Checking out your surroundings
February 17, 2015
Like most apps of this type, Around Me locates hotels and restaurants, but also includes pharmacies, cinemas and supermarkets, offering some 20 categories in all. The map which shows the surrounding area is easy to use and offers basic information on the places of interest searched for. It also provides integrated links for evaluations on Yelp and Foursquare. The manufacturer uses these partner apps and user data to update information. Anyone who wants to remain annonymous can set up the app accordingly. A special feature of Around Me is the possibility to search for movies or theater shows. The venues are then shown in a second step.
A test in downtown Berlin showed that Around Me is a useful tour guide. Bars, cafés and restaurants that are hard to find for first-time visitors can be traced in next to no time.
But sometimes accuracy was disappointing. The 02 World Arena was placed in the wrong city district some ten kilometers from its real location. Information on concerts was also sometimes rather vague. Outside the city center there were very few entries.
Summing Up: Aroud Me is a useful app for finding your way around in a new city or tracking down new venues. But if the place you are looking for is not nearby, then best verify the address.
Android, iPhone, Windows Phone, free of charge, in-app purchases possible, size: 20 MB , languages: German, English and nine others