How to Download and Use Google Maps for Android, iOS Without Internet

Lost in Nowhereland with no Internet connection as far as you can see? As always, Google Maps can help you find your way back, as long as you have an iOS or an Android device, even if you are offline. Google recently added a feature to Google Maps, which lets you save maps to your phone.
Yes, you can now check maps even when there is no Internet connection. The downside is that you will not have access to route information, addresses, navigation, traffic, and a host of other data that require an Internet connection. However, having map data for reference might just save you a lot of time. Here's how to use this nifty feature on iOS and Android. The steps are identical for both platforms.
 
What you need to use this feature
 
You're going to need an Android or iOS device. Unfortunately, this feature isn't available on other platforms. Google Maps version 3, which was released last week on iOS, added support for offline maps. Android users, be sure to update to Google Maps version 8 before following the steps listed below.
 
 
How to save maps offline?
 
1. To use this feature, first sign in to your Google account to use this feature.
 
2. Type "OK Maps" in the search bar and hit the search button. A dialog at the top of the map asks "Save this map?" with a Save button at the bottom of the screen.
 
3. At this point, you can zoom in or out, and move the map, to select the area you want to save. Everything that is on-screen gets downloaded, so if you zoom out to save the entire Delhi area, for example, then you can later zoom in to see the individual localities and streets.

4. Once you've selected the area, tap the Save button at the bottom of the screen. A dialogue box pops up and you are asked to enter a name for the map. Just enter a name and tap on Save.
 
5. Accessing offline maps is easy. Just tap the 'person' icon, which is next to the directions icon on the search bar. This will take you to your profile. Scroll to the bottom to see your saved maps. You can rename saved maps in case you plan to save more than one.
 
There are certain limitations to saving offline maps. Zoom out too far and you will see an error saying that the map area can't be saved because it is too large. We were able to save almost all of Delhi, but Google Maps deemed the area "too large" when we tried to save National Capital Region (NCR).
There's nothing stopping you from saving multiple maps to cover a large area, in case you're worried about that. Another limitation is that map data is available only for 30 days. You'll have to download maps again after this.
The good thing is that the saved map of Delhi occupied just 9.9 MB of space on our phones. That's good news for those who are running low on storage space.

Have you ever saved Google Maps and used them offline? Ever been knocked offline, lost and wished you had access to offline maps? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

How to Remove WhatsApp Blue Ticks

Much to the chagrin of its users, WhatsApp quietly introduced read receipts (letting people see exactly when a message is read, not just delivered) earlier this month. The app always showed one tick mark when you sent a message, which changed to two grey ticks when it was delivered. Now, the app shows two blue ticks when the recipient has read your message

This feature was rolled out without an update to the app itself. This means that there was no privacy setting to disable read receipts when the feature was rolled out. The lack of this basic feature in WhatsApp really ticked us off, and we had promised that we'd be back with a tutorial on how to disable WhatsApp blue ticks as soon as it was possible. True to our word, here we are now that WhatsApp has unveiled this feature for Android.

Here's how to get rid of those annoying blue ticks in WhatsApp - but if you do this, then you won't be able to see the receipts either. If you want to check when other people see your messages, then you need to allow them to see read receipts from you. For now, this is only possible for Android users, and only if you manually update the app via the WhatsApp website. WhatsApp typically releases updates first via its website, and then rolls out the update for Android's Google Play store, followed by updates for other platforms, so the update will be available for all devices soon.

The first step is to get the latest APK file from WhatsApp:

1. Download the latest (version 2.11.444) Whatsapp apk from the official website.
2. On your Android phone, go to Settings > Security > Check Unknown sources, to enable installing apps from outside Google Play. Note that the exact path to the setting can vary depending on your device manufacturer and Android version - the important thing to note is that you enable installing apps from unknown sources.
3. Open the apk on your Android phone. This will install the latest version of the app on your device.

Once the app is installed, here's how to disable read receipts:

1. Open WhatsApp and tap three vertical dots icon on the top right.
2. Now go to Settings > Account > Privacy.
3. Uncheck Read receipts.

That will disable the blue ticks on WhatsApp. As we noted above, feature isn't available on other platforms or on Google Play as yet, but now that this feature has appeared on the official WhatsApp apk, we can hope that an update will bring it to all platforms.

How to Submit PAN Card Application Online

Our government has never been more digitally savvy than it is today, and that means that there are many important government functions that can be carried out online. A month ago, the government even launched a website to let all of us track the attendance of central government employees, and to see if they were arriving to work on time. With so many government services going digital, we believe that it's important that our readers also know what can be done online, and how.

