Harry Beck's 1931 design for the London Underground map is one of the true design classics - simple, elegant and efficient. Over the years it has been updated several times and is an invaluable aid to tourists and locals alike. That doesn't mean there isn't some room for improvement, though. Tube Map is an S60 Series 5 (touch) app that takes the basic map and makes it scrollable on your Nokia's screen. Simple enough, but the app also tries to provide enhancements in the form of live data, a route finder and more. Find out how we got on with our Tube Map review...
First off - this is one of the best looking Nokia apps we have seen in a while. Scrolling is ultra smooth, and the scrolling menu (slightly Mac OS X influenced, we would say) very responsive. The interface is clean and consistent and never drops you out to the native S60 widgets for text editing etc. which is a nice touch we wish more app authors would bother with. (there is one caveat here, though, to which we will return in a moment)
You can just scroll around the map using your finger or stylus if you want to - it is perfectly usable as a 'dumb' image (although, annoyingly, you don't seem to be able to zoom in or out) but the real power of the app comes with the station finder and route finder functions. Just type in where you want to get to and Tube Map will work out a route for you. Because all input is done 'in app' rather than with S60 widgets, you are restricted to using the hardware keyboard to enter station names rather than using the soft keypad to enter text 'SMS style'.
This wasn't a problem as we rather like the N97's keyboard, but we wonder if it might not have been better to give the option (even if it meant writing a new soft keypad) so you could use the app one-handed.
Small niggles aside this is a useful and well thought out app. If you live in the Capital or are planning on visiting, its is worth a download.
Details
Size: 0.5 MB
Price: Free
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