Fotopedia China Review

Fotopedia China is a pretty glorious looking interactive photo album app. Offering over 1800 different images of the landscape of China, there's stunning imagery to take in here, from the Terracotta Army to the Great Wall.

For many in the West, myself included, China seems like a distant and far away place, both in terms of distance and culture. Fotopedia China does a wonderful job of bringing it all to life. The app divides things into various sections. While it's possible to view a slideshow of everything contained within, it's just as easy to browse according to region.

The stories section looks at areas such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and the Temple of Heaven. Tap the relevant section and some glorious images appear, as well as brief descriptions of what's being seen. It's also possible to see the location on a map, as well as add it to a trip itinerary. Together, it shows off the diversity of the country very well, with the tranquil nature of Temple of Heaven juxtaposing with the commercial and almost futuristic look of Shanghai.

Shanghai benefits from its own section, offering more detailed information on things like the purposes of its many skyscrapers. Again, it's possible to check such details on a map and add them to an itinerary. The itinerary feature proves useful for those planning a trip, or simply collating a collection of favorite images. It's also possible to share information with friends on Facebook, ideal for those wanting to discuss travel plans.

Fotopedia China requires an internet connection at all times to work, but this provides the means in which the app updates frequently with new visual stories. There's also the added benefit of Fotopedia China doubling as a wallpaper tool with photographs available to use as wallpaper for an iOS device.

Fotopedia China isn't the most interactive of apps, more providing the iOS equivalent of a stunning coffee table book, but it is fascinating to look through. Given that it costs nothing to buy, that's a pretty satisfying outcome.