You've got an appointment in Manhattan tomorrow, so you visit Google Maps and print out the driving directions today. (Don't ask why you're driving from Brooklyn into Manhattan, this is just hypothetical, OK?). You're going less than 10 miles, so it should only take about 23 minu...what???

Like most online mapping services, Google Maps calculates estimated travel times based on speed limits, not on actual road conditions. And if you live in a busy metropolitan area like Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York, you know that you have to more than double the times Google Maps spits out.

Well, a few months ago Google added traffic updates to its maps. And now it looks like the company's done something useful with that information and added a second estimate for driving time to your directions. Type in any two addresses (in limited metropolitan areas at the moment) and Google will tell you how long it should take to get there under ideal conditions, and during rush hour. Of course, there's no way to account for traffic accidents.

[via jkOnTheRun]