The 2014 FIFA World Cup opens today and like anyone else, I am very excited about it. To help satisfy the insatiable appetite for everything football from diehard World Cup fans like me, Google has specially come up with 3 nifty yet super-cool tricks.
I have provided some comments on each other tricks. So did Google score with the features listed below or are they an awful miss? Let’s kick off the review!
1. Type [world cup] in the Google Search bar
From this week onwards, users can search for the [world cup] and they will see the upcoming daily match schedules (in Singapore time), starting with Brazil vs Croatia today. The [world cup] search result also displays group information and a roadmap to the finals.
As soon as the matches begin, a simple search for [world cup] will give him live scores, team rosters, and major plays. To me, it is such a useful tool for a simple search request.
That said, personally, I feel that the [world cup] function is a package that perfectly combines a World Cup fan’s need to read the most recent news online at the same time keeping up to date with the latest progress of his or her favourite team. I’ve tried it on mobile, and it looks great too!
Verdict: Google smashes a goal! I love it!
2. Google Map your way in Brazil
Stuck in the land of Samba and not sure where to head for the next World Cup game? Fret not, Google Maps is here to guide you. With Google Maps transit available in all 12 host cities, Brazilians and visitors alike can rest assured they can make it to the stadium and other destinations routing the best path by bus or train.
That’s only the tip of the iceberg – Football fans heading down to Brazil can now explore all 12 stadiums and the iconic painted streets in Google Street View. They can also make their your way through more than 100 venues across Brazil, including airports, shopping malls and, yes, tournament stadiums with Indoor Maps.
In the worse case scenario in which you are stranded after taking the wrong turn, you may also use Google Maps for mobile. It gives you the traffic information, including real-time incident reports from Waze, and even voice-guided directions.
Since I’m watching the World Cup from the comfort of my home in Singapore, for the most of it, this trick is not relevant to me. I did try the Google Street View, which brought me to a street soccer court which has its walls painted with famous soccer players like Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
You can see the painted streets in other parts of Brazil. Although more than 16,000km apart, I could feel the hype and excitement of the World Cup here with the vast showcase of flags hanged all over the cities.
Verdict: Google kicks the ball. It hits the post at first but the ball managed to roll into goal! I like half of the features offered in this trick.
3. Download Google Now … Now?
Google Now is an app which enables football fans to keep track of the World Cup game scores and updates in real time. It is available on both the Android and iOS.
I did not bother downloading Google Now as I find tip #1 succinct for me. This option is nonetheless good for those who prefer to have instant access to World Cup updates and schedules at the tap of a finger.
Verdict: Google heads but the ball goes aimlessly wide! Nah, I’m not using this.
