Progressive Web Apps

[Pellice]

OK, I've been ignoring all the messages that "Chrome will no longer support Google Maps after December," thinking it was just a matter of reloading Google Maps from the Chrome Web Store. It's not.

Instead the further information simply informs me that Google Maps on Chrome is migrating to "Progressive Web Apps" with no information on how to keep Maps readily available on my laptop. Right now I have a convenient icon on the right end of my Bookmarks Bar labeled "apps," which includes all my most used chrome functions.

I tried googling "Progressive Web Apps," but was instantly in a pool of instructions on how to create them.

Has anybody found a new way to readily access often-used chrome and google funtions in this way?

 

[grasshopper]

Try https://www.google.com/maps it is the web version of the app.

 

[Aerides]

Well, from what I read, Google Chrome apps is what's going away, which no one really uses anyway.

The basic "open a tab in Chrome and use maps" is still supported.

And if you actually want the Chrome app version (which basically makes a separate window for the thing) then go to maps with the basic link above this post, and you'll see the little screen/down arrow icon, at the end of the URL bar and click that to get to the app download, which should already be there with progressive apps.

 

[Pellice]

Well, from what I read, Google Chrome apps is what's going away, which no one really uses anyway.

The basic "open a tab in Chrome and use maps" is still supported.

And if you actually want the Chrome app version (which basically makes a separate window for the thing) then go to maps with the basic link above this post, and you'll see the little screen/down arrow icon, at the end of the URL bar and click that to get to the app download, which should already be there with progressive apps.

I used the Chrome apps icon, which gathered together all the apps, as I thought it was faster than scrolling through bookmarks.

No such arrow on the URL bar for me, just the share icon and the bookmark icon. Thanks for the bookmark, as I can now at least add it to yet another folder of bookmarks.

 

[ERD50]

Well, from what I read, Google Chrome apps is what's going away, which no one really uses anyway.

The basic "open a tab in Chrome and use maps" is still supported. ...

Whew, I was scared there for a minute. I use the 'desktop' web version of google maps often. I hate the app on the phone/tablet - some features are different/missing. Drives me nuts. I keep thinking I'm the one who forgot how to access something, but no, it's just not there.

IIRC, one feature missing on the phone app is the ability to re-route by clicking on the default path, and dragging that point to another road/point. I use that often, as I just prefer to avoid certain sections of roads, or I want to pass by a certain point, w/o actually entering it as a destination or 'way-point'. I think the app just lets you choose between several route options, no 'ad-hoc' re-route.

-ERD50

 

[Pellice]

So that's really it, then? That the alternative to the Chrome google apps collection is just creating a bookmark? Well, I really needed to purge my bookmarks and rearrange them anyway.

It was just that it was so handy to have all the google apps I used most frequently available at one icon on the bookmarks bar. And I was able to customize them and rearrange them as well. It's no different than a bookmarks folder, I suppose, but it seemed handier.

 

[folivier]

And they still haven't made that solid blue line translucent. I often have to open 2 maps to see what an intersection or remote road looks like. If Google can listen to what I say and put up ads everywhere why can't they do this simple thing?

 

[ERD50]

After reading up on these "Progressive Web Apps" a little, I'm now scared again!

If I'm understanding this correctly (and I'm not sure I am), instead of something like google "Maps" just being a web site on your desktop/laptop browser, it becomes an "app" that is loaded into your web browser (kind of like an extension?).

It sounds like these apps can be made to have code that is (more) common with the mobile versions? I can see where that is desired by the developers, but the scary part for me was some comment that the web apps will look more like the mobile apps? I find the desktop web sites to generally be much more user friendly and have more options (right clicking, drag/drop, third button mouse actions all are easy on a desktop, not so much on a touchscreen).

And will these web apps work on all browsers, or are we going to have Google developing Chrome only web apps? I don't like the sound of this, I hope I'm wrong.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

OK, I've read up a little more. So it seems the idea is that the progressive web app (PWA) runs in a browser for *both* the mobile and the desktop users. And the 'app' resides on the website's server, you don't download it?

I guess I'm not sure how this differs from just going to a website, but I guess the PWA can have its own launcher icon, so it looks like it running w/o the browser (just using the browser resources)? So you click on what looks like a native app, rather than going to a browser and then going to a specific web page?

Hmmm, seems like FireFox isn't fully supporting them?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_web_app
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/08/a-beginners-guide-to-progressive-web-apps/
https://code.likeagirl.io/my-take-on-firefox-dropping-the-pwa-support-d7116e9f7803
https://9to5google.com/2021/01/27/firefox-discontinues-work-pwa-desktop/

-ERD50

 

[Aerides]

So that's really it, then? That the alternative to the Chrome google apps collection is just creating a bookmark? Well, I really needed to purge my bookmarks and rearrange them anyway.

No, it's not a bookmark. On the end of the browser URL there is a little icon of a monitor with a down arrow. You click that and you'll get a little pop up to Install app - google maps. That is using Progressive Apps.

