MapJack.com: Walk San Francisco online

July 04, 2007 | Online Travel

MapJack.com launched today offering browsers up-close-and-personal views of San Francisco - enabling travelers to pre-evaluate destinations and locals to explore various boroughs of the city and alternate traveling routes.

MapJack.com announced today the launch of its website that offers browsers up-close-and-personal views of San Francisco - enabling travelers to pre-evaluate destinations and locals to explore various boroughs of the city and alternate traveling routes. MapJack showcases a new level of mapping technology and an exciting new advertising medium for local businesses.

Travelers and locals often use the zoom-in functionality of online maps and detailed urban grids of traditional maps to get a feel for a city’s layout, but are still unable to obtain an accurate street-level feeling, according to MapJack’s CTO, Bjorn Moren. MapJack was designed, Moren said, to give visitors a real-life picture of the entire city without the use of confusing or imperfect aerial points of view.

“Most people are intimidated by maps - they’re confusing and complicated, especially when you need instant information,” Moren stated. “We’ve tried to make it easier for travelers to plan their trips to the city by letting them actually look at their destinations and what’s around them.”

The MapJack website uses a simple format consisting of an aerial map on the bottom of the screen combined with a street-level 360-degree view of San Francisco streets. Jack, a small figure, appears at the bottom of the map and indicates where the viewer is in relation to the rest of the city and what direction he’s facing. Jack can be rotated in all directions and can zoom in on buildings to see them in detail. Users can also enter specific addresses in a search box on the site.

Moren continued, “We developed an array of proprietary electronics, hardware and software tools that enable us to capture an entire city’s streets with relative ease and excellent image quality. Moreover, our coverage area doesn’t stop street-side; we also include walking areas such as Pier39. All of MapJack’s innovative features offer an indispensable resource for website visitors and an attractive opportunity for local advertisers.”