#mapkin

[bossvenny]

Drew a map on a napkin

A mapkin, if you would

[renerdssanceman]

Mapkin (Sept. 17, 2015)

Today I learned about a new GPS app that just hit the iOS App Store.

The key feature of my current favorite GPS app, Waze, is the crowdsourced traffic/hazard reports. They feed into your map in real time and your route is adjusted to compensate. Mapkin, on the other hand, crowdsources the direction prompts. If you notice that a prompt is too vague, you can record a tip (or type one in later) which adds information. They get vetted and then added to the database. So when turning onto South Huntington avenue here in Boston, it says “turn right at the light, but watch for trains sharing the road here” instead of just “turn right,” because someone told it to. You can give lane notes and give navigation landmarks too.

The directions crowdsourcing is a fantastic idea, but I don’t quite think Mapkin is ready for prime time. The app is slow to respond to search and generate directions, and I don’t think the routefinding is nearly the quality of Waze or Google Maps (which owns Waze). My hope? That Google notices that Mapkin has a great idea here and buys them, incorporating the direction crowdsourcing in to Waze and Google Maps. In the meantime, I’m sure the people at Mapkin (built locally, right across the Charles in Cambridge!) are working hard to improve their promising product.

[startup-365]

                                                                   <CEO & Founder>

[wisteriasea]

I was Jailer!Teruteru. I sucked at it, and I don't have sprites of him to make an actual post. But hey, it was a fun game because of MAPKIN!!! XD

[crayonworks]

Driver app enables the user to create personalized routes for friends

Mapkin lets friends send each other personalized directions, with custom instructions and voice recordings.

Click here to find out more.