I don’t usually do app reviews for Jamaica iOS apps, usually because they’re underwhelming, but Jamaica YP got it right! It’s an app I’ve wanted for years.
Layout
The layout is basic, but pleasing to the eye. You’re presented with 12 default categories when you first open the app. They are: Attorneys, Auto Parts, Computer Sales, Dentists, Doctors, Hardware, Hotels, Optical, Pharmacies, Restaurants, Schools and Used Cars. There’s also a search bar at the top. You have the option of typing or speaking (facilitated by nuance) your search term for a particular business or a category that isn’t in the default 12.
Functionality
Tapping one of the icons on the home screen takes you to a listing of businesses, There are two views. The first is a vertical listing of businesses and the second is a map view. On the former view The name of the business, phone number and address is shown. A mail, ad ( if the business has an actual ad in the directory you can view) and web icon is shown if applicable to that particular business. For the vertical listing view there are 3 sort options: Distance ( How far the business is from you), Relevance and Alphabetical order.
Clicking on a business’ name will give you additional details about it and also give you access to additional features, namely Add Contact ( adds the entry to your address book automatically, Share ( shares business details via email) and Directions ( Takes you to the iOS maps application and plots route to the business from your current location)
Closing Thoughts
As I said earlier, this is a well put together app so I don’t have a lot of complaints. Apart from the occasional freezing and crashing it holds up pretty well. I couldn’t ask for much else. The sort by distance feature can also be particularly useful when you’re in a parish and you need to find something nearby e.g a restaurant, gas station etc.
Originally published on gordonswaby.com on 2012-04-17 (recovered from the Internet Archive).