sketch-a-search
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Yahoo! releases Sketch-a-Search for iPad, update for iPhone
Yahoo has released an iPad version of its popular iPhone Sketch-a-Search app. For those not familiar with the app, Sketch-a-Search lets users simply sketch a line around an area of the built-in Google map to find restaurants within the sketched area. The app on the iPhone is great, and it's something I've always thought Apple would be smart to build in as a feature to iOS's Google Maps app. Searching a map by drawing a line with your finger is much faster and user-friendly than typing in search queries. The only drawback to the app is that it only searches for restaurants and not other points of interest. The iPad version of the app is essentially the same as the iPhone version, with the exception of being optimized for the iPad's larger display. Alongside the release of Sketch-a-Search for iPad, Yahoo updated the iPhone version of the app, too. Both versions now feature Zagat-rated restaurants in the search results, along with the ability to book a table through the app using OpenTable integration. Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search for iPad and Sketch-a-Search for iPhone both require iOS 4 or later, which means that unless you are running the iOS 4.2 beta on iPad, you're gonna have to wait to use the app even though you can download it now.
Yahoo! introduces Sketch-a-Search iPhone app
Yahoo! yesterday introduced a new app called Sketch-a-Search to the iPhone. It's one of the first search apps I've seen that actually takes a new, novel approach to search taking advantage of the iPhone's multi-touch features. It's simple and easy to use. You launch the app and a split-screen comes up. On the top you have a Google map (yeah, the irony) and on the bottom you have a blank slate. Right in the middle you have a green button. Drag the Google map around to your desired position, touch the green button to lock the map in place, then use your finger to draw a shape (circle, square, squiggly -- it doesn't matter) around any area of the map. Once your shape is connected at the ends your search results will immediately be listed on the bottom part of the split-screen. Right now the app only searches restaurants in the US, but Yahoo! says they be launching additional local categories on an ongoing basis and eventually give the app international support. All in all, it's a very cool app and at the cost of free, why not give it a try? Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search is available in the App Store now and requires an iPhone or iPod touch running OS 3.0 or later.
