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This article was published on July 13, 2012

Recce app turns London into a charming toy town to show what’s around you


Recce app turns London into a charming toy town to show what’s around you

Recce is a new app for finding the things around you in London. There are many applications that offer mapping and pins for local restaurants and landmarks, but this one is so cute, it’s definitely worth a mention.

What makes Recce appealing is the detail that has been added to the maps. The application opens up a 3D landscape where users can locate themselves or go looking for places of interest elsewhere in the capital.

Instead of just presenting the 3D world in a mute presentation, Recce runs sound effects of traffic and crowds as well as animated trains and cars. Admittedly the traffic is nothing like actual jams and congestion usually found in the capital, but it’s charming none the less.

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The app was developed by UK startup eeGeo and the company site says that the company is starting with London first, moving on to mapping San Francisco and has ambitions to map the world. Pretty ambitious, but there’s nothing wrong with aiming high.

The bright detail on the maps, complete with tiny traffic makes the whole app feel a bit like a portable toy-town or even The Sims. The buildings are nicely depicted and it’s easy to find things like coffee houses, restaurants and parks.

The app keeps tabs on live information for travel too, this shows up on the bike hire and tube markers which tell users how many bikes are available and if there are any service issues at each station respectively.

Overall, this is a pretty engaging way to check what is around you as a tourist or a local. It’s easy to use, although limited for now in its first incarnation. If you fancy a map of London with a little more entertainment, this might be one for you.

➤ Recce for iOS

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