To start with, we're taking you through the process of applying for a PAN card. In India, most important financial transactions require you to have a PAN card - it is used when opening a bank account, filing tax returns, or for financial transactions above Rs. 50,000. Having one of these cards is pretty much essential if you're working and managing your own finances.

Applying for a PAN is simple, and you can fill the forms online, but you'll have to mail your documents to the Income Tax PAN services offices to finalise the process. Once you fill up the form on the site and send your papers, the application is processed and the card shipped directly to your residential address.

In case you get stuck and need more information, then the helpline number (18001801961) is a good resource - when we got stuck on some of the details of the application, we gave them a call and found the service extremely helpful.

Step one is to get copies of the different documents you need to submit on your application.

Documents Required

To submit the application, you need to upload several documents to the PAN Services Unit website. You will need to upload a proof of identity, address and date of birth, along with a scanned passport photograph. Start by making a scan of any one document per section, for each section below:

1. Proof of identity
A copy of any one of these documents is acceptable as ID proof for a PAN card:

• Aadhaar Card issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India
• Elector's photo identity card
• Driving licence
• Passport
• Ration card having photograph of the applicant
• Arms license
• Photo identity card issued by the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking
• Pensioner card having photograph of the applicant
• Central Government Health Service Scheme Card or Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme photo card
• Certificate of identity in original signed by a Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly or Municipal Councillor or a Gazetted officer
• Bank certificate in original on letter head from the branch (along with name and stamp of the issuing officer) containing attested photograph and bank account number of the applicant

2. Address proof

Along with your photo ID, you'll also have to enclose an address proof in your application. Any of the following documents can be included with your form:

• Aadhaar Card issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India
• Elector's photo identity card
• Driving licence
• Passport
• Passport of the spouse
• Post office passbook having address of the applicant
• Latest property tax assessment order
• Domicile certificate issued by the government
• Allotment letter of accommodation issued by Central or State Government of not more than three years old
• Property registration
• Certificate of address in original signed by a Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly or Municipal Councillor or a Gazetted officer
• Employer certificate in original

You can also use one of the following documents, if it is less than three months old:

• Electricity bill
• Landline telephone or broadband connection bill
• Water bill
• Consumer gas connection card or book or piped gas bill
• Bank account statement
• Depository account statement
• Credit card statement

3. Proof of date of birth

A copy of any one of these documents should suffice as proof of date of birth:

• Birth Certificate issued by the Municipal Authority or any office authorised to issue Birth and Death Certificate by the Registrar of Birth and Deaths or the Indian Consulate as defined in clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955)
• Pension payment order
• Marriage certificate issued by Registrar of Marriages
• Matriculation certificate
• Passport
• Driving licence
• Domicile certificate issued by the government
• Affidavit sworn before a magistrate stating the date of birth

4. Photographs

You will need two recent passport sized photographs for the PAN card application.

How to apply

Once you have scans of all these documents ready, simply do the following:

1. Go to this page on the NSDL website.
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Individual in the Apply for a new PAN Card drop down menu. Click on Select.
3. Now you can start filling the form. In case you have any doubts, visit this page for form filling guidelines.
4. The first field is AO Code, which you can look up here. You can also call the Income Tax department helpline at 18001801961 to find out about your AO code. 
5. The other fields like name, gender, address, etc. are pretty self-explanatory, but remember to select the correct documents you will be submitting along with the application, from the drop-down window in point 15 on the form.
6. Once you've filled in all the details, select a payment method at the end of the form. The PAN card application fee is Rs. 105, but additional bank charges may apply depending on the payment method. If you want the PAN card sent outside India, the fee is Rs. 971. You can pay via demand draft, cheque, credit/debit card or net banking.
7. Click Submit when done.
8. Review all the details in your form. Make sure all spellings are correct and enter the captcha code, then click Confirm.
9. Now you'll see a page with payment terms and conditions. Note down the transaction number at the top of the page and click Agree.
10. Complete the payment.
11. You'll now see an acknowledgement form. This has a unique 15-digit acknowledgement number. Print this page.
12. Paste the two photographs on the printout of the acknowledgement (in the space provided).
13. Sign within the box on the acknowledgement form.
14. Put this form in an envelope with the cheque or DD (if you haven't paid online), and the required documents mentioned earlier.
15. On the envelope, write APPLICATION FOR PAN - ____. Fill in the blank with your unique 15-digit acknowledgement number.
16. Post it to NSDL at Income Tax PAN Services Unit, NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited, 5th floor, Mantri Sterling, Plot No. 341, Survey No. 997/8, Model Colony, Near Deep Bungalow Chowk, Pune - 411016.
17. Your application must reach NSDL within 15 days from the date of online application. They'll send the PAN card to your address after processing the application. You can call 02027218080 to check the status of your application.