Tube Exits app – saving you valuable time

jssourney.jpg

Ever find yourself running late for an important meeting and being further delayed by having to queue for that pesky exit at the tube station? No, well me neither – I’m not important enough to get invited to meetings you see – but one day I might be.

And when I am, I’ll use the Tube Exits iPhone app in order to beat the crowds. Available in the App Store, obviously, at an introductory price of £1.79 – which will rise to £2.99 eventually, so get in quick – the app promises to help commuters save valuable time by telling them exactly what carriage they should board in order to be expertly lined up for the exit at their destination or interchange.

Creator Lance Stewart came up with the idea after he himself was late for a meeting because of congestion at a tube station exit. He quit his job – which does seem a little bit extreme – and spent his time travelling around the London Underground network, visiting all 268 stations and working out all of the carriage to exit combinations.

The resulting app works below ground, as no internet connection is needed, and even allows the user to save their favourite journeys. This feature does seem a tad pointless to me though – surely commuters know where to get on the train for their most frequent journeys?

I’m not sure whether Tube Exits would be classed as an awesome app or merely a cr-app in our recent feature, but I reckon, sadly, it may be closer to the latter.

Plans for mobile reception on the tube abandoned

Do you remember March 2007? What stands out in your mind about it? If the answer to that question is "why, that's the month TfL announced they'd be trialling mobile phone reception on the underground of course", then prepare to be disappointed.

Two years later, they've decided it's not going to happen. Quite why it took so long is anybody's guess, but the reasoning can be helpfully pinned onto everyone's favourite excuse: the perilous economy. A TfL spokesman explained: "While it is technically possible to deploy mobile phone and data wireless solutions on the deep level Underground tunnels and stations, the unique nature and environment of the Tube mean that project costs would be prohibitively high at this time."

Small queue forms for the Tube (the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music, that is)

nokia-flagship-london.jpg

Despite being slap-bang in the middle of the target market for the Nokia 5800, there’s something about it that just doesn’t hit the spot for me. It might be the sluggish performance, it might be the the lack of keyboard, it might be the lack of internal storage. It just seems defiantly last-generation with a touchscreen slapped on, which is why I’m holding out for the N97.

Some people aren’t though, because the launch of the Nokia 5800 was this morning in Regent Street and Heathrow terminal five. It wasn’t iPhone-worthy, but a respectable hundred people or so showed up at the Regent Street branch.

If you didn’t fancy queuing in the rain, but you still want one, then you can get it from Simply Electronics for £350 or so, unlocked. Alternatively, Phones4U are offering it free on an £35 a month, 18-month-long, contract with Orange, or there’s a £20 a month, 18-month, contract with Vodafone.

(via the Inquirer)

Related posts: Nokia 5800 ‘Tube’ finally touches down in the UK | Nokia 5800 XpressMusic coming very soon, in time for Christmas perhaps?

Google adds tube map to Google Maps

google-tube-map.jpg

Google Maps launched its new ‘Transit’ section of Google Maps this morning, which focuses on public transport. Wonderfully, included in the update is a tube map that you can turn on and off on the display – immensely useful for planning ya route across the capital.

Be aware though – because it’s tied to real geographical locations, it might be a bit confusing, and not as intuitive as using the regular tube map. On the other hand, you might find out something useful, like how close Lancaster Gate (on the Central Line) is to Paddington, or Canon Street to Bank, saving you some trouble, and going miles out of your way to change tubes.

If you’ve got a local metro/tube/underground system of some sort, is it shown on Google’s new layer? Let us know in the comments. Now… if only Google would release street view in the UK…

Google Maps UK (via TechCrunch)

Related posts: Google Earth maps Ancient Rome, hope to catch up to modern Rome within the next 2000 years | Google goes mega-high-resolution on Google Maps with the GeoEye-1 satellite

Nokia 5800 'Tube' finally touches down in the UK

nokia-5800-xpressmusic-tube.jpg

We were wondering when the Nokia 5800 was going to show up, but it wasn’t ‘in time for Christmas’, after all. Nokia has just dropped us an email to confirm that you’ll be able to get your sweaty hands on the ‘Tube’ in the UK on Friday 23rd January.

Initially, it’ll only be available in Nokia’s Regent Street and Heathrow Terminal 5 flagship stores, as well as online, but come Friday 30th, it’ll be available from anywhere. Interestingly, Nokia will be selling it unlocked and SIM-free to start with, for £250. I would get excited, but with the N97 just round the corner, the Tube can get stuffed.

Nokia Shop

Related posts: Nokia 5800 XpressMusic coming very soon, in time for Christmas perhaps? | Shiny Preview: Nokia 5800 XpressMusic aka The Tube

FLASH GAME CHALLENGE: Metro Rules of Conduct

metro-rules-of-conduct.jpg

If you’re a commuter, or if you’ve ever used the underground in London during rush hour, then you’ll be familiar with the horror of having millions of people around you, without being able to look at any of them. Instead you’re forced to stare vaguely into space down the carriage.

This game perfectly simulates that experience. Use your arrow keys to look around, look at people’s stuff for points. But don’t get caught looking! That’s a recipe for someone thinking you’re some kidy of stare-y weirdo. I got 8968 points. What’s your best score? Tell us in the comments.

Metro Rules of Conduct (via RPS)

Glasgow tube stations get O2 phone reception today

glasgow-underground.jpg

That nice gentleman up there has probably just fainted with delight, after discovering that today he’s able to use his O2 mobile on the tube in Glasgow. We’ve known about it for a while, but today, O2 has brought phone reception to the five busiest platforms on the Glasgow subway – Buchanan Street, St Enoch, Partick, Hillhead and Govan.

The move is just a trial, but if it goes well, then you can bet your bottom dollar, or pound, that it’ll show up in London, and any other subway systems around Britain. Get ready to ask loud people to shut up underground, as well as on buses and trains.

Are you in Glasgow and on O2? What’s the service like – perfect? Or a bit patchy? Let us know in the comments.

O2 Press release (via O2UKOfficial Twitter)

Related posts: O2 brings mobile reception to the UK underground | The other first mobile phone use in the UK underground?

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic coming very soon, in time for Christmas perhaps?

nokia-5800-xpressmusic-tube.jpg

After a long time waiting, Nokia has finally announced that its Nokia 5800 XpressMusic (“Tube”) touchscreen mobile phone will be available across a number of markets “soon”.

Unfortunately, details are sketchy, and the UK isn’t specifically mentioned in the markets initially listed — that’ll be Russia, Spain, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Finland but hopefully that’s not an exhaustive list.

Coming to the UK? Probably. Before Christmas? Maybe. Price and network? Nothing obvious yet…