For those excited about sharing their experiences in physical surroundings with the virtual world, an application in development by a Carleton student and two partners may help.
Notewalk is an Apple iOS app developed by fourth-year political science student Mehdi Jourabbaf.
It enables users to leave notes about their experiences on a virtual map, to “share perspective on locations, events, and groups that lