Birmingham Patch Goes Mobile

News about Birmingham 24/7? There’s an app for that.

Now available through the iTunes App Store, Patch fans can download the Patch iPhone app for free and stay engaged 24/7 with coverage of their community.

Now, the first time you use the Patch app, you'll find helpful directions that show you how to use individual features. But overall, here's how it works:

Dashboard: Identified by a little white picket fence, this gives you access to all the app's features. Current weather conditions, news, events and a community directory – all local – are on this page. You can also log in to your Patch account, or find out whether there's a Patch in the area when you're traveling.

The Front 5: This front page contains the most relevant local news about your town, calendar events and tweets from editor Laura Houser.

Directory: Your mobile Patch directory has the same complete information about local businesses and community resources we offer on our full site. And one tap on a business phone number dials it.

Events: See an event you'd like to attend? Just tap "Add to Calendar" and it will be scheduled on your phone. You can also share events with friends by tapping the icon in the top right corner of the listing. Which brings us to...

Sharing and commenting: Let's say you're reading an interesting story you'd like to share with friends. In the upper right corner of the screen you’ll see an icon with a box and arrow. Give it a quick tap, and you have four options that allow you to not only share the story with friends, but to contribute, too.

The first two options, the quotes and camera icons, allow you to add your voice to the article by commenting or uploading a picture related to the topic.

The second two icons, the envelope and Facebook “f,” allow you to share the story either privately through email or to the world with the world’s largest social network.

Find a Patch: On the Dashboard, and in the top right hand corner of the Front 5, News, Events and Diretory "home" pages, you can tap a round icon that will take you to any of our 800-some Patch sites across the country. If you find yourself in a Patch town, you'll get access to the kind of hyperlocal information that can make your travels even more interesting.

Favorites: We all know there are cell phone "dead zones" out there. By clicking "Favorites," and then the plus sign, you'll save an article, event or directory listing right into the app, allowing you to enjoy Patch content even when you’re offline.

Feedback: Once you've given the app a try, we'd like to know what you think. So from the Dashboard, one swipe will take you to our Feedback icon. Tap that and you can send us an email right from your iPhone.  

The app isn't available yet for Android phones, but stay tuned – it'll be here soon.

Stay mobile, Birmingham.