Multiplied Media's Poynt mobile local search application is helping the Halloween-challenged consumer find Halloween-themed stores, costume shops and party planning locations.

When consumers search for ?Halloween,? the location-based application pulls up a list of relevant businesses. Then, consumers can click on a store name and get access to a telephone number, browse the store?s Web site, view the mapped location and get directions.

?Halloween is typically a holiday that has people running around to a lot of different shops trying to organize costumes, party supplies and decorations,? said Margaret Glover-Campbell, vice president of marketing and public relations at Multiplied Media, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. ?It can feel very burdensome and chaotic.

?Poynt helps users search, organize and plan, all from within the app,? she said. ?Halloween has a lot of different elements that leave people running around on Oct. 30.?

Poynt is a local search application that delivers listings of businesses such as movie theaters and restaurants by keyword and location. The application is available for free on RIM's BlackBerry devices for users in Canada, the United States, Germany and Britain.

Ms. Glover-Campbell said that Poynt searches are localized to the consumer?s area so the company thinks that mobile search is a helpful function for any BlackBerry user celebrating Halloween.

For example, a mother on the go trying to find a costume for her kids or a teenager trying to organize a Halloween party can find the retail locations they are looking for by using the application.

Mobile can help power holiday shopping in general by leveraging smartphone tools such as GPS and maps.

?Anyone can use the free Poynt app to have a location-aware personal assistant at their fingertips,? Ms. Glover-Campbell said. ?Users can search for stores, get telephone numbers and addresses, as well as map out stops.

?Poynt users can even email gift ideas to people on their phone's contact list,? she said.

Recently Poynt added a new restaurant location search and reached the 1 million user mark.

Poynt partnered V-Enable Inc.to power the restaurant listings (see story).

Besides during Halloween time, Ms. Glover-Campbell said that Poynt can help consumers get the most out of the holiday season.

?Poynt can be used to help consumers this upcoming holiday season in addition to traditional shopping,? Ms. Glover-Campbell said. ?Families love going to the movies during the holiday season.

?Users can see movie times, watch previews, as well as purchase tickets for the whole family,? she said.