This may be the worst news I’ve had in a long time – Auto Trader has released an app for Android phones, allowing owners of Google-powered smartphones such as myself to spend hour upon hour finding cars that they’d love to buy if only they could spare the cash.
The application is available on the Google market right now and won’t cost you a penny. It packs all of the usual search features from the website into a lovely intuitive interface. I’d even go so far as to say that I prefer the touch-screen loveliness of this app to the point-and-clickery of the website.
The results include all of the images, specifications and details associated with the car and also provide you with easy links to view the car’s location on Google maps, call the seller or email the advert to a mate.
One clever feature is the ability to base the search on your current location using your phone’s GPS, or if your phone’s not that fancy it should be able to make a rough guess based on the nearest phone mast. You can then set the search radius, so if you’re in the mood for a bit of car shopping while you’re out and about you can easily find cars nearby without having to know the postcode.
Well done Auto Trader, this is an example of how to make useful apps. The only problem I’ve got is that I’m now going to be spending even more time browsing for bargains. Oh, look, I’ve just found a lovely Ford Puma just a few miles down the road…
