Best iPhone Apps For New Yorkers
Living in NYC presents us with a unique set of hurdles, some of which happen to rhyme with "shmed shmugs." As such, your garden variety iPhone apps are not gonna cut it. We need the best of the best, the New Yorkiest of the New Yorkiest. Need to grab a taxi? Find a bathroom that's at least semi-sanitary? Yeah, there's an app for that. Here's our list of the best iPhone apps for New Yorkers. By Lawrence Bonk. (Photo: Getty Images).
Taxi Hold'em
Free
This may seem like an Andy Rooney-ism, but doesn't it seem like cab drivers care less and less about picking us up? It feels like even a double-sized glowing Marilyn Monroe doll would have trouble hailing a yellow cab these days. In that case, you are going to need this app. "Taxi Hold-em" helps you hail cabs by turning your iPhone into a flashing "Taxi" sign." It's sure to get even the most lackadaisical driver's attention.
Type n Walk
99 cents
There's this rumor going around that iPhones cost a considerable amount of money. Well, it's true. So why risk dropping the sucker as you walk and text at the same time? Type n Walk makes it easy by accessing your phone's camera to show you a view screen of what you are walking toward behind your text message. There's no app yet to help you avoid dog and pigeon poop, though. You are on your own with that one.
SitOrSquat Bathroom Finder
Free
As all New Yorkers know, finding a reasonable bathroom to use while you are out and about can seem harder than landing a man on the moon. Restaurateurs are rude and uninviting and many storefronts simply don't have public restrooms at all. This app solves that problem. It delivers an up-to-date list of accessible bathrooms based on your GPS location. It even tells you which ones are open and for how long. No more waiting in those long McDonald's lines. Phew.
Farm Fresh NYC
$2.99
Ugh! Is there anything worse than spending money on some produce only to have it taste like it came out of the dumpster at "No Flavor Land?!" New York is particularly susceptible to rank fruit and veggies. That's where this app comes in. It points you to nearby local produce markets and lets you know which items are in-season and tasty. Over 50 farmer's markets around the city take part in the service so it's easy to plan your grocery list ahead of time wherever you live.
Exit Strategy NYC Subway Map
$3.99&
New Yorkers have no time to waste. We can't be bothered by journeying across an entire subway platform to reach our destination. We live in fourth floor walk-ups and our legs only have so much energy. Well, now those puppies can take a well-deserved respite. Exit Strategy is not only a comprehensive NYC subway, bus and rail map. It also gives accurate information as to which exits you should use and where you should stand to reach a given destination in the easiest way.
NYTimes Real Estate
Free
There are no rules in NYC real estate. If you are going to stake out the elderly for their rent controlled apartments, that is your own business. Before you do that, however, why not give this app a go? It lets you easily browse through the entire NY Times real estate section, with a ton of app-exclusive features. You can browse through floor plans, calculate mortgage and rent payments, view nearby school information and more. It's the perfect app for this booming economy! Ok, that last part may have been a joke. Still, we gotta live somewhere.
Menu Pages
Free
Your favorite takeout-enabler is now available on your iPhone. This app has it all. It uses GPS to find nearby restaurants and menus and allows you to call the restaurant right from the menu. It still features the same search engine as the online counterpart, so old-school users shouldn't fret. Finally, another reason not to ever cook again. Besides, burritos and pizza are healthy!
Your favorite iPhone app may have not made this list. There are gads of NY-centric apps. Let us know which ones you think should have made the cut.
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