Hands on: Poynt on the BlackBerry PlayBook

by Kal Chebli

19 April 2011 No Comment

We’ve been seeing Poynt for the BlackBerry PlayBook here and there since CES 2011 and we finally get our hands on with it as it appeared in App World just yesterday (for the PlayBook that is). With the PlayBook just being released, we’ve been going through the AppWorld left and right looking for apps we are used to seeing on OS 6 now operating on the PlayBook. One super app we all love has just his just been made available to us, Poynt. Poynt is a local search tool which fully integrates with your BlackBerry without ever having to leave the application all while having ability to use GPS and WiFi to expedite the result return process. Poynt allows you to connect with local businesses and retails all on the go. If you have point on your BlackBerry, then you already know Poynt’s very simple and easy to use interface.

On OS 6, Poynt opens up with an array of options that you can scroll around from icon to icon in a circular pattern all while it depicts basic weather information in the background. The phone based application even lets you open up more detailed weather information displayed for your desired search area. Similar to the application designed for the phones, Poynt has done something very similar their tablet application. The ideas, concepts, and goals of the program haven’t changed but the layout is a bit different and some may say even more user friendly. The program still will use your GPS to find the nearest results and this will be evident when it prompts you for GPS access on initial startup. You also do have the option of putting in a different location in the search bar if you want to find results for a location where you are away from.

When Poynt opens, you will see four icons and the fifth one will appear after a location has been selected. The first four that appear are, Business, People, Movie, Restaurant, and the final icon appears is Gas. Before even clicking one of these options, you will find that in the top right hand side of the page, the basic weather for the selected location appears. If you click on the basic weather information, a pop up window inside of Poynt will appear with more detailed weather information and will allow you to see weather for the week ahead. As far as the first icon, Business, when you click the icon, you will be able to find any seller, service, or store by business name. People icon will allow you to search a few ways; by name, reverse lookup by phone, or reverse lookup by address which needless to say is convenient. The most overlooked function in Poynt is probably the Movie icon.

Some friends of mine didn’t know that through this icon you can lookup theaters nearby, movies nearby, top 10, genres, and search by tittle. Not only will you be able to find you movie and time but you will also be able to view a movie trailer without ever leaving the application. The hardest part is deciding and to assist with that process, Poynt has teamed up with www.rottentomatoes.com to display accurate movie ratings right next to the tittle. If that’s not enough, you can buy your ticket(s) for participating theaters all without leaving Poynt. Taking a step back to Poynt’s home screen, we can hop around and find a place to eat if we get the hunger. Once you click Restaurants, you will find that Poynt has teamed up with the best in the industry, SuperPages, CitySearch, and OpenTable.com, to provide the best restaurant search options in the fastest ways possible. The basic functions of this tab include, Restaurants Nearby, Restaurants by Cuisine, and a search option which allows you to narrow down the very restaurant in mind.

If you’re having trouble deciding with all the hits nearby, you can narrow down your results by choosing from over 40 types of cuisines. Scolling over restaurant names will allow you to see a mapped address with directions if need be, details, reviews to aid in your decision making process, and some participating restaurants will allow you to reserve a table all from your PlayBook. If Poynt somehow did not include all the information you would ever need, you can be redirected to the restaurant’s website just by clicking a link in Poynt. The only icon we haven’t covered yet is the Gas Icon. When clicked, you will be able to narrow down your search results by Gas stations nearby or even by Gas Price. Once you have selected the desired station based on the price and amenities listed you can map the address get directions and even send that information to be saved to your BlackBerry SmartPhone. We couldn’t get this feature to work as its not yet available but it is something were are absolutely looking forwards to.

Although Pyont has stepped up their game for the PlayBook, there were a few things I didn’t like. On a BlackBerry, when you opened Poynt, the weather graphics in the background would change depending on weather in your area and the animation was unnecessary but nonetheless lovely and quite enjoyable. Poynt for the PlayBook either doesn’t offer this feature or they have decided to leave it out in this build. One thing we did notice that they left out was the Event Tab. On a BlackBerry, you have the Events feature which allows you to search events nearby, venues nearby, breakdown of categories, and even search performers. Poynt also used to have a Map It feature on BlackBerry SmartPhones which seems to be missing on the PlayBook. It wasn’t all that necessary with the numerous mapping software available but was a one stop convenience feature. Another notable point about Poynt is that the program has been developed for landscape more only and does not rotate and auto size for portrait viewing or using. Although it doesn’t make a huge impact as the software is so powerful, this software is also about conveniences by having all the information you need about businesses in one place and the lack of portrait mode is one less convenience the use has.

Overall, Poynt is a great application and a must have for everyone with a BlackBerry and especially those with PlayBooks. It is fast, user friendly, and very powerful. It needless to say is a true super app.