How to beat the heat using Google Places

It’s hot out there! So to cool off this summer, I’m heading straight to Google Places to find some much-needed relief nearby. Forget the ho...

Video: Give your favorite business the Best Ever medal

We all have our favorite spots. The places we tell everyone about because we love them that much. Maybe it’s that cute bakery down the stree...

Video: Get great recommendations using the Google Places app for iPhone

Recently, we introduced you to Professor Emoji . He taught you all about how to use the Google Places app for your Android-powered phone. Bu...

Video: Get great recommendations using Google Places for Android

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be posting short how to videos — starring the great and wise Professor Emoji — to share some tips and tri...

Discover and check-in to new spots this Memorial Day weekend

For me, Memorial Day weekend has always included heading to my hometown of Mount Gretna, PA , and swimming at the Mt. Gretna Lake & Beac...

Celebrate National Bike Month: Share Your Favorite Bike-Related Places on Google

Editor’s Note : Google Places user James shared with us a great idea earlier this week: Since it’s National Bike Month, let’s talk about o...

Get Inspired: See the Most Popular Custom Aspects on Google Places

When you rate and review a place on Google Places — via the desktop app , or on your Android phone or iPhone — you have the option to spec...

Celebrate Earth Day: Share your great outdoor recommendations on Google

Sharing recommendations on Google Places isn’t only about telling your friends the great new restaurants you’re discovering. It’s about sh...

Save For Later: Never Forget a Good Recommendation Again

Update : One of our awesome  eagle-eyed users  points out that when you're searching for nearby spots — restaurants, bars, etc. — using ...

Strike a Pose: Add a Photo to Your Hotpot Profile

Ah, the profile picture. Your online face to the world! Now that your Hotpot recommendations are showing up in your friends' searches ,...

Last-Minute Shopping in Portland, Powered by Hotpot

Editor’s Note : While we’re in Portland over the next few weeks, we wanted to bring some local flavor to the blog by asking writers living i...

Got Android? Start Rating Even Faster!

Ever felt the need to leave a Hotpot review as soon as you’ve put down your silverware or signed the bill? You can on your Android-powered d...

Searching to Rate and Discover

On our Product Ideas page, many of you have asked for ways to filter places on Hotpot. All you mobile users may have noticed that on Google...

Keeping Google Places Up To Date

Lots of things can change about a business — it can close, move, or change operating hours. As you rate places on Google, you may notice tha...

Hotpot Best Evers

The other day, an excited Hotpot user pinged me on Twitter to say that he had just discovered the Best Ever medal and that he thought it wa...

Video: How To Hotpot

As you know, we recently announced the launch of  Hotpot , our new local recommendation engine for Google Places, powered by you and your fr...

How I’m Using Hotpot to Plan My Thanksgiving Weekend

The word “Thanksgiving” conjures up images of my family gathering around the table in Pennsylvania, passing the turkey and mashed potatoes t...