Satnav through England’s past

by Sean McLachlan on

If you’re driving through England, a free download from English Heritage will make sure you won’t miss anything interesting along the way.

English Heritage is a government organization that manages more than 400 historic and archaeological properties across the country and advises the government and the public on preservation. They’re offering a free download satellite navigation application that shows the location of all their historic properties along your route. England is absolutely full of castles, cathedrals, stately homes, and other attractions but many of them are away from the highways and easily missed. With this application you can take a quick detour and have lunch in a medieval garden instead of some awful service station.

I’ve been to a lot of English Heritage properties, including famous ones like Stonehenge and lesser known ones like Tynemouth Priory (pictured here) and I’ve always found them worth a visit. The staff really know their stuff and they keep the properties in good shape. So if you’re brave enough to drive on the left (or know how to already) you’ll enjoy this app.

SatLav: Find a toilet via mobile phone

by Catherine Bodry on

If you’re in London and nature calls, you can now respond with a text message.

A new service from Westminster City Council allows mobile phone users to find the nearest public restroom. All the user has to do is text (as an aside: is “text” a verb now?) the word “toilet” to the number 80097 and he or she will receive a reply with detailed directions. It’s a bit pricey (£0.25 compared to the normal £0.01 per message), but when it’s between a back alley, your shorts, or a sweet public toilet pod, what’s twenty-five pence? It’s not like you’ll be sending messages back and forth, after all.

The service is available throughout Westminster, an area that includes such sights as Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.