mPassport Paris – HTH Launches (Best Ever?) iPhone App2 min read

This is without a doubt the best iPhone app I have ever used built.  Did I say “best” app?  I meant “only.”  mPassport Paris is the first in a series of downloadable destination-based versions of HTH Worldwide’s mobile web tools. 

The app features detailed profiles of nearly 100 carefully selected, English-speaking, Paris-based physicians and dentists as well as an appointment scheduling concierge function that helps travelers arrange office visits with these providers on short notice. The application makes full use of the iPhone’s mapping and GPS tools to help visitors to Paris find the shortest route to convenient care.  It even allows users to choose a Paris landmark or neighborhood as their  point of departure; this feature  allows users to  plan ahead when reviewing their options. 

mPassport Paris also maps and profiles the local notable hospitals and pharmacies and provides brand name equivalents for over 350 common prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Built-in translation tools allow users to play audio of hundreds of key medical terms and phrases in French.

My take on the app (slightly biased, I admit) is that HTH took their time and built it well.  Everything is easy to find and use.  Convenient features  such as auto-saving recently viewed items, and  manual-saving for repeat viewing are built-in.  All of the information is downloaded onto your iPhone or iPod touch so that it works even without an Internet connection.  Of course, using the mapping features and Google Maps for walking or driving directions as well as sending an appointment request require a connection.

I noticed a couple of things that will get fixed in the next update.  The pushpins colors used for your location and the location of the doctor, hospital or pharmacy you are viewing get switched when you jump to Google Maps (red and green to green and red, respectively).  Also, when working with locations, it would be helpful to be able to see all of the Paris landmarks on the map at once.

The appointment scheduling function should have been built with push notifications for updates, but what do you expect for $2.99?  Actually, this price may not last forever (it’s an introductory special), so if you are planning to be in Paris soon, you should buy the app now.

If you’ve got an iPhone, take mPassport for a ride through Paris and share your thoughts with us. Where else would you find these tools and services valuable?