Finding what is happening around you now is a fairly well-covered category among mobile apps. But finding out about the past is another matter. Enter The History Channel, which is promoting its History Here app for iOS and Android as a way to find the past that is nearby.
The app launched this week on Android, after spending a few months exclusively on iOS. History Here plots historical points of interest based on your current location. If you just want to explore somewhere else, enter a zip code and specify how far of a radius you want to see.
Each historical point can then be expanded, where you will find a brief narrative. Results can also be browsed by list instead of map if preferred. Places that are especially of interest can be starred, which saves them for later viewing.
Tap the share icon to share the content with Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or by email. Unfortunately for Android users you don’t get the full gamut of options that is normally used in other applications.
Some regions of the country have more points of interest than others. Major cities do particularly well, with museums, battlefields, buildings, settlements and other venues from the past getting highlighted. The best finds are always the out-of-the way, smaller moments in history that don’t get as much attention.
While Field Trip does a better job at finding the obscure, History Here is great for finding a wide breadth of historical places. It is a good companion to have on your phone when travelling to a new city or region.
On Target:
- Interesting historical tidbits
- Location-based for exploring while travelling
- Some areas of the country need more attention
- Limited sharing options on Android
