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Review my mapping startup idea

http://mapfaire.com

I've made an MVP for a service that lets you create a customized map with your points on it - can be used as a store locator / office listing / shop finder, anything.

Any thoughts / feedback?

( 12 comments | 11 points | on HN )
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by jasonkester on Saturday September 25, 2010 @07:07AM (#1726736)
No offence, but aren't you six years late on this?

This looks like one of the hundreds of startups launched in 2004 with the idea of "Put pins on a Google Map and save it in a database". Lots of those startups got funding for it, and they've all run their course.

Since the functionality you're planning to build is now actually built into Google Maps itself, what's your purpose with this thing?

From an implementation standpoint, I'd ditch the "name your map" and "log into google" steps. Start off with a randomly generated unique URL and let the user immediately start sticking pins into a map. If they decide to "save" at some point, you can hit them up for account details. That's the standard way of doing things like this these days.

Re: Review my mapping startup idea by mbet10 on Saturday September 25, 2010 @11:36AM (#1727144)
I see your old map app and a raise you a collaborative multi-user map app http://multimap.wakawakafoobar.info/

Multiple people can view and control the map in realtime. nodejs, socket.io, dnode, and google map api.

Re: Review my mapping startup idea by avar on Saturday September 25, 2010 @10:56AM (#1727060)
Agreed, this seems to overlap completely with Google Places: http://www.google.com/lbc
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by iampims on Saturday September 25, 2010 @05:52AM (#1726676)
Can you give a description of your service? "Put yourself on the map" doesn't really explain the concept of your service.
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by edo on Saturday September 25, 2010 @06:08AM (#1726686)
I think it's a 'tinyurl for location'
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by VMG on Saturday September 25, 2010 @06:40AM (#1726717)
How is that a startup? Is my lolcat site a startup too?
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by jsankey on Saturday September 25, 2010 @09:43AM (#1726932)
Not necessarily the best example:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1916286,00....

(Building a Media Empire Around I Can Has Cheezburger)

Re: Review my mapping startup idea by revorad on Saturday September 25, 2010 @07:49AM (#1726780)
Sudhir, it looks nice. Can you please tell us more about it and how it can be useful to people?
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by sudhir_jonathan on Saturday September 25, 2010 @08:27AM (#1726831)
I'm looking at it from the pov of small businesses - if you want to make a store locator, you can do it here in a few minutes.

Same thing for businesses who want to help customers get to their restaurants, bars, shops, etc.

I'm looking at allowing businesses to brand the map with their own colors and logo, so they can effectively have a branded locator without the development cost.

Re: Review my mapping startup idea by rmc on Saturday September 25, 2010 @11:12AM (#1727086)
In case you're interested, OpenStreeMap (http://www.openstreetmap.org/) is a free wiki map of the world. As an option instead of Google Maps.
Re: Review my mapping startup idea by 41latitude on Saturday September 25, 2010 @08:17AM (#1726825)
Sudhirj,

I really like the 37signals-esque appearance you gave it.

Please email me... I have a few ideas I'd like to share with you privately.

Re: Review my mapping startup idea by kapauldo on Saturday September 25, 2010 @07:31AM (#1726762)
Congrats on launching something. Ignore the haters. I have to agree with iampims, people will give this 10 seconds before moving on, and it's just not clear what it is for. I would recommend fixing your tagline as a first priority so people know exactly what the service does. Goood luck!