Daily Deal: Free app perfect for touring New York City on foot
Take a tour of New York City with a new mobile app that might save you from making big blunders.
“Nothing screams black socks and sandals louder in New York City than asking for directions to Houston [pronounced like the city in Texas] Street,” the UrbanWonderer narrator warns in “SoHo: The How of Houston. Both the street and the Texas city were named after Southerners, you learn, as you power your way around Gotham with this app.
The deal: UrbanWonderer is a free (so far) audio walking tour app created by New York tour guide Steven Craig Sickles with tidbits about SoHo, TriBeCa, Central Park, Times Square and other neighborhoods and landmarks.
Start by choosing “tour” or “sight” by tapping the screen. “Tour” displays a map with icons for eateries, galleries, landmarks, etc., along a highlighted route so you can listen while you walk. “Sight” takes you straight to the individual landmark and audio description.
When: The app is available now for iPhones and Androids.
Details: I liked the items I sampled. Though I know the proper way to pronounce HOW-ston Street, I didn’t know it was named for William Houstoun (spelled different from the street name), who was from Georgia. (The Texas city is named after Sam Houston, of course.)
And here’s the policy for correcting mistakes if you find one: “Guide beheadings are performed every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m., so just email us your corrections and we’ll exact swift and proper retribution from the guilty guide party.”
Info: Sample tours here and then download at iTunes or Android.
Mary.Forgione@latimes.com
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