iPhone Apps: LondonMidland

So now we have a full set of iPhone Apps from the Birmingham to London route operators. How do they compare.

LondonMidland

This is the new kid on the block, having been launched on Tuesday (1 November). Naturally it is free and its description page claims it offers:

• Plan your London Midland journey with the journey planner
• Add multiple station favourites, making it easier to plan frequent journeys
• Email, SMS or print your journey plan details
• Disruption information giving you alternative journey options if required
• One touch access to live departures and arrival at all London Midland stations, with platform information (where available) and live train progress
• ‘Next Train Home’ feature automatically finds the nearest train station and searches trains times to get you home
• View timetables even without an Internet connection, specifically designed to fit your mobile screen
• View our @LondonMidland Twitter feed without leaving the app, whether you follow us or not
• Purchase car parking directly from the app via SMS or phone (where available)
• Submit your ‘Delay Repay’ form directly from the app
• Contact Customer Services directly from the app

As with most iPhone Apps, it works best with either 3G or WiFi enabled. It's opening screen displays a top banner, a Live Departures and arrivals panel, the Journey Planner, an Info panel, a Contact us panel, and a Settings panel.This last panel allows a 'home station' to be set, features in the Journey Planner to be changed, the Interface to be set at 'Start at home screen', distance to be set in either miles or kilometres, and Help and Support to be contacted.

All the panels seem to work fine. 

• The Live Departures and arrivals, and the journey planner are not LondonMidland specific though the 'Nearest' / Favourite / Recent buttons will presumably have that effect for regular LM travellers. 
• The Info panel as a 'Disruption information' live feed as well as live feeds from London Underground (actually TfL) and the @londonmidland Twitter feed. Alas, the TfL feed takes you out of the App and into Safari. Timetables can be downloaded. Car parking can be purchased through a web link (a nice feature is to show which stations offer FREE parking), and a Delay Repay form can be completed and sent to LM via email (again, a nice touch is the ability to add a photo of the ticket).
• Contact us gives an email option BUT more usefully the landline number (0121 634 2040) for LM's Customer Relations Team (definite brownie point for NOT hiding behind a 0845 number).

So, all good stuff, but you can't book tickets! V2 beckons I reckon