Saturday, November 19, 2011

Best cab apps to get around London

Diversions, service upgrades and weekend closures are part of the vocabulary of every Londoner using public transport. For the regular commuter, travel apps have radically changed the way we navigate the city, telling us about train delays, road blocks and service updates to keep us on the move. You even get loads for the Boris bikes!

When it comes to the picturesque London black cabs we don't really need all that gadgetry: just wait and hail the next free cab. But let's face it, there are occasions when you can't just wait and need to get from point A to B immediately. 

Staying for one last drink at the pub? Dinner at your mate’s place in Wembley an realise that the Tube has already shut? My normal reaction would be to check the night buses. If that doesn't work, I'll call Adisson Lee minicabs. After waiting 10 minutes on the phone waiting for a human to answer, it means that I'm stuck there.

Fortunately, there’s a new generation of apps that allow us busy Londoners to make this process much smoother. If that means that I won't have to fight for a cab with other three people waiting, it must be worth trying.

First up is the new Hailo app [iTunes Link]. Launched last week with a fancy black cab convoy around the city, it promises to make the experience more efficient and satisfying for the driver and the passenger. After a very quick registration - using your mobile number and a confirmation code via SMS - simply launch the app and ask for a cab. I can see how the app has advantages over booking over the phone straight away. 

The location services on your iPhone are used to get the closest address - no need to ask or remember post codes again. Hailo will give you a time estimate before you book, knowing exactly how long would it take your cab to arrive. Also, you can drag your position in the map to select a different pick up location and choose the house number of your address.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appfreak/~3/Be5a6vQjQ4I/best-cab-apps-to-get-around-london.html

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