Flightradar24 gets updated, becomes one of the coolest must-have apps for Windows Phone 8

Flightradar24 for Windows Phone 8

At that place are apps that people must-have in the sense they rely on them for a specific service, and then at that place are apps that are must-have past the fact they are just then cool. Flightradar24 falls into that latter category, as nosotros can't imagine many scenarios where you 100% need this for daily life, but you still want information technology because it's just impressive.

Flightradar24 (world wide web.flightradar24.com) is a service that tracks, in real-time, all the planes in the world (or at least a whole lot). Information technology uses your location to hone in on your area, and you can pan and swoosh around, clicking on planes and pulling upwards their flight info. In and of itself, that'due south bully. Merely the app (which goes for $ii.99) but received what looks to be a major update and it has blown united states away for levels of 'awesome sauce'.

Head past the suspension to run across our hands-on video of the app and mini-review...

Version 2.0 brings the two really amazing features: augmented reality and "cockpit view". The first one is simply tapping the camera button to enable AR and so using the phone's camera, you tin pan and scan effectually the skies to ID plans in real-time that are flight around y'all.

Flightradar24 for Windows Phone 8

The second new characteristic is a 'virtual cockpit view' of any flight that you select. We don't mean that it shows you the layout of the cockpit (zzzz…) just rather information technology re-creates what the pilot would actually come across at that exact moment. It does this by using the flight info (altitude, speed, management) and computes it using a 3D virtual map. Hear a plane flying overhead? Hop into the cockpit and near sentinel as it flies over.

We're not going to pull any punches: this is one of the coolest (although admittedly useless) things we've washed with our Windows Phone.

If yous won't feel like tracking random flight effectually you, you lot tin of form merely enter in a specific flying to track that one. Friends or family unit flight? Track their plane, hop into the cockpit and more than with Flightradar24.

Flightradar24 even features in-app purchasing, whereby you can buy "model graphics" for $0.99. Then instead of seeing a generic "aeroplane" for each flight, the aeroplane will reverberate its actual brand and model. It's kind of ridiculously great. Sure, totally useless, but nosotros're already sold on this app and then an extra $0.99 ain't going to break our banking company.

Flightradar24 2 for Windows Phone 8

The app is available on iOS, Android, Windows 8 (but not RT) and Windows Phone viii only currently merely Windows Telephone viii has the "cockpit view" feature. Clearly the developers are throwing their chapeau into the whole "develop for ii systems at one time" with Microsoft. Seeing equally the Windows Phone 8 version is getting features first, we're kind of excited to be at the forefront of mobile technology.

So is information technology worth $2.99 (plus no trial)? For the states, yep. This is like the virtual sky map apps, where you lot bespeak your telephone at infinite and see all the stars. Non exactly a priority app but it's damn fun to use. Flightradar24 is similar that for us but more than so since we're plane bluffs (and live non too far from JFK international airport).

And here's the affair: the app is done very well. Augmented reality? Cheque. Cockpit view? Cheque. In-app purchases? Cheque. Locksreen notifications (for social updates on the company). Cheque. The developers have embraced Windows Telephone 8 to its fullest capability to bring a unique and fun app for you plane-watchers out there. But ultimately it'southward your coin and you lot need to decide if you can part with $2.99.

Lookout man our video demonstration above to get an idea of how it all works and pick up Flightradar24 for Windows Telephone eight here in the Store ($two.99, no trial).

For Windows 8 users (non RT) you can that version hither for $3.49 though information technology has nonetheless to exist updated to version ii.x.

Thanks, Amir, for the tip!

QR: Flirghtradar24

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