 

[ERD50]

No, it's not a bookmark. On the end of the browser URL there is a little icon of a monitor with a down arrow. You click that and you'll get a little pop up to Install app - google maps. That is using Progressive Apps.

And then, my (questionable) understanding is, that 'app' on your desktop/screen isn't really much of an 'app', it really is more like a bookmark that triggers this 'app' to run through the browser and on the 'app' runs on the website server (w/o you actually seeing the browser, that happens in the background).

That 'app' icon probably also contains some (or a lot) of configuration info, to transfer to the web app on the server.

Something like that?

-ERD50

 

[Aerides]

And then, my (questionable) understanding is, that 'app' on your desktop/screen isn't really much of an 'app', it really is more like a bookmark that triggers this 'app' to run through the browser and on the 'app' runs on the website server (w/o you actually seeing the browser, that happens in the background).

That 'app' icon probably also contains some (or a lot) of configuration info, to transfer to the web app on the server.

Something like that?

-ERD50

Yes I guess. DH uses it for one or two pages, basically it's no more (to my understanding) than creation of a stand alone browser for that web page. But whether it was thru the old Google Desktop apps, or the new Progressive apps thing, the user experience is the same. DH likes it so he can move that one window/instance around, and keep it in the foreground. He explained why he likes that, but it wasn't like "oh but this is the coolest thing ever" lol...

I see no need for it at all. I run a single browser with a dozen tabs most of the time. I can open a second window if I want to run just one tab I guess?

It's more like reverse engineering. Remember 15 ish years ago when everyone was rushing to create copies of websites to work as mobile apps? I guess now the reverse has to happen. Only...you're right back at a website again. (and if I'm on a desktop, chances are the basic site has far more function than the app). Only things that grew up as apps and then later became web pages (uber, instagram, etc.) tend to have more functions on their mobile apps, which I doubt ever translated down to google desktop apps.

 

[Pellice]

No, it's not a bookmark. On the end of the browser URL there is a little icon of a monitor with a down arrow. You click that and you'll get a little pop up to Install app - google maps. That is using Progressive Apps.

It's different on my screen: only 3 icons, the share icon, the google icon, and the bookmark icon.

maps.google.com jumps straight to my home location, perhaps that's the reason. This is on my laptop/desktop. But, thanks, Aerides!

 

[ERD50]

It's different on my screen: only 3 icons, the share icon, the google icon, and the bookmark icon.

maps.google.com jumps straight to my home location, perhaps that's the reason. This is on my laptop/desktop. But, thanks, Aerides!

I get the "Install Google Maps" on the right side of the address bar on my Chrome (actually "Chromium" - I install the open source version) as Aerides describes. It is also on the three vertical dots menu drop-down on the right side.

This does not appear in FireFox. I haven't tried installing it yet to see any difference or not. Maybe later.

Also, just FYI, "maps.google.com" redirects to "https://www.google.com/maps/<current-location>".

Also, it doesn't seem persistent. When I go to "www.google.com/maps", it seems I need to choose "Open in Google Maps" from the drop down. Then I get a new window , and it appears as a separate 'app' - not just another browser window. And, I can quit Chromium browser, and the map app stays open.

BTW, I'm running Linux/Xubuntu on a PC.

-ERD50

 

[Pellice]

I get the "Install Google Maps" on the right side of the address bar on my Chrome (actually "Chromium" - I install the open source version) as Aerides describes. It is also on the three vertical dots menu drop-down on the right side.

This does not appear in FireFox. I haven't tried installing it yet to see any difference or not. Maybe later.

Also, just FYI, "maps.google.com" redirects to "https://www.google.com/maps/<current-location>".

Also, it doesn't seem persistent. When I go to "www.google.com/maps", it seems I need to choose "Open in Google Maps" from the drop down. Then I get a new window , and it appears as a separate 'app' - not just another browser window. And, I can quit Chromium browser, and the map app stays open.

BTW, I'm running Linux/Xubuntu on a PC.

-ERD50

That did the trick! The three dots! Then I was wondering where to access the app, as my Windows app function listed the Microsoft maps app, not Google.

But, lo and behold, the new Google maps icon popped up on my old Google app tray! Thanks for the help. Still not sure why I couldn't have just updated my old Google Maps app, but, whatever works!

 

[ERD50]

That did the trick! The three dots! Then I was wondering where to access the app, as my Windows app function listed the Microsoft maps app, not Google.

But, lo and behold, the new Google maps icon popped up on my old Google app tray! Thanks for the help. Still not sure why I couldn't have just updated my old Google Maps app, but, whatever works!

I think what's happening is, they want to get away from apps that are specific to a device/OS (apple/android/Linux; tablet/phone/desktop), and leverage the browser which already has the code to deal with each type of device/OS that it is installed on.

But I don't program at this level, so it's just a semi-educated guess and interpretation from the little bit I've read on the subject.

-ERD50