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Point Inside - A handy application for finding your way around a shopping mall
Mapping and navigation aids are nothing special on smartphones - I've been using a map application since the late 90's. Thankfully, there is still plenty of room to innovate in this market, and Point Inside shows how it is done. Point Inside is a smartphone application available on the iPhone and Android. The app provides indoor maps of 100's of shopping malls around the country - covering over 100,000 different stores.
Now, I know we target travelers here on Gadling, but I'm sure many of us have walked into a mall looking for an ATM or bathroom, or even just tried to locate a map to help locate something else.
With Point Inside, you can use the location aware feature of your phone to determine where you are, then within seconds, you'll be able to find what you are looking for.
The application lets you manually select stores by name, but also features quick links to dining and services (ATM's, drinking fountains, parking, restrooms and more).
I took Point Inside for a spin a the local mega-mall, and its maps were spot on. My only minor gripe is that it is hard to determine distances on the maps, so what looks like a short walk, may actually be longer than you think.
Other than that, Point Inside is a great tool for shoppers - especially if you are at a mall you've never ventured through.
Point Inside is free of charge, and is available for the iPhone and Android (search for Point inside in the Market).
Gallery: Point Inside - smartphone shopping mall maps
Filed under: North America
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ralph Mar 24th 2010 1:57PM
Interesting story. I compared Point Inside's application with Micello's side by side and saw a huge different in approach towards indoor mapping. GPS, compass integration on Micello was a cool feature completely missing on Point Inside. Even the coverage seemed much larger with Micello. Check it out if you haven't done so already.
Clark Mar 24th 2010 10:01PM
Um, Ralph, I'm not sure what you're smoking, but Point Inside is head and shoulders above the rest of the indoor mapping competition -- they have Android and iPhone versions, they offer coupons and promos, and their maps, while not as pretty as Micello's, are more accurate and up-to-date. I had to put money on which indoor map app was still in business a year from now, my bet would be on Point Inside.
Ralph Mar 26th 2010 4:29PM
Exactly my point, Clark. I thought the discussion was innovation on maps! not pictures. Did you compare geo-coding? or is that not relevant to you? We all have our favorites. I'll stick with Micello for now.
Scott Carmichael Mar 26th 2010 4:48PM
Dear readers/commenters - if you are going to plug your own service, please at least be up front about it. I love hearing from "the other side", but I hate readers that pretend they are not related to a company when they use comments to "mention" their own service/product.