinations

• Get directions for walking, driving, and public transportation

• Get turn-by-turn navigation

LIKE ANY SELF-RESPECTING SMARTPHONE, the Fire phone comes with a Maps app that shows you where you are and what’s nearby. It also helps you find stores, landmarks, and restaurants and gives you turn-by-turn directions by car, foot, or public transportation. Thanks to Dynamic Perspective, the Fire phone also adds its unique twist to maps with features like 3D Look-Around and Peek.

Note

The Maps app on the Fire phone is Amazon’s own mapping app. If you’re a fan of Google Maps (and its useful Street View feature), you’re out of luck. As of this writing you can’t get Google Maps in the Amazon Appstore. On the other hand, Amazon Maps has some tricks Google doesn’t have—like Peek and 3D Look-Around.

Getting Started

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED with Maps, you need to do a few simple things to get the most out of the app. First, tell the Fire to use location-based services. That’s how you tell the phone to use all its built-in features for giving Maps the most accurate information about your current location. Swipe or swivel (Swivel) to pull down the Quick Actions bar, tap Settings, and then tap Location Services. Make sure Location Services is turned on. And if you want your location ...