Deutsche Bahn (DB) presents the DB Navigator for the iPad
Since February, commuting fans of the iPad may welcome a newbie of Deutsche Bahn (DB, German Rail) in Apple's iTunes Store: The DB Navigator is now available for the tablet PC by Apple and has made it to the top of the download charts right after its initial publication. The iPhone app, which has jointly been developed by HaCon, has been downloaded more than one million times only a few months after the release. Like the DB application for the iPhone and the DB Navigator for Android-Smartphones, the new app for the iPad is based on the timetable information system HAFAS from HaCon.
Maps are the key to the app
The central element of the application is the ever-present map display that visualises the content related to public transport. The large, high-resolution screen makes it possible to map a variety of information in parallel and at a glance. Several connections are displayed simultaneously and are presented in different colours. The selection of the starting point and the final destination is indicated by a flag that can be placed on the desired location on the map – via drag and drop with the fingertip. The flag can be moved or replaced subsequently.
HAFAS for the iPad also includes the display of the nearest stations based on the current position of the user, including a compass, the compact representation of the route with door-to-door navigation, departure and arrival boards with filters for means of transport, connection details with intermediate stops, journey and real-time information and a lot more. The ticket sale, for example, has been connected even better. A profile management has been integrated in the application so that it is automatically recorded whether people have a BahnCard, what type of BahnCard they own and in which class they want to travel. Connections can also be adopted to the calendar with just one click. In short, the iPad-app will not only provide the comfort and the features passengers might already know from the DB Navigator for the iPhone. Better display options make travelling by buses and trains even more enjoyable and provide perfect orientation.
Apart from the application for the iPad, a HAFAS app will soon be available for tablet PCs based on the mobile operating system Android. In addition, notification services (push notifications) will be incorporated in the apps.
