HopStop.com

In some cities, pulling out a transit map is an open invite to solicitations from panhandlers, swindlers and car services. But you can avoid such nuisances if you own a smartphone. Then you only have to avoid being ripped off by your cell carrier, or an incompetent software developer. There are many hundreds of mobile apps that help you navigate transit systems around the world. They are almost too easy to create — because many municipalities distribute their transit information widely and freely — and they can be profitable, because users think nothing of spending a buck on one. But these apps can also be a headache for developers to manage over the long term, because transit service can change frequently in any given city. And if you, as a consumer, download an app that has no legs, you pay dearly in wasted time or worse, a trip to the wrong part of town. Users in some cities, like New York, benefit from a handful of good apps, like Exit Strategy NYC ($4, iPhone and BlackBerry; $3, Android) and HopStop (free, only on iPhone), made by software developers with long-term plans for the apps. In other cities, though, it’s more complicated. Plan on doing a little research to identify one or two city-specific apps, like MyTransit Washington D.C. ($1 on iPhone) or iTrans Chicago CTA ($2 on iPhone) that are worth the price. Beyond that, iPhone, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry users can increase their odds by loading the free MetrO app, which covers roughly 400 cities worldwide. And Android users can hedge by loading the free AnyStop app, which covers 125 cities globally. MetrO needs no network connection to work, and offers drop-down menu for transit stops and places of interest, in case you don’t know the stop nearest to the Eiffel Tower, for instance. It also includes information on bus systems, like those in Sydney or Berlin, that are less extensively covered by other apps. AnyStop is also easy to use but requires a network connection for its better features. In one, it relies on a device’s GPS function to deduce the user’s location and compare that with train and bus locations to calculate the arrival time to the station closest to the user. Such arrival predictions are available for almost half of AnyStop’s cities, including the Muni lines of San Francisco and mass transit in Boulder, Colo. Brendan Nee, Read More

A question for New Yorkers: How much would you pay for another 10 minutes with your family after work? If the answer is $5 or so, you are in the sweet spot of a few mobile apps that will help you find the right subway — and the right spot in the right subway car — to get you where you need to go in the shortest possible time. As usual, iPhone users have a leg up, because mobile software developers have built far more useful apps for the platform than for, say, Android or BlackBerry. But people with those phones at least have a few options. On the short list are Exit Strategy NYC ($4, iPhone and BlackBerry; $3, Android), HopStop (free, only on iPhone), KickMap ($3, iPhone; $5, iPad; not available on Android or BlackBerry), CityTransit ($3, only on iPhone), and NYC Bus and Subway Maps (free, only on Android). None of the apps do everything well, unfortunately, but they are all fairly useful. I found CityTransit to be the best for quickly directing me to the right train to take. Like the others on my list, CityTransit includes a stored subway map, so you don’t need a cellular connection to find your way when you’re beneath the ground. At street level, the “locate” function relies on GPS to find the nearest subway station. In my case, it was helpful in diverting me from the subway station near where I had left the commuter train, and instead directing me toward a subway line that would most quickly get me to my next destination. Press a button and the app takes you to the iPhone’s “Maps” application, where you can get point-to-point directions to the stop. The app also had an updated “Service Advisories” feature, letting me know which stops might be closed. KickMap took a little getting used to, but it was CityTransit’s equal in many respects and outdid CityTransit in some ways. The map was easier to read and alerted me, with red squares, to subway stops where I would have to pay to get to the other side of the tracks. You can also toggle between maps for nighttime and daytime and quickly see service changes. Android users have nothing yet that is as full-featured as KickMap or CityTransit. The free NYC Bus and Subway Maps app is a reproduction of the official transit maps and is Read More

The time for Macworld Expo 2010 is upon us and the handiest tool you’ll bring to San Francisco with you is, of course, your iPhone. What apps should you install on your phone to enhance your Macworld experience? The iMacworld is a handy guide for navigating the show floor and planning your day. iMacworld, featuring maps and a show directory, was just recently updated for 2010, so jump onboard. For those who don’t travel often, favorite airport amenities frequently change and may be difficult to find. You’ve got 30 minutes between flights and can’t play “Where’s Waldo” to find your favorite coffee dispensary. Did Peet’s moved to gate 12 from gate 18? Gate Guru can help. Additionally, the app has a review function so if you aren’t sure where to eat, let the wisdom of crowds guide you. The interface is a bit clunky as you can’t search by airport, only by terminal within the airport, but otherwise it is handy and accurate. Traveling requires corralling an endless stream of alpha-numeric confirmation codes and repeating the same information over and over again to family and friends. Setup a TripIt account and email TripIt your confirmations, and they’ll automatically put it all into an itinerary complete with additional hotel information and links that you can share with others. When the front desks says they have no record of your reservation, pull up your TripIt app and you’ll have all the data handy. Flight delays are a fact of life and getting accurate information is sometimes a challenge. Like many other apps, FlightTrack Pro will track flights for you. What’s special about this app is that it will also give you handy access to the airline’s phone number and provide push notifications. An indispensable feature is its ability to find alternate flights that match your planned itinerary should your flight be cancelled, as well as integrated access with TripIt. iCommute is similar to MuniApp and iBART, except that it also covers the AC Transit system which serves the East Bay. Utilizing Nextbus information, it offers real time and predictive information as to when the bus or train will arrive. It might be the best “jack of all trades” for general getting around, but the interface was a bit more cluttered the MuniApp’s UI. Still, with the more complete data, if you had to pick a single app, iCommute is probably the one. MuniApp focuses Read More

I was in NYC for a week and feeling a bit bored, so I took a look at a passel (anyone still use that word?) of NYC tourist apps, that I picked up last week for the heck of it. NYC Subway 24-Hour KICKMap - $1.99. Rating: Horrible. This is a generic subway map that's "24 hours" because you can tap the day/night button to switch the background from white to black. Wow! Hold your finger on a station for 3 seconds to bring up the address of the subway stop and often a disconnected phone number. Tap 'Alerts' and the app tosses you to the Manhattan Transit Authority site in Safari. HopStop - Free. Rating: Wonderful. Tell it where you want to go and it'll get you there via public transportation, just like the website hopstop.com, but with GPS built-in. UpNext 3D NYC - $2.99. Rating: Meh. Useful for finding businesses, not so useful for saving personal information. I don't want the world to know where I reside in NYC and marking it will show it to the world. Social networking eats its young -- don't trust it! Plus, how can you choose hotdogs/hamburgers near Broadway and 72nd street and not bring up Grey's Papaya first? Nice maps though. New York City Highlights - Free Rating: Horrible. This is supposed to be a walking tour of points of interest in NYC. Running it in Times Square played less than five minutes of generic and out-of-date drivel. At least a podcast has a pause button. Did you know that Virgin Records closed? They didn't. SitOrSquat - Free. Rating: Are you kidding? Help me out here, the app is, hmmmm, can I say poop? The GPS map screen can't even locate me, but searching seems to work. McDonalds is squat only. Did I need an app to tell me that? This was funded by Charmin as an afterthought. Note to Government: Don't bail out Procter and Gamble. They have more then enough cash if they paid for this. Read More