Address book + maps integration app

[granlukas]

Hi guys,

I keep in my address book a list of places of interest organized by groups (restaurants, shopping, bars, etc) and I'm looking for a simple app that will look into my address book database and show me a list of places that are near me, or even better show those places in the maps app.

Any knows of an app that fits the bill?

thanks.

 

[ViViDboarder]

Maps

If you open Maps and let it locate you first, you can just search Bars, Restaurants, Shopping and it will find places near you that fit.

 

[granlukas]

Thanks for the answer, but what I'm looking for is an app that shows the places that are exclusively in my address book near my location and not the ones that are in google or yellow pages database.

 

[The Californian]

Thanks for the answer, but what I'm looking for is an app that shows the places that are exclusively in my address book near my location and not the ones that are in google or yellow pages database.

The best way to do that would be to bookmark those places in your Maps.

 

[Small White Car]

Thanks for the answer, but what I'm looking for is an app that shows the places that are exclusively in my address book near my location and not the ones that are in google or yellow pages database.

Use the google maps application.

Go to the search field and start typing it in. BEFORE you hit the "Search" button it starts showing guesses from your address book.

So, in my phone, if I type "Mik" I get "Mike's American Grill," a restaurant in my address book, and a guy I know named Mike, also in my address book. Until I hit the search button, that's ALL it shows me.

So google maps will do exactly what you want.

 

[tcarcur]

i'm guessing he wants one that automatically displays the locations on a map without him typing anything.

so if he is near to 10 totally different places, it would display the 10 pins on a map automatically without him doing anything but opening the app.

the maps application cannot do that atm

i am not aware of any applications like that, although it would be cool if someone knew which app would do something like that

 

[granlukas]

tcarcur,

That's exactly what I'm looking for...

 

[Que]

.

 

[t0mat0]

So you want to turn your address book into a KML like list - change the addresses to lat longs, then show them all as map pins on the map?

 

[granlukas]

t0mat0, more or less.This is a case example of what I want.

1. I find online a list of Manhattan's best pizzerias, I add the names and addresses to my address book under the group "restaurants" and in the notes field I would add some relevant info like "best pizzas in manhattan according to XXX"

2. I visit Manhattan and want to grab a bite to eat. Launch the app, the app shows me a list of the different groups I have on my address book ie: restaurants, shopping, etc.

3. touch "restaurants", then the app shows me a list the restaurants that are near my location, each entry of the list should be: name of the place, phone number, distance from my location and notes.

4. If I touch on the phone number, the app calls the place and if I touch the name it launches the map app and shows the place location.

5. Also it would be great if I could see all the nearby places in the map, but that is secondary.

makes sense?

 

[t0mat0]

t0mat0, more or less.This is a case example of what I want.

1. I find online a list of Manhattan's best pizzerias, I add the names and addresses to my address book under the group "restaurants" and in the notes field I would add some relevant info like "best pizzas in manhattan according to XXX"

2. I visit Manhattan and want to grab a bite to eat. Launch the app, the app shows me a list of the different groups I have on my address book ie: restaurants, shopping, etc.

3. touch "restaurants", then the app shows me a list the restaurants that are near my location, each entry of the list should be: name of the place, phone number, distance from my location and notes.

4. If I touch on the phone number, the app calls the place and if I touch the name it launches the map app and shows the place location.

5. Also it would be great if I could see all the nearby places in the map, but that is secondary.

makes sense?

Well, there's going to be changes to contacts come 10.6, so maybe hang fire a little. With CardDAV format, and non-reverse lookup, you should be able to convert each one into a lat long to create a pin on a map, using a large kml file.

For 2, presumably you're searching only addresses you've adding, not doing a google maps like search of all businesses in the areaa.

I can't see why it couldn't be doable. But then the coding APIs are likely to be subject to change till 10.6

Personally - i can see this becoming much easier to do, as it links to some big $$ -
You could then use this to list events by category - e.g. nights out, theatre in the area.
Hell, you could link up surf results to one, to show what's going to go off at the weekend...

 

[granlukas]

T0mat0,

thanks for your answer, to my not-technical knowledge it doesn't seem something too hard to do and it is kind of surprising that there are so many apps that do what I want but from external sources (wikipedia, yellow pages, social networks, etc) but not a single one that does it with my own data.

Let's wait and see what's new at WWDC.

 

[t0mat0]

T0mat0,

thanks for your answer, to my not-technical knowledge it doesn't seem something too hard to do and it is kind of surprising that there are so many apps that do what I want but from external sources (wikipedia, yellow pages, social networks, etc) but not a single one that does it with my own data.

Let's wait and see what's new at WWDC.

No worries It's something I see really revolutionising any activity which has events over the country -
e.g. Barn dancing - You want to know where classes are, when, which day, recommendations, info on each from a pin on a map. You'd like to distinguish between classes weekly, and special events to get notice of them, and have these sync as reminders into your calendar etc.