Looking for something to do this weekend? Sick of the same bars with the same crowd and the same crappy music? I feel you, my friend. I know what it is to live in both small towns and big cities and feel like, a) there’s nothing going on, or, b) there are so many options I just can’t decide on one and instead I’m going to stay home and stream crappy cop shows while I drink a six pack.
We’re definitely not the only people with this major first world problem and it’s one that the startup world has tackled head-on with a variety of networking sites and search engines for local events. We’ve seen hyper-local apps that hook you up with what’s happening in your immediate hood, ones that let you know everything within a 25 mile radius, and even ones that connect you with the entire world.
Now we’ve got one that does all three: Live City App. Let’s take a look at what this latest addition to the “get your ass off the couch” field has to say for itself, shall we?
What can you search for?
Live City isn’t a niche activity app: it’s not here to tell you only about the latest Peruvian-Mongolian fusion restaurants or only where to play bocce ball in your town. It will, however, tell you both of things and pretty much anything else, ’cause this app has a broad reach.
Event categories in Live City include entertainment, professional services, community events, cultural locations, sports, dining, and more. Rather than searching through multiple websites or local papers to find things in each category, just download Live City (for free) and have them all right at your fingertips!
Who is it for?
One of the main target audiences for Live City is travelers. We’ve all been there: we’re in a new city and we know there’s cool stuff happening but we don’t know any locals yet and it’s obvious that all the stuff in the guidebook is, well, kind of lame.
What’s a hip young traveler to do? If that hip young traveler has an iPhone or iPad, she can pull Live City right up and find out what all the locals are getting into that night. No more over-priced, weird, tourist bars for her!
And, of course, anyone can use Live City; you don’t have to be traveling for it to work. It’s definitely the kind of thing you should tap into if you’re just feeling like you need to get a little outside your comfort zone and explore your own city.
What makes this one so special?
Like I mentioned before, there are a ton of events apps on the market right now. If you’re still not sold after the reasons I listed above, (and if you’re not, you’re a hard sell!) here’s the element of Live City that I think puts it head and shoulders above a lot of other apps out there: design.
Unfortunately, a lot of lean startups skimp on the design of their sites, choosing to focus on getting other aspects up and running first. The truth of the matter is, however, that your startup is never going to be anything more than a startup if people don’t want to spend time on your website.
Websites and apps are visual objects and therefore they should be visually appealing. The founder of Live City kept that clearly in mind with their easy to navigate, customizable app. It is, in their own words, “designed with you – the user – in mind.”
