Times Internet's timescity launches Smartphone apps for Android, iPhone and BB10 app; Initial impressions
Timescity, a Times Internet venture has announced the launch of its smartphone app. An extension of what their online site does, the mobile app adds in crucial location-based features to discovery of movies, restaurants, nightlife activities and events. The app is made by digital agency PHD mobi.
The app is live on all app stores as of now, but we were happy to get to review the app
before it's release. After having used it for a while now, here are some things that stood out for us in this app.1) The app is a combination of Zomato and BookMyShow (to some extent). From a functionality standpoint, it can be your go to app in a metro. However, as far the effectiveness goes, the app is still new and it needs a fair amount of user-generated reviews before it can match either. On the comparison with BookMyShow, it only lists movies and theaters. You cannot book tickets using Timescity.
2) The restaurant listing matches the standards of any application in the category. Along with providing information about the restaurants and its facilities, the app also provides information about the menu of the restaurant and a facility for user generated reviews. A lot of weightage has
been given to contact details of the restaurant - an explicit, green call button, map view, as well as an interesting function which allows you to add the restaurant contacts on your mobile phone. This is the same for the nightlife option as well.3) The events listing was a little misleading as it lists a lot of theme based restaurants as events. So you will find the occasional 'Punjabi Thali' listed as an event. However, a lot of band performances in restaurants are also there, which is a great to have.
4) On the movies front, this app is everything that an app like BookMyShow can provide, such as show timings, theater address and location (maps too) and movie reviews. When you select a movie, an interesting feature of the section is the trailers list, which lists down relevant YouTube
clips of the movie.5) Timescity also has a very detailed filter results section. Laid out in an array of text fields and buttons, this is by far the most detailed filter function that I've seen on a mobile app.
While the app performs many functions, it doesn't feel as if the Timecity is doing too much. Movies, nightlife and restaurants share a similar target audience, and kudos to the app development team for translating all the websites functionalities and more to a simple, well designed, easy to use mobile app.
Getting active users on this app is going to be a challenge, as it depends on user reviews. It will be interesting to see how Timescity goes about solving this problem.Our take - A well made app, which can potentially become an all in one app for information about restaurants, nightlife, events and movies.
Download the Android version here.
Download the iOS version here.
Download the BB10 version here.
