Review: Best for iPad
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 16, 2012
Stay Safe Crime Map of San Francisco: Best for iPadAuthor: Michael GardRating: 4 of 5Format: KindleWhen visiting another city, even wonder where to stay. Many times guidebooks tell you where the attractions are - restaurants, clubs, museums,etc. But what about crime? Where are the places that tourists mightwant to avoid? In the Stay Safe Series, Michael Gard provides thisinformation. Using individual maps of San Francisco neighborhoods,Gard crosshatches those areas which historically have experienced highercrime.I like the idea of this "book" and Gard does a nice job providing somegood general travel and stay safe information along with his maps.While a lot of this may be common sense, they are good reminders forus all.The map information is the key to this series and are best viewed usingthe kindle app on an iPad. My regular black and white Kindle 2 shows themaps but they are much harder to see. And while one can zoom in on thepictures using the iPad, which is very useful, I have yet to figure outhow to rotate the maps within the app itself (an alternative is to takea screen shot of the map by holding the on/off and home button on youriPad and opening up your iPad photo app and rotating and zooming the mapimage). I almost think that this concept would be better executed as astand alone iPhone or iPad app which could be easily updated anddownloaded as new information is available. Furthermore, viewing mapsand such are likely more easily done in an app versus embedded within akindle book. Perhaps the new Kindle Fire solves these constraints.Regardless, overall, Gard provides good information for travelers looking for somethingbeyond the normal guidebook information.Note: A complementary copy of this work was provided in return for areview.