Most people have used or at least heard of the Google Maps platform. It is often used to find directions or to see what is nearby. Cartogram follows this same principle. Cartogram resembles the tools use in Google Maps, except it is based indoors. Cartogram can be used for many things:
- Cartogram can be used to find people in an unfamiliar building such as a mall or office building.
- Cartogram can be used to find a classroom or lecture on ca college campus.
- Cartogram can be used to find a product within a store.
- You can view and explore indoor maps that are searchable.
- You can search and find nearly everything within a building and Cartogram uses and indoor and search labeling feature.
- You can select whether or not to share your location with anyone, in any room, on any floor of any building.
- This app also allows you to search a building you are planning on visiting. This is great for instances such as a job interview. This gives you the ability to find the specific room you will be interviewed in so you do not get lost the day of the interview.
Cartogram can be used in a variety of stores around the world including but not limited to: grocery store, retail outlets, pharmacies, office buildings, and college campuses. You can use this app to search for products, rooms, and even people making the search process easier and saving you time in the long run.
Cartogram requires a user agreement before you can use the app. It also requires quite a few features of your phone to be turned on. These include:
Find Contacts on the device
Location Services
Phone: read phone status and identity
Storage
Pair with Bluetooth devices
All of these permission enhance the use of the app and most can be shut off manually however this may hinder app performance. The features such as phone contacts and Bluetooth allow the app to connect you will contacts and find them nearby. As mentioned above, you determine when and who can see you and find you within a location. This great if you are meeting a friends somewhere. It can allow you to find them a lot quicker and can also improve the time you spend together. The negative is the length of the user agreement. It is written in legal jargon and may time a long time to sift through and understand. There is nothing in the user agreement that is alarming so it is not harmful to ignore it. It is just beneficial to read if you want to understand exactly how the app and your phone work together to create your user experience.
In general, Cartogram is a huge upgrade to world of online maps. Most apps are based mainly on the buildings and street, however Cartogram is a tool for indoor maps. Cartogram allows access to stores and building layouts which make maneuvering through a building more efficient. Cartogram makes meeting up with a friend, finding a class or even searching a mall for a product easier!