AroundMe review

Richard Goodwin

We review AroundMe, the app that promises to give Maps a run for its money.

Rating: 4/5

Verdict: While AroundMe is a definite must have, it does have a few little glitches that make it a tad unreliable. That said, it’s a welcome change to Maps with a few aces up its sleeve.

Platform: iPhone or iPod Touch

Pros: AroundMe links up with social networking sites, provides good listings for things around you that you might have missed, as well as breaking down local services into easy-to-use lists

Cons: It can be a little glitchy from time to time and doesn’t always pull up exactly what your looking for.

Version Reviewed: 3.0

Publisher: Tweakersoft

Price: Free

More info: Tweakersoft website

We all know Maps for the iPhone is an incredibly powerful app - but occasionally when you drunkenly prod in "Discos" at 3am, it doesn't give you all the options you're after. Your search results are confined to the screen you're on, and won't venture further unless you zoom out.

AroundMe is a natty little free app, that cunningly breaks down all your local services into categories for you to delve into: from banks, bars and coffee shops, to gas stations (that's petrol stations for us on the right side of the Atlantic), hospitals, hotels, cinemas and supermarket and a whole host of others.

Detailed lists of local services

Maps does it, but not in the same way. AroundMe offers you neat, detailed lists of local services and businesses and how far they are from your current position. Once you've seen one you fancy, tap it, and AroundMe will take you to a map showing you the route to your chosen destination.

On this map there are options to ring the business, add it as a contact, email it or even Tweet it. So if you are the type who organises their social life on Twitter - and by 'the type' I don't mean a bit of a wiener, I mean a cool, forward-thinking, early adopter - then this app is for you.

AroundMe does have a few drawbacks: If you've not got a decent 3G signal the menus and search results will take a little time to turn up, and very occasionally a pub you know full well is only two minutes from your house won't appear, but that's rare.

You can also search for specific businesses near you, using the dedicated spotlight style search function.

Places of interest

And if you get bored of visiting your local pubs, cinemas, restaurants, bars and theaters, just hit Nearby and AroundMe will take you to a list of local places-of-interest. So if that date you're on is going really badly you can suggest doozies such as: Holloway Women's Prison (I think they do a tour...) and The North London Metropolitan Cattle Market!

The thing that makes AroundMe so appealing is its frank usability. Its neat menus and simple interface provide an intuitive experience which coupled with your map page options make this a must-have app.