Review: Fotopedia National Parks - Visit The National Parks On Your iDevice
by Staff Writer
January 3, 2011
Overview
The Fotopedia app series of amazing photography returns, this time with a focus on the U.S. National Parks. Fotopedia National Parks offers a deluxe look at each of the 58 national parks with multiple photos for each location in each park. There are 3,000 photos in total that you explore in a variety of ways.
Features
You can begin your journey through the top 1,500 photos selected or choose a slideshow of all the photos or go to a particular park that is suggested. For every photo you can view it on the map, find out information about the National Park, and find other photos for that location. You can also save it as wallpaper, share it with social connectivity, and quickly scroll through similar photos.
The Good
This is one of the most amazing apps in the App Store because of the absolutely beautiful shots, and the plethora of included shots. The app brings you as close as you can to the National Parks without actually being there. The photos are very well taken shots that perfectly embody the best aspects, and lesser known aspects of each National Park.
Most seasons are also represented for each location through the images. Not only are there great photos, but it’s so easy to scroll through them, and find everything you’re looking for. When you are on a particular image you have access to all the images at that location, and you can be more specific looking at just certain spots in a National Park.
The image sets tell a story of each National Park, and there is also background text for each photo to further the story. You can learn about many lesser known National Parks, or even more about the well known ones. The map view is amazing to see where certain parks are located, and then scroll between parks through the map.
You can also see each specific spot within a park that has photos in the map view. The slideshow mode lets you showcase the photos and your iPad. Then you can share any photo, and use any as your wallpaper. This is a journey to the National Parks all from the comfort of your iOS device.
The Bad
The app contains less photos than the free Heritage version, and no doubt this one is worth the paid price, but the relative comparison brings up the paid question. To use the app you need an internet connection so you just need to be knowledgable of that. It would be nice if the images at a certain location were sorted better so similar images go consecutively.
They’re sorted a bit oddly so that you see the same location from different angles and seasons over the whole set, but they’re interspersed with other photos. The app will inspire you to visit at least one of these locations, so be careful.
The Verdict
Fotopedia National Parks is a brilliant exploration of the U.S. National Parks with beautiful photography. It’s so easy to go through all the photos with a very well made UI, and it will keep you exploring. Fotopedia has done it again providing one of the best app experiences available for iOS.
Fotopedia National Parks is a should buy for $4.99 that will bring you very close to all the National Parks, and may set your next vacation spot.
