This article was published on June 22, 2012

Timista: A simple Web app to help you decide what to do in London


Timista: A simple Web app to help you decide what to do in London

“There are more than 30,000 concerts in London every year. More than 17,000 theatrical performances, 5,000 restaurants, 6,000 bars and pubs… that’s a lot of things to do. How do you get the most out of your free time?”

That’s the challenge London-based Timista is setting out to solve.

Timista is a neat new Web app (in beta) to help you decide what to do in London. Its patented technology responds to the user’s ‘wish list’ and helps them decide what to do based on three key metrics – location, time and availability.

Firstly, you indicate when you’re looking to do something, where you will be (landmark, address, postcode etc) and how many people will be involved.

You can also click ‘Advanced Search’ to narrow your search options down to specific activities – dining, music, arts & theatre – or you can simply opt to cast your net far and wide by sticking with ‘any activity’.

After a moment buffering, it offers you a list of activities presented in a timeline format, accompanied by the price and further details.

When you select an option, you’ll be presented with a map and directions based on your mode of transport, and options to make a booking (if required).

As this is a an HTML5 Web app, underpinned by a so-called ‘responsive design’ (more on that here), it’s optimized for mobile devices too and in my brief Android test, it worked flawlessly for me.

If you like the look of Timista but aren’t based in London, there may be some hope that it will be rolled out in other cities some time, but it seems there are no imminent plans. “We believe London is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world,” the startup says. “This is why we have chosen to focus on creating the best experience in London only. Once we get it right, we might look further afield, but for now London is our home.”

Timista

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.