Getting Around NYC – Get NYCMate for your Smart Phone

The other day I (Grant) was discussing with a friend the importance of the live mapping feature in Google Maps for when I first moved here about a year ago.  Upon getting my 1st smart phone the day I moved here, I had a quick leg up in learning the city’s ins and outs and maximizing efficiency in getting from place to place.  Of course, seeing where you are and the nearby streets are important, but what if you need to do some serious intercity traveling?

It was then that I discovered NYCMate, a free application for my Android (also available for the iPhone).  In the beginning, it was nothing fancy, practically just a digital version of a NYC Subway map.  But soon they added bus line maps information.  Then they updated the map to look sharper and have better zooming capabilities.

Now it appears that NYCMate has rolled out NYCMate 2.0.  The zooming has improved, and you can now click on individual stations for more information, including scheduled times for trains to run.   Check out the video below for a brief (and informal) demonstration, or check out DenseBrain’s breakdown for the full feel of NYCMate.