Time Out Abu Dhabi
Best for: Everyone!
Price: Free
For: iPhone
What does it do? What doesn’t it do, more like. It’s the most comprehensive guide to Abu Dhabi’s restaurants, bars, cafés, galleries, spas and more – and it’s finally just a jab of your finger away. We’ve crammed in reviews and write-ups of just about anything you’d consider spending your hard-earned dirhams on, and we’re constantly adding more content to make sure we’re bang up to date with the latest openings in one of the world’s fastest-growing cities. There is even some jazzy GPS functionality built in, which presents you with location-based inspiration to suit your every whim. Quite literally, it’s the city at your fingertips.
Abu Dhabi Map Offline
Best for: Newbies
Price: Dhs11 ($2.99)
For: iPhone
What does it do? For those who’ve just arrived in Abu Dhabi, this navigation tool is an absolute necessity. Sure, your iPhone has a thoroughly decent maps application built in, but you’ll have to stump up eye-wateringly expensive roaming charges to download diagrams of your local area and track down the capital’s various attractions. This works around the fees by storing an up-to-date directory of the city’s streets offline. You still get to use your phone’s GPS for pinpointing your location and finding your way about, you just won’t have a nasty bill dumped on you when you get home.
F1 2010 Timing App
Best for: Petrolheadsw
Price: Dhs98 ($24.99)
For: iPhone, Android
What does it do? While there’s no denying the electric atmosphere of the Yas Marina Circuit, following the F1 action as a trackside spectator can be a tad on the tricky side (not to mention a nightmare for your neck muscles). Updated in real time, this pricey but well put-together app gives you a view of all the drivers’ on-track positions for the practice, qualifying and race sessions of all this season’s F1 weekends, complete with live text commentary and stat analysis. Which is all very clever and useful indeed, no matter where you are come November 14.
WhatsApp
Best for: Homesick expats
Price: Dhs4 ($0.99)
For: iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Nokia smartphones
What does it do? Essentially, this acts as a replacement for your existing SMS and MMS services, the big difference being that it uses your data plan rather than subtracting from your credit or bundled text allowance. In technophobe terms, this means you can send text, images, video, audio notes and GPS tags absolutely free to anyone in the world (providing they also have the app).
FourSquare
Best for: Social explorers
Price: Free
For: iPhone, BlackBerry, Android
What does it do? Already causing a buzz in London and New York, this social networking phenomenon is making a name for itself in the UAE. The premise is simple – ‘check in’ with your GPS-enabled handset at a bar, restaurant or landmark, and you can see the recommendations of users who’ve already been there. Then, once you’re done, leave your own note to let friends know what they should do when they visit. Drop in to Mugg & Bean, for example, and you’ll notice that one Lina V vouches for the chocolate mousse and its vast proportions. Yum. There’s a competitive edge too – check in somewhere frequently enough and you’ll be crowned mayor, ousting whoever held the title before you. Who wouldn’t want to be mayor of Burger King, Khalidiya Mall, for example?
Sunscreen
Best for: Beach bums
Price: Dhs4 ($0.99)
For: iPhone
What does it do? With the mercury mercifully dropping, we’ll soon be able to think about venturing outside. Still, unless you’ve any lobster-themed fancy dress parties on the calendar, you’ll still need to stay topped up on the sunblock. Having detected the UVI rating of your current location, this nifty little app sets a countdown timer to alert you when you’re due your next slathering. All you have to do is input your skin type and the SPF of your lotion, then kick back and soak up some worry-free rays.
UAE Stocks
Best for: Pinstriped pros
Price: Dhs4 ($0.99)
For: iPhone
What does it do? If you occasionally find yourself bellowing phrases like ‘BUY! BUY!’ or ‘SELL! SELL!’ into your phone as you zoom about town in a contrast-colour shirt and braces, then this app could be a real lifesaver. It’s the best way to stay up to date with all the quotas and information on the Abu Dhabi Financial Market, with handy graphs and colour-coded stats to show you whether or not you can afford that third consecutive steak supper. Even handier is the option to set alerts to warn you when specific stocks drop below a certain level. Very useful, if only so you know when to high-five the man next to you/find a tall building.
Arabic
Best for: Linguistic adventurers
Price: Dhs4 ($0.99)
For: iPhone
What does it do? The ultimate digital phrasebook for those visiting or living in an Arabic-speaking country. Phrases are handily categorised into sections including travel, socialising and emergencies, with more specific subsections covering everything from romance to dentistry. There are Arabic characters for those who are feeling confident, while phonetic English and sound samples are available for the less linguistically adept. So whether you need to ask for a vegetarian menu or call an ambulance, chances are this bargain software will have you covered.
