S60 Open to new features

After solving several puzzles, I do not find the Sudoku application on my mobile as interesting as some six months ago. This fall, no doubt my favorite add-on application has been the Omat Lähdöt –timetable service offered by Helsinki City Transport.

Helsinki City Transport, together with the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV), offers a comprehensive timetable and journey planning service on their web sites. There’s also a mobile optimized version of the web site, offering a great way to plan routes and check timetables on the move.

However, people typically commute between few places only. For me, these places are home, the office and a gym. The Omat Lähdöt –timetable service, launched in May, is a superior tool for checking the timetables for these connections. With the application installed on my mobile, I can check the timetable for any bus stop in Helsinki. But what’s more, I can store my most frequently used bus stops (home, office, gym) in the system, and even nickname them. When opening the application, it shows me the timetable of next five buses arriving at these stops. It’s possible to use the service with a PC, too, but I have found the mobile version very handy: less running behind buses, less waiting at bus stops, no printed timetables in the pocket.

There are some things I’d like to improve in the service though. When opening the application, it always asks whether it is ok ”to use network and send or receive data.” An extra click is needed to confirm this is ok. Also, I always need to select the access point for the application manually. A bit irritating, and again an extra click is needed. Finally, when exiting the application, a confirming click to exit the application is required, too. I hope there would be a way to avoid these extra clicks, especially when using the phone outdoors in an awful November weather like this morning.