LocalPicks is an Android app that’s designed for those that travel and want to get a feel for where they’re currently laying their hat. The app works by using the GPS as well as channeling reliable sources such as Twitter, Google Maps and other quality resources. LocalPicks can be used to see what people in the area are chatting about online, as well as find the nearest stores, coffee shops, places to eat, tourist attractions and a whole lot more. With granular options to help you find whatever you need near you LocalPicks is an excellent app to get to know your latest stop on the map. So, let’s take a closer look, shall we?
As is the case with all other apps on Android, it’s best to download LocalPicks from the Play Store. It’s a completely free app to download, and there are no ads or in-app purchases to speak of here, either.
The first screen, shown above, will tell you where you are and then give you some simple options. If you’re in town during an event or whatever, you can use LocalPicks to see what people are chatting about on Twitter, for instance. Here in Tibshelf however, there’s never really anything going on, sadly.
Of course, this is a feature that might be a little more useful if you were in a big City, such as NYC, for example. This is just one feature of many, by the way.
Finding out what restaurants are nearby is something that LocalPicks can be used for, and can be really helpful in narrowing down your choices as well. There’s a wide selection of different cuisines that you can search for in just a few simple taps thanks to LocalPicks, too.
When I tried this feature out, I was undecided on whether or not it was a good feature to use Google for this sort of thing or not. After all, someone downloading this app might think that the developers have put all of this information together themselves.
Of course, using Google sure has its advantages, as Google Maps listings are always kept up-to-date and if a restaurant closes or a new one opens, then it’ll be added to Google’s listings before anything else. Even so, the search terms that the app uses are pretty straightforward and you could do this yourself, no doubt.
LocalPicks can be used to find coffee shops and such nearby as well, and it can also be used to find out what events are being held near you, too, which is a nice option for users looking to find a show or movie nearby.
As well as letting you know what’s happening near you and where to eat, this is an app that can let you know about key figures wherever you are. This is a great feature if you’ve just moved to somewhere new and need to know about the major players near where you are.
It’s clear that LocalPicks is something that has a lot to offer users, but it doesn’t really do much more than you can already get from Google on your own. Whether or not that’s a good or bad thing is down to you really, but in terms of functionality, this gets the job done. Using Google for these searches, as well as Twitter, does have its advantages as the former will always be up-to-date with new places that have opened as well as opening and closing times, while being nice and familiar for users as well. The Twitter side of things will be great for those that have traveled into town for an event or something like that, as they can see what people are saying and make sure they avoid dangerous hotspots or just make sure they’re where they need to be. Altogether, the app works well and while it’s undeniably quite simple in its approach, this has the advantage of being easy enough for anyone out there to go ahead and use quite nicely.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – Everything here in LocalPicks runs well, and the overall performance is good.
- Theme (4/5) – There’s not much in the way of overall look and feel here really, which again means that there’s little room for error and there’s nothing here that should put people off.
- Features (4/5) – Whether or not using Google is a way for the developers to cheat is debatable, but it does mean that the app will always be able to put together current and informative results that will always be up-to-date, and it also makes it really easy to use, too.
- Overall (4/5) – It might not be the most sophisticated app out there, but it gets the job done and it works really well considering the sort of functionality that it has on offer.
Pros
- Using Google means that all the information will be up-to-date and current.
- Twitter integration means that users will be able to see what’s being talked about right now no matter where they are.
- Simple and intuitive interface makes this a straightforward app that doesn’t ask users to jump through hoops and just works.
- Completely free to download and use.
Cons
- Some users might be disappointed that it only uses Google and Twitter, rather than its own database.
- Some of the restaurant searches will end up giving no results.
LocalPicks is a great little Android app given that it’s free to download and use and doesn’t ask too much of the user in order to just work quite happily. While it might not be the best app out there, it has some good features that makes this a great app to have installed while traveling or getting used to a new area and it’s super-easy to use as well.