Google Maps could help us survive the holiday shopping season

Christmas shopping is guaranteed to unleash my inner Grinch. The urgency, the icy temperatures, the emptying shelves, and the crowds — sweet Santa, the crowds! They turn my Yuletide glee into deep holiday blues. This year, however, Google Maps is delivering some festive help. The app has gift-wrapped a bundle of new features to help shoppers survive the holiday rush. First up is Area Busyness, which analyzes geographical data to show when a neighborhood is crowded. Open up Google Maps, an