You can use your BlackBerry's Web browser to search Google or Bing, but it still takes a while to find exactly what you want. That's why developers are creating scores of applications to make BlackBerry searches quicker and more precise. Poynt uses your cell site and GPS location to provide you local results. It's free, easy to use, and is one of the best search applications in its class.
Find Restaurants, Movies, Gas Stations and More
The beauty of Poynt is not just that you can find a restaurant, a theater, or a gas station close to your current location. Once you find what you're looking for, Poynt provides you with additional details that you would have to dig for with a search engine.
Let's say you want to go to a movie. Poynt will help you find theaters close to your current location, and give you a list of the movies and the movie times. From there, you can also view movie trailers, buy tickets, and see details about the theater, including the number of screens it has and the type of seating that is available.
Right now, there are only a few theaters you can buy tickets from with Poynt. The pricing is pretty standard at the available theaters, but Poynt does not account for discounts. It does offer Senior, Child, and Matinee pricing, but you will still have to go to the box office for other discounts.
If you're looking for a restaurant, Poynt not only offers you a list of restaurants in your area, but also lets you choose the type of cuisine you prefer. Poynt also provides restaurant reviews via Citysearch to help you make your decision about where to dine.
Having reviews for a restaurant at your fingertips is great, but it would also be nice to see information from the Zagat guide, pricing information, and health department ratings (if they are available in your area). Reviews from actual patrons are useful, but may not give you the whole picture.
Driving around to find gas stations with cheap gas is not necessary with Poynt. Not only does it provide you with a list of gas stations close to you, but Poynt also provides you with gas prices. It will search for regular, medium, and premium gas prices, and also find prices for diesel, bio-diesel, and E-85. If you have a diesel vehicle, this application can save you a lot of time as it becomes more difficult to find stations with diesel pumps.
Poynt's ability to pinpoint gas prices is a great feature, but it also makes the application feel incomplete, as it could be used to do more, such as pinpointing grocery prices or prices for other goods and services.
Navigate Directly to Addresses From Poynt
It's quite convenient to have GPS in your BlackBerry. When you're at home, you can take the time to type in addresses and save them to your GPS application. But when you're on the go, it can be tedious, especially if you have to copy addresses from your browser, or another application, into your GPS software. Poynt eliminates that step. If you do a Business or People search with Poynt, once you find the entity you're looking for, you can choose to "Map Route," and Poynt will transfer the correct address information directly into your GPS software. You can choose your Navigation software in Poynt's Options & Settings.
Poynt Leverages Basic BlackBerry Functionality
Poynt has a lot of advanced features, but part of what makes it so simple is how it leverages the existing software and features on your BlackBerry. Poynt does not make any attempt to replace your GPS or map software. It uses the software you already have installed, and connects to it seamlessly. Poynt also allows you to save information directly to your Address Book, and saves you a lot of manual entry work. The bottom line is that Poynt is a very simple application that creates a bridge between search engines and your existing BlackBerry applications to save you time.
Great Start With a Lot of Potential
Even though Poynt made a strong start, its existing features give you an idea of the application's potential. The ability to find a list of local attractions when you're visiting another city, finding coupons and discounts for local stores and restaurants, and comparing prices for items other than gas are just a few of the ways Poynt can grow. Hopefully what we have seen so far is just a peek into Poynt's future.