Point Inside (Free)
Version – 0.8
REVIEW – “Take your maps inside the mall!”
Every once in a while there comes an app that just makes you think, “why didn’t I think of that?” Point Inside is one of those groundbreaking apps. The concept is simple. 
You use maps to get you from point A to point B, but what about once your inside the mall? Point Inside allows you to not only view store locations, but also get their phone numbers, hours of operation, and sometimes even alerts about sales that are going on!
While the interface of this app is not all that flashy, all the information that you want is there. When you open up Point Inside you first need to go and 
add your locale malls to it from the online database. Once you have loaded your map an internet connection is no longer required to view that map.
At the bottom of the screen is a menu bar with 5 different options. The “List” tab will show you a list of all the available store locations in your currently selected mall, the “Map” option will show you an overview map of the mall, the “My Maps” tab allows you to select the mall that you want to view and/or add new malls from Point Inside’s online database, the settings tab allows you to check for app updates and the “Bad Data?” button is to notify the developers of any incorrect information 
so they can correct it.
When I first opened the preview of this app none of my local malls were in the database, but in just a week they have added tons of new malls to their database. All but one of the major malls in Oklahoma City is already there as well as all the malls where my parents live. From what I could see all of the map data was up to date. It will be interesting to see if they continue to update the maps regularly in the future.
One thing that I was a little bit surprised about this app is that it does not 
include GPS support. After thinking about it though, GPS probably would not be accurate enough inside a lot of buildings. The interface is not difficult to use the way it is though. All you have to do to locate your current position is go to the “List” view and type the name of a store that you are close to. Selecting that store will put a “pin” on the map to show you where you are.
A feature of this app that could really make this app a shoppers dream is the ability to see special deals for stores. At the current moment there are not very many of these “promotions” in the database, but I could see this really taking off if this app gets a wide-spread base of users. The promotions show up in the map view as 
dollar signs. Touching a dollar sign will bring up a screen with the store’s name, what promotion they are offering, and all of the relevant information about that store such as hours, phone number, etc.
This app has all kinds of uses both for your local mall and when you travel. If you are unfamiliar with the mall you can easily find stores you are looking for, while if it is your local mall you can easily get the phone number of a store in the mall and give them a call. This could serve all kinds of purposes such as finding if a store has the item in stock that you need or even making a reservation at a restaurant in the mall.
Whether you consider yourself a “power shopper” or if you just need to know where you’re going, this app really has it all. I honestly would have expected an app like to this to run at least $5 given the amount of time it had to have taken the developer to map out all of the malls in their database. That makes this free application literally a “steal.” If you are not already convinced of the potential of this app, I challenge you to download it today and give it a test run. You won’t be disappointed!
- David H.
Download Now!
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Developer – Point Inside, Inc.
URL: http://www.pointinside.com
DEVELOPERS NOTES
POINT INSIDE can help. It’s your personal mall concierge and guide, giving you control with palm-of-your-hand convenience.
Most maps leave you at the curb, but Point Inside’s INDOOR SMART MAPS(TM) take you inside, showing you detailed maps of indoor spaces and providing you all the relevant info you need.
This app provides maps of many of your favorite malls, and directory lists of over 100,000 stores and services across North America.
If you want to keep up to date with changes and updates as they happen, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PointInside
Twitter: www.twitter.com/PointInside
We hope you enjoy this look at the Indoor World – the next great frontier in mapping and navigation!
Best wishes,
The Point Inside Team
FEATURES:
- Hundreds of malls mapped across North America
- Thousands of stores and services in easy-to-use directory lists
- Instantly locate a store or service on the Indoor Smart Map(TM)
- Instantly locate yourself on the map
- Works on iPhone and iPod Touch – v.3.0 or higher
- Cellular and Wi-Fi connection not required for use after initial map download
- View promotions and product information from participating retailers
- Get detailed information for each retailer in the mall
- View mall event calendars (from participating partner malls)
- Oh, and did we mention…it’s FREE!
Know what’s there before you go, or find what you want when you get there.
Find. Discover. Arrive.
For more information or to suggest a feature or mall you’d like to see mapped please visit us at: www.pointinside.com.
Download Now!
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© 2009, Davidh. All rights reserved.
I started using Point Inside over the holidays and it just keeps getting better. I agree that it’s one of those “why didn’t I think of it” kind of apps. I can’t believe an app of this quality and usefulness is free!
This is interesting..but if not by GPS, how do they make the maps so fast and in such a huge scale? It can’t be manually, so there must be some kind of collaboration with the mall administrators?