TimeOutLondon
Latest
Time Out London 3.0 gets new design, features
Time Out London was an app that, at one point, almost every Londoner had on his or her iPhone. It was first introduced in 2008, but as the years went by, it never received any design or major feature upgrades. It also integrated less and less with Time Out's massive things-to-do database and became more and more bug-ridden. But that's all changed as of today with the release of Time Out London 3.0. The app has been completely redesigned with a new, flatter -- and more fluid -- interface, a new navigation system and even a new icon to signify the breadth of the changes to the app. The UI design cues are heavily influenced by Time Out London's iPad app, which was released last summer right before the Olympics, but it works very well on the smaller screen. The flat design will also fit perfectly in the new flat world that is iOS 7. For a complete rundown of all the changes, check out the release notes below. Time Out London is a free download. What's New in Version 3 Complete redesign and rebuild! An entirely new experience to help you make the most of your city: - 'Editor's picks': Discover the London's best events, bars, restaurants and things to do, as recommended by Time Out editors - Shortcuts to instant inspiration from the homescreen. Suggestions change throughout the day so you get what's most relevant for right now - 'Find': Browse our entire database for inspiration, for planning right now or later. View your results on a map. - Use the digital version of your Time Out Card - Book restaurants without leaving the app - 'Most popular': Find out what's hot in London - 'History': Check back to see previously viewed items - 'Favourites': Save items for later - Switch to other cities to see recommendations from our teams in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona and Mexico.
Just in time for the Olympics, Time Out releases Time Out London for iPad
Time Out has just released Time Out London for iPad. The app offers users a curated mix of suggestions for things to see and do in the host city of the 2012 Olympics. Time Out London for iPad has a Flipboard-esque look and feel to it. On the app's home screen you're presented with multiple tiles, each one representing a venue, restaurant, museum or other attraction. Tap the tile to get the local's detailed information, like opening times, rating, address, and transport routes. This isn't Time Out's first London app. They've offered two others for quite a while now: Things to Do: London and London: Travel Guide. This is, however, Time Out's first London iPad app. Besides being native to the iPad, the app is also built for the Retina display. Another nice feature is that the more you use it, the "smarter" the app gets by showing you venues more suited to your preferences. My only issue with the app is that, for now, it only works in landscape orientation. Hopefully Time Out will add portrait orientation in a future update. Note that Time Out London for iPad isn't only for the Olympics. The app will continue to be useful and supported long after the Games have ended, so it'll always be a good choice for those coming to London. Time Out London for iPad is a free download.
Time Out London released for iPhone
Fellow Londoners, it's been a good week for us! First, The Guardian unveiled their iPhone app [£2.39, iTunes link], now Time Out London has finally released their free iPhone app – and it is amazing. This app is worth it for the map feature alone. How it works is a Google Map is displayed with a selection of five buttons: Cinemas; Gigs; Restaurants; Bars, Pubs, and Clubs; and All Arts and Entertainment. Select one button or a combination of the five and watch pins drop on the map that highlight not just the venue, but the event occurring at the venue. A pin will not drop unless there is something going on at the venue. So the next time you're walking through London, you don't have to look up what's going on where on one site then open your Maps at to see where it is; just open the Time Out London app and see current events displayed in your location. And that's just one of the great features of this app. There are many more like 'Top 10' lists based on category, search functionality, bookmarking of favorites, and a nifty 'Inspire Me' function that lets you shake to see randomly selected events you may be interested in. Other features include: Location driven: the app uses geo-location to pinpoint your location and show you Time Out recommended activities nearby, complete with event previews. Sociability: the app alerts you to events you might enjoy, lets you invite people along and flags up events that appeal to your friends and other like-minded people. Regular updates: event listings and previews are updated on a daily basis so you can access up-to-date information on all the latest thrills and spills in London. The only thing I don't like about the app is how heavily it's marketed by Smirnoff. But what you trade for in a logo, you get in a great, free app that is intuitive and well designed. So go ahead and download this app [iTunes link], now, and you'll never be at a loss of what to do in the city again. BTW: New Yorkers, there is a Time Out New York app for you guys [iTunes link]. The two apps are quite different and appear to be made by two separate companies, according to the iTunes Store. I'll look into why that is, but perhaps it is up to each regional Time Out to make their own app.
