New iPhone Search Apps from Yahoo!
4/02/2010 07:23:00 AM - 0 comments
Introducing Yahoo Sketch-a-Search, that allows users to search by drawing a location on a map. This new app for the iPhone promises to simplify local searches without requiring to type keywords or search terms.Moreover, the Yahoo Sketch-a-Search app has a split screen with a Google map on the top and blank slate on the bottom. Users can immediately see a map centered on their location using GPS, as soon as the Yahoo Sketch-a-Search app is launched.
As of now, the app is limited to restaurant searches in the U.S; although Yahoo has plans to add more local categories and expand the app globally. You can easily fetch local businesses within a boundary that you draw (in any shape) in the search results on the map on the bottom part of the screen.
New Search Apps from Yahoo – How it works
The Yahoo Sketch-a-Search app is second in addition to another app from Yahoo called Yahoo Search iPhone App, which is an the integrated search service for the Apple iPhone. This application includes a number of interesting features, including voice search and “Shake to Clear” – as the name suggests, it clears the last search as you shake the phone.
This new Yahoo Search iPhone app also offers a range of new local tools and features that can refine a Yahoo search based on a user’s current location and also add relevant maps using location-aware technology.
On the other hand, the Yahoo Sketch-a-Search app works by allowing users to draw a boundary on a map around a specific location. The app can bring up local content, including restaurants and businesses, and it is not required for the user to know the name of an area or neighborhood.
The application displays push pins for each restaurant within that area and lists them below the map. Besides that, the app also filters restaurant results by cuisine, ambiance and star rating. You just need to click on a restaurant from the list leads to a page with information collected by Yahoo, such as user reviews and photographs. From there, a user can click to call the restaurant or get directions.
The idea behind the app….
The idea behind the application was to offer an enhanced way to do local searches. While, local search apps typically use GPS, zip codes or even a neighborhood name to locate shops in the area; with this app, you can instantly see a map centered on their location using GPS. You can then draw a circle around an area as wide as they want.
As of now, searches are limited to restaurants, coffee shops, and some hotels; however, Yahoo plans to expand to other local categories, like gyms, gas stations, pet stores, retail shops, and even real estate locations like apartments and houses.
Posted: Seuli.B
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