GLOBAL – We all know Nokia phones are a talented bunch when it comes to location-based services. Ovi Maps has been directing us on our merry way, for free, since 2009. This week’s selection box from OviDailyApp takes a look at location apps that make the most of the phones’ GPS smarts. Join us after the jump for some location, location, location.
To get us on our way, we have ViewRanger GPS. ViewRanger GPS turns your Nokia Symbian OS, S60 3.0 and 5.0 device into an enormously powerful tool for exploring walking paths. It uses the GPS capabilities of your Nokia device to keep track of your location, and to compare it to your route on a detailed terrain map. ViewRanger also lets you download walking routes that have been taken by others, or establish your own routes. It gives you warnings when you stray from the route that you are following, as well as letting you associate photos with points of interest along your route. It gives you a directional compass for following the route, charts your speed and distance in walking the route, and tells you the correct heading and elapsed trip time.ViewRanger is available in Ovi Store for £4.00. Here’s a handy walkthrough video from Rafe Blandford, AllAboutSymbian.
Sticking with our inner explorer, up next we have Explorers Tracker. Explorers Tracker from London-based CEALogs is a combination outdoor guide and expedition log book, all in an easy-to-use app for your Nokia Symbian S60 3rd Edition (keyboard) or 5th Edition (touch) smartphones. It’s not an inexpensive app — the full version costs £12.99. However, the functionality goes above and beyond your basic GPS recorder, and it is available as a free 30-day trial. If Explorers Tracker sounds interesting, download the trial version a week or two before your next outdoor adventure, play with the app around the city a little so you know what it can do, then test it yourself during the trip. Explorers Tracker is available now and anyone can sign-up to the 30-day free trial.
Last, but by no means least, we have OpenTable. The concept of this app is pretty simple, it’ll book a table at a restaurant for you. When you first start the application – after a quick initial log-in process – you have the option to find a “table” based on either your current location or a city of your choosing. You can also begin your search finding a restaurant by its name – which may be the quickest path, if you know exactly where you want to go.
Just as easy is to search by your current location – the app knows where you are, based on the GPS data available from your mobile device. Based on the time of the reservation you are seeking, OpenTable shows you three options that are within 30 minutes of your original request. So if you want a 6:00 p.m. reservation, it will also display 5.45pm, and 6.15pm – assuming all of those times have availability.
With each listing, you will also see some quick details like the type of cuisine, general location by city or town, distance from you, and price range. When you click on a specific restaurant, you will see more details, including a full description of the place, and those three time options once again for your reservation. Best of all this app is free to download from Ovi Store. Here’s an interview with Josh Garnier, product manager at OpenTable.