One of the best categories of food apps is the GPS app - push a button, find a bar/restaurant/deal nearby. Whether your a tourist in a new city or a resident looking for a quick bite, these apps make it easy for you to find a meal on the go or a new favorite spot. Hamburger America GPS, the companion app to George Motz's book and film of the same name, will guide you through America's hamburger classics.
APPetizing: Hamburger America GPS
Put "Great Neighborhood Restaurants" in your Pocket : Try the LTH Forum GNR App
On Monday night, we were fortunate to attend the Great Neighborhood Restaurant awards, hosted by LTH Forum at Sun Wah BBQ. We love the GNR awards, because they are an expression of a genuine love for food and drink - mostly divorced from celebrity, media and hype. It's a chance for unsung independent spots to get their due, and the event was a great chance for nominators and forum members to meet some of the restaurant owners who serve them so much tasty food. Even better, this year there is no need to carry around a pocket guide - there's an app for that.
City Tracks Stolen Truck Via GPS
Usually, GPS systems in city trucks are used to keep tabs on employees and make sure they're not slacking off. But for once it was used to track an actual stolen truck as thieves made off with a Department of Water Management truck which was later tracked down a few hours later via its GPS. But its still got a few employees into hot water:
Geotag Bomb Scare in the 'Burbs
Shoppers and employees at a Menards store in Riverwoods were evacuated Saturday evening due to a bomb scare after an employee spotted somebody in the parking lot placing cylindrical tubes around a light post. The employee went to confront the white male, but he immediately sped off in his car. The employee thought it could be an explosive device so the Cook County bomb squad was called, the Daily Herald reports. Upon examination they found nearly a dozen geotags inside the tubes. This is the first incidence of geotagging that area police have dealt with.
Geocaching in Chicago, Part III: Getting Started
Welcome back to the series, adventurers. Our apologies for the delay! How the heck did we get the mother of all colds so early in the season? In Part I of our series, we learned about geocaching. Part II covered how geocaching can help you learn about the city. In this part, we'll cover what you need to get started.
Thursday Afternoon Diversion: GPS Coolness
For five years, one bike rider tracked his movements via GPS as he rode all over Toronto. The resulting map is like an etch-a-sketch of awesome. Now we're waiting for someone to do this with Chicago. Joe M500? Chuck? Anyone? I'd do it, but it would simply track my movements between my house and the ice cream place a few blocks away. [via]
Extra, Extra
- While no longer the state's top DUI locale as they were in 2006, Naperville was still No. 2 in 2008.
- A Wisconsin appeals court ruled last week that police in the state can attach GPS devices to cars for the purposes of tracking without a search warrant.
- Next up in furlough days: the Chicago Park Distrtict.
CTA Bus Tracker System Adds Bus Lines
Beginning Monday, you’ll be able to log onto the Web through CTA Bus Tracker to determine the location of 13 more bus routes. The system uses GPS to track the exact locations of buses. There are two views available on the site - one predicting arrival time at a particular stops, the other displaying bus locations on a map. The CTA advises that the estimated arrival time will count down, unless there is a problem: “you may see the arrival predictions remain the same number of minutes or possibly increase, rather than count down, indicating that the bus is not moving.”

