These days, we rely on our gadgets to figure out how to get from one place to another. Waze and Google Maps are just some of the most basic apps used when getting around. However, there are times that some addresses are just plain elusive.
I’ve had my share of getting lost trying to find obscure areas because sometimes it’s not registered on said apps. In fact, I live in a street that shares its name with 3 other streets that are at least an hour away from each other. Aside from that, the area I live in is near a dead end, so most apps actually don’t register my location. You bet that I have to help navigate people to my place just to hang out.
While having coordinates might help out, it’s pretty hard to actually memorize a bunch of numbers. Thankfully, what3words is here to help out with your navigating needs.
Finding your way
It started with Chris Sheldrick, Mohan Ganesalingam, and Jack Waley-Cohen. The trio had their careers worlds apart between music, math, and translation respectively. Despite all that, they were able to come together to create a simple solution for navigation. Chris often found music events hard to locate, so he contacted Mohan and Jack to turn coordinates into simple words. Hence, what3words was born.
Basically, each 3m square in the world is given a unique set of 3 words that are as accurate as coordinates in pointing out locations. This makes finding areas easier, especially for places that share common names. It’s also very useful for unique areas that don’t necessarily have a specific address, like your tent location within a big music event.
The usefulness of what3words goes beyond traveling with ease when it comes to finding locations. It can also help in emergency situations that need exact locations in a timely manner. Several testimonies from different agencies such as law enforcement and humanitarian groups have portrayed its necessity when it comes to responding to certain situations.
If you want to try it out or just curious as to what your location is in 3 simple words, what3words is available for free on Android, iOS, and Huawei.
YouTube: what3words | About us
Photo credits: All images used are owned by what3words and were provided for press usage.
