News & Rumors, BlackBerry Apps

Poynt for BlackBerry updated to v1.8.5 - Adds support for Bold 9790, Curve 9380 and petrol search for UK

by Michelle Haag

on 11 Jan 2012 03:56 PM

Uber popular BlackBerry application Poynt received a nice update today. The new version sits at v1.8.5, and brings support for some of the newer BlackBerry smartphones -- Bold 9790 and Curve 9380 -- as well as larger icons for touchscreen devices, a TeleNav library update, and for for users in the UK a new section for petrol prices. The new petrol search feature allows users to find the closest or cheapest petrol stations in their local area. Additionally, Poynt users will be able to quickly update current petrol prices where prices have fluctuated. Pretty cool!

You can grab the new version of Poynt in BlackBerry App World at the link below. As always, the app is completely free, and once you have it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. Full press release regarding the new petrol search feature for UK users is after the break.

More information/download Poynt for BlackBerry

Press Release

Poynt Expands Features in the United Kingdom to Include Petrol Prices Powered by Whatgas.com

January 11, 2012 - UK Users Can Now Find and Share the Best Prices on Local Petrol

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Jan. 11, 2012) - Poynt Corporation (TSX VENTURE:PYN)(OTCQX:PNYTF) ("Poynt Corp." or the "Company"), has launched its Petrol search feature on the Poynt mobile local search and advertising platform, ("Poynt" or the "Platform") for users in the United Kingdom ("UK"). The new Petrol search feature allows users to find the closest or cheapest petrol stations in their local area. Additionally, Poynt users will be able to quickly update current petrol prices where prices have fluctuated.

Poynt Corp. has partnered with Whatgas.com to bring current petrol prices to their UK users. Whatgas.com is the UK's most popular fuel price sharing community. Their data was used by more than 1.5M UK drivers last year, many of whom contribute their local petrol prices to help other motorists find the best place to fill up. The UK database contains more than 8700 petrol stations, the details of which are regularly updated by users and Whatgas.com's dedicated support team.

"Although fuel prices have risen significantly for everyone, petrol prices still vary considerably between nearby stations. The smart motorist can save as much as £5 to £10 per tank if they know the best place to fill up," said Will Bradley, co-founder Whatgas.com. "We are delighted that Poynt users will now be able to access the Whatgas.com database to help them find the best station. Price entries from Poynt users should further improve the price data, and help keep up the pressure on retailers to be competitive."

"In-app petrol prices have proven to be one of our most popular search verticals in the United States and we believe that providing petrol prices to our UK users will be equally successful," said Andrew Osis, CEO, Poynt Corp. "This new feature reflects our continued focus on rolling out feature parity globally, adding new search verticals, and improving our data sources in order to increase user retention, stimulate user queries and grow revenues."

The new version of Poynt featuring Petrol prices is immediately available as a free download in the UK on iPhone, Windows Phone, and Nokia devices along with BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry Playbook tablet, from the respective App Stores. Poynt is also available via Over-the-Air download at m.poynt.com.

About the Poynt Platform

Poynt is a convenient and timesaving GPS-enabled mobile local search and advertising platform that connects consumers to local offers, businesses, events, restaurants, movie theatres, gas prices and weather information at the moment they are looking to buy or acquire products or services. Poynt provides consumers with the ability to move beyond discovery of their local area to view movie trailers and reviews, buy movie tickets, click-to-call businesses, get directions, browse listing websites, read reviews and book dining reservations or find and interact with local coupons and offers.

Poynt provides contextual and relevant advertising to users performing local queries and its revenue model is based on user queries, page views, advertising and transactions within the platform. Each user query generates several page views, which are monetized through display advertising and sponsored listings paid for by advertisers. These advertising placements generate revenues on a cost per thousand impressions (CPM) basis or on a cost per click (CPC) basis. Transactions, such as ticket sales and restaurant reservations, also contribute to revenues on a fee for service basis.

Poynt is available as a free download for users in India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Australia on Android, iPhone, Windows Phone and Nokia devices, BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry Playbook tablets from the respective App Stores. Poynt is also available via Over the Air download at m.poynt.com.

