Review - Poynt for BlackBerry

It's fair to say, this is a re-print (if that's the right word!)  I last reviewed Poynt just over a year ago; and since then there have been some updates and amendments, which I think make it worth re-reviewing.
Not least, the fact that Poynt is now also available for Android, Windows 7 and iPhone.

This review focuses on the BlackBerry app - which was the first; and is very deeply integrated into the operating system of the phone.

Do you remember when your mum told you it's rude to point. 

Well, now, in the world of BlackBerry, it's rude NOT to Poynt (geddit?)

Poynt describes itself as a free, all-in-one local search application for the BlackBerry.

Now, I must admit I was slightly sceptical about this, as some of these types of applications are best suited to use in North America.

However, I was very pleasantly surprised.

So - how does Poynt work?  When you first start the application, it uses your cell-site location to identify where you are.  It's also possible to configure this to use GPS, but that's not too useful if you're indoors!!

Now optimised to make use of the touchscreen functionality of the Torch, you can 'spin' the icons in the centre of the screen to get to the module you want to use.

We'll go through these now:

Map It! - Click on here and the Map My Search Location option appears.  Click on this, and a map will be displayed, showing you where you are!! It is possible to configure which map to use; BlackBerry maps or, if you have it, Google Maps.  This is ideal if you're visiting an area, and need a map...

With Google Maps, you also get turn-by-turn directions.

Spin the wheel until you get to Restaurants.  Here are three options.

Restaurants Near Me

Restaurants By Name

Restaurants By Cuisine

Again, this is useful if you don't know what's available in the area, but fancy some fish and chips, a curry or a posh Italian restaurant.

Find the one you're interested in and expand the menu.  You can now call the restaurant, add it your your contacts, map it or even send it via email.

Some restaurants are signed up to Opentable, a central reservation system for eateries.  This means that, for some places, once you've read the reviews, you can book a table, right from with Poynt.

Next stop - Businesses

Need a plumber?  Running low on fuel?

Enter Petrol Station into the search field, and a list of local stations will be displayed, in distance order.  Click on a business and you can then get to the map, showing where the business is.

Finally - Movies. 

For me, this is the best part.  There are a number of options available, which I won't go into now. 

The main ones are Movies Near Me and Theaters (yes it is American) Near Me.

Again, based on your location, click on this and a list of all the cinemas are displayed.

Click on your chosen venue and at the top is the Movies Playing option.  This displays all current films, with the times.

Click on a film of your choice, and you can get reviews, information and even download a trailer.

At certain cinemas, it's now also possible to book your tickets - although it's not a widely available facility; and one which will make this app invaluable when it is.

Overall, this is a particularly smart application.  What's more, it's available free (yes FREE!!) from BlackBerry App World.

I can't possibly do it justice here; but hopefully my enthusiasm for this has come through.

If you have a BlackBerry, but don't have this - then it really is worth Poynting yourself in their direction.  You have nothing to lose...

Have you used Poynt?  What do you think?