Google Thursday launched an app called Field Trip, “your guide to the cool, hidden, and unique things in the world around you.”
Working in the background on your Android phone, the app pops up a card on your handset when it thinks you’re around something interesting. A map view within the app can also help you seek out locations around you on your own.
Field Trip suggests places and experiences that fall under a number of categories: Architecture, Historic Places & Events, Lifestyle, Offers & Deals, Food Drinks & Fun, Movie Locations, Outdoor Art and Obscure Places of Interest around you. Information for the cards comes from trend-setting publications such as Thrillist, Zagat, Songkick and Atlas Obscura.
Ranging from a history lesson about a building you walk by each day, to a recommendation on where to get lunch, information about locations pops up as you walk by rather than you having to seek it out. This way, the app might help you uncover something you didn’t even know you were looking for.
The frequency you receive Field Trip notifications can be selected from three different app modes.
If you have a Bluetooth headset connected to your phone, you can have it read information about locationswhile you’re walking. The app can also detect when you’re driving and audibly tell you about places as you’re passing.
If you find a great new location using Field Trip, you can also share it with friends on social networks such as Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.
The smartphone-optimized app is available now for Android phones, with an iOS version expected in the future.
Check out the video below for a look at Field Trip in action.