You may be familiar with the two-screen experience through TV, where viewers are encouraged to use a computer, phone or tablet during a show to see video extras.
iExit is an app that brings that two-screen experience to a car’s GPS.
I know, I know, people are distracted enough while driving. But this second screen may make it less distracting to use a GPS, and it’s useful even when you don’t need a GPS.
What iExit does is to show you what food, gas and lodging chains are at coming exits. Sure, you can also do this on most GPS units by setting it to show P.O.I.’s, which is GPS parlance for Points of Interest. Or you can search “gas nearby” on Google, but I suspect that is more distracting than having a list just scroll by.
There are some problems with P.O.I.’s, too. One is if you want a comprehensive list, your map will be littered with little icons, possibly to the point of obscuring your route. Another is that many GPS units list select businesses, so a unit may list, say, McDonald’s, but not Wendy’s. The iExit app claims to list 620 chains, and small businesses can enter data through the app to be included on updates. Finally, restaurants, hotels and gas stations often change hands in between the times that you update your GPS maps and data (if you ever do). So GPS data is often out of date.
Evan Metrock, iExit chief executive, said the app updated monthly. While the corporate databases it collects P.O.I.’s from aren’t perfectly accurate, they are probably more current than those on a two-year old GPS.
The way the app works is simple. As you are drive along a highway, a list of services at coming exits scrolls down the iExit screen. It uses icons and short names to make it easy to read. Even when you don’t need GPS directions, iExit may be handy for deciding where to pull over for a break.
The app packs in a lot of information, but is still easy to use. It sends you to different menus by swiping the screen left or right. It has a comprehensive list of businesses that can be customized to show only your preferred food, lodging and service station chains. It also has preset searches so you can look for just food, just lodging, or deals and promotions nearby. Or you can plan your stops before you get in the car using its list of exits by state.
Even though iExit is not giving you directions, it uses your phone or tablet’s GPS, which means it’s burning batteries. If you are going to be on the road more than an hour or so, you will want a cradle that powers your device from the car’s electrical system.
The app is 99 cents for the full-featured version, for Apple and Android devices.