The Good
- Powerful filtering options
- Extensive listings
- Background alerts
- Offline use for iPad and iPod touch
The Bad
- No gas price integration
- Location errors reported by App Store users
The Price
US$1.99
IExit is among the most comprehensive apps designed to help travelers find food, gas, lodging, and other amenities near them. With its powerful array of filters, comprehensive listings, and offline mode for iPod touch and iPad users, it's a great companion for your roadtrip.
Comprehensive Listings
Like other apps in this category, iExit uses the iPhone's built-in GPS to help you find amenities near you and, once you've found them, gives you turn-by-turn directions to get there. Once iExit has determined your location, it can show you nearby options for auto services, both fast and sit-down food, coffee, gas (though it does not include gas prices like some apps; that's what causes it to lose a half star in the rating), supermarkets, highway exits, and hotels.
The amenities are displayed in a list that shows the location's distance from you and offers a one-touch calling button. Tap on the listing and you'll see it displayed on a map, have the option to get turn-by-turn directions via the iOS' built-in Maps app, get the one-touch calling option again, and even have the opportunity to report problems with the listing.
Powerful Filters
Beyond the comprehensive listings, iExit's filters are a treat. You can turn on or off every category (in case you don't need to see the nearest ice cream stand) and only show matches from any category you have turned on that are from .25-1.5 miles away.. You can also set the type of gas you need, including options for diesel and biofuel.
Background Alerts
It's also possible to designate various companies as favorites. With this information, you can set the app to run in the background. When you do that, it will send push notifications to you whenever you get within 5-25 miles of one of your favorites.
Offline Mode Solves GPS Problem for iPad, touch
One particularly impressive aspect of iExit is its ability to function offline. While iPhone users have access to their built-in GPS anywhere they have coverage, owners of the non-3G iPad and the iPod touch are left out of the location awareness world. Those devices use Wi-Fi signals for location awareness, meaning that they don't usually work on highways (where there's no Wi-Fi) and thus can't help travelers find amenities. Not so with iExit.
IExit allows users to browse its options by state, highway, and exit. All of this information is saved locally be the app and is accessible even when your device is offline. There are some features you won't be able to access in this case--turn-by-turn directions, for instance--but the majority of the app's information is available.
The Bottom Line
If you're traveling to places you're not familiar with, you should probably have iExit with you. For less than the cost of most tolls, you'll get a tremendously useful app that will help you find what you need when you need it.
What You'll Need
An iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, running iOS 3.0 or higher