Filed Under: News & Rumors, BlackBerry Apps; Tags: BlackBerry Apps, free app, LBS, location based services, poynt

23 Comments

Posted by JasW Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

Meh. I've tried it twice on two different devices. Found it kinda sucky.

Posted by bobaloo Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

while everything surely has room for improvement, Poynt is a far cry from "sucky."

Poynt is one of my most-used apps. It has seemless integration from its features to other apps on my device, it covers many functions in one app, and it's been consistently supported and improved by the devloper since it launched about three years ago.

If you want tips on how to better make the app work for you, feel free to PM me. I've been using Poynt for a long time, and I really find it useful.

Cheers

Posted by mss-ca Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

However, this also depend on where you live. I live in Canada and this app is a useless junk. May be useful in US, but not in Canada for sure.

Posted by Yandar Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I have to agree. If your not in the US 50% of the icons dont show up and things like reverse lookup are on your menu but dont work outside the US.

Posted by sk8er_tor Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

One of my most used apps. User above who thinks it's "sucky" I assume you're too young to appreciate this app.

Posted by mss-ca Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

Anyone here from Canada or any other country than US agree with this comment?

Am I missing something? I mean I found nothing works in Calgary.

Posted by canuckvoip Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I find that quite amusing considering where Poynts' head office is...
Anyway, I like it and live in Vancouver.

Posted by tekware Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I think it depends a lot on what you are searching for. I live in Toronto and I use it all the time. It's one of my favourite apps and one of the first that I put on others' phones. It's great at finding theaters and show times, independent businesses and restaurants.

That being said, it can be lacking at finding larger retail chains. I've been parked outside a Home Depot and it will tell me the nearest one is 20km away. Even now, on the east end of the city it is telling me the closest location is 5.7km away on North Queen St. North Queen is on the west end of the city, considerably farther than 6km away. It's also not even remotely the closest store to me. It may have to do with the Yellow Pages, I'm not sure, but it does suck at searches of that nature.

Overall it's a great program - especially for free. There is room for improvement though. I find it ridiculous that a Canadian developer can't provide Canadian gas prices and that I have to use another app for that. I also note that it used to remember my searches whereas these days I always have to retype my searches over and over.

Posted by sk8er_tor Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 134 days ago

That usually has something to do with the way the retailer has chosen to list themselves for that location in the Yellow Pages.

Posted by Yandar Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I concur. Its a nice app but missing much of its usefulness outside of the US.

Posted by JasW Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

Actually, skater dude, I have little doubt I'm old enough to be your father.

I dislike the app, its interface, and its results. I have other means of doing local search that I prefer.

To the gentleman who offered his assistance above, my thanks, but I have no use for an app that is kinda sucky.

Suum cuique.

Posted by jayemmbee Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I may be mistaken but when is Gas support coming to Canada?

Posted by coolcut Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

+1 on this. I love installing/updating it to see the gas icon shown for a few seconds until the app realises where i am =(

Posted by aikmanr Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

If you're looking for gas prices in Canada (or the USA for that matter), give the GasBuddy app a try.

Posted by yvpan1 Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

well, i've been using Poynt since a year ago in Australia (Melbourne & Sydney) and i find Poynt is a good app, even though it's quite dodgey sometimes, particularly for searches. but yeah, i'm so glad to have this update! keep it up Poynt!

Posted by axllebeer Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

Avid Poynt user! Love it and upgraded it this morning. Larger icons are appreciated for the 9930 :)

Boldly sent from my 9930

Posted by newcollector Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I love this app! Use it socially and use it for work as a reverse directory. It really is a super app that every person should have on their phone.

Posted by artie Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

What is the "Pairing" supposed to do? I paired both my device and my PB and nothing happened.

Posted by ShoshiOne Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

Unfortunately, the app kept freezing up my phone after I did the upgrade. I had to delete it, but I'm going to add it in the morning again and see how it does. It always worked fine before....

Posted by bwrvt94 Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

I really like poynt. I live in Canada and use reverse lookup all the time. I search for restaurants, local business etc

They have great customer service and are working on getting the gas part working for Canada. as I keep asking for it. In the mean time i use GasBuddy

Posted by sbx9900 Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 134 days ago

Is there another app that can approximate what Poynt does, for free?