The best new for me app this month is Transit, by Samuel Vermette. It has a large selection of cities. They have download buttons by which to get data files for off-line use. I assumed immediately that this must be the inevitable financial catch. Not so!

The app is free, and the modest 12Mb from 7 local agencies means it should work underground. [Update: it doesn’t get past the map underground, but if you already got your directions loaded you can tap on your route to manually update your location. It updates times and nearby routes.] It does need to know your location, however, so if privacy is important you’ll need to make other arrangements.

On the right, it found stops near where I was standing, if I tap them it gives me directions. Very slick! In my admittedly limited preliminary tests it provided completely accurate directions and timings. On the bus I tapped Directions and then the next stop. It plots the stop on the map, if you tap that you get accurate real time ETA for your route at that stop. When it said 0 minutes, my bus was there!

“Favorited” the line I’m on to keep it on top. There’s a train at my connection in 1 minute, and two connecting routes up on the street.

I also installed TTC Watch Toronto, which gives more specific info about the transit system I use the most, and push notifications of interruptions, but includes advertising YellowPages Canada and LEGO Movie. The latter looks to be a strong candidate for app of the month next month! MochaVNC Light and it gives me a smooth, effortless connection to desktops on my home network that run UltraVNC Server. But in the end the screens of my desktops are too high res to read on an iPhone.

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