Islamic Compass
Best for: Tech-minded worshippers
Price: Dhs14 ($3.99)
For: iPhone
What does it do? If prayer time is fast approaching and you’re not sure which direction leads towards the Holy City of Mecca, this is for you. This app aimed at Muslim customers uses the phone’s digital compass to point you in the direction of the Holy City, while also sending you notifications, updating you on when it’s time to pray. It’ll even play the adhan (call to prayer) for you, so even if you’re nowhere near a mosque, you’ll feel very much like you are.
Best websites
Timeoutabudhabi.com: The only site you’ll ever need for the latest news, features, restaurant reviews and celebrity interviews. Basically, if you’re not logging onto this site regularly, you’ll be completely clueless to the entire goings on in our fair city.
Gonabit.com: Every day, the generous folks at Gonabit present different cut-price entertainment offers across Abu Dhabi. You register, sign up for the daily deals and, if enough people also apply, you’ll be rewarded with your cut price entertainment. Power to the people!
Abudhabi.ae: From finding out where useful amenities such as hospitals, churches or museums are, to reluctantly looking at how many speeding fines you’ve accrued, this government portal has all the answers.
Ourfatherzayed.com: HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is revered in the UAE as the founder of the nation and as a great philanthropist and moderniser. Learn all about the legendary leader and his vision at this fascinating site, and download some truly awesome screensavers while you’re logged on.
Meetup.com: This international website has recently been launched in Abu Dhabi, giving you a chance to find like-minded people who share your interests, and then organise a group or an outing together. So far, Dhabians have organised a Reiki meditation group, a hiking trip in the hills of Oman and a running meet on the Corniche. Get involved.
Wi-fi serious
A lazy afternoon sat in a cafe, sipping a coffee and exploring the worldwide web? Sounds like a perfect way to waste a few hours to us. If you fancy some of this, here are the best free wi-fi spots in Dhabi.
Cinnabon: The cinnamon-infused, icing soaked pastries served up here are so moreish, we guarantee one of them won’t be enough for a lengthy stop off. The free wi-fI means you can then log on to look for some weight loss tips.
9am-midnight. Abu Dhabi Mall (02 644 5387).
Zyara: The cakes at this folksy Corniche café are to die for, and there’s no denying its laid-back appeal. Service can be a bit relaxed, but that’s fine when you have some intensive internet surfing to do.
9am-midnight. Corniche, Al Markaziyah (02 627 5007).
Emirates Palace: You’d think the affluent guests at the Emirates Palace wouldn’t begrudge having to pay out for wi-fi services. Apparently not, as the wireless internet is free throughout the hotel. So why not buy a reassuringly expensive coffee at the lobby-based Le Café and surf away on your jewel-encrusted MacBook?
7am-1am. Emirates Palace (02 690 9000).
Mugg & Bean: If you can see your computer screen through the clouds of smoke in this cigarette-friendly cafe, you get 30 minutes of free wi-fi when you make an order. The place also serves up some huge, tasty burgers and vast vats of extra-strong coffee.
8am-midnight. Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4858).
Café Supreme: This rooftop café at Marina Mall boasts some stunning views of Abu Dhabi’s skyline, should you fancy taking in the vistas in between some internet time. As far as the food goes, the coffees and savoury bites are excellent, although the cakes and croissants aren’t quite up to scratch.
8am-1am. Marina Mall (02 681 4818).
BriccoCafé: This café does a very good job of impersonating a small Roman eatery. It has a decent selection of pizzas and pastas, and some textbook Italian espressos and cappuccinos. It also has an ideal central location in the mall, if you’re up for a bit of people watching in between your downloading.
10am-11pm. Khalidiyah Mall (02 6354162).
Galler Chocolate: As the name suggests, chocolate is what this posh café’s all about, from hot chocolate to cocoa soup to pasta infused with – you guessed it – chocolate. If you make a purchase you can take advantage of the free wi-fi, which you could use to start a chocolate lovers’ fan group on Facebook, if you were so inclined.
9am-1am. Al Wahda Mall (02 443 7147).
Eat Smart: This trendy organic café is up there with our favourite city haunts in the city. We love the friendly, cheery atmosphere, the wholesome, satisfying food and the delicious organic smoothies. You’ll regularly find us sitting in the corner, nursing a latte and tinkering away with our digital fingers.
9am-midnight. Fotouh Al Khair Centre (02 634 6624).
