Google Hotpot recommendation engine launches in Google Maps 4.7

A new version of Google Maps, 4.7, has been released for Android smartphones, and it now includes integration with Google's new Hotpot service for ratings and recommendations. Hotpot is an online, friends-based recommendation engine that takes scores you give places using Google Maps 4.7's new homescreen rating widget, and uses that information to improve your own place search results and those of your friends.

Meanwhile Google has a Places rating app for iOS coming out soon, and until then iPhone owners (and indeed Android owners with devices that can't run Google Maps 4.7) will be able to rate via the new places tab at Google.com (which is rolling out today). Google Maps 4.7 for Android is a free download from the Android Market.

[via Android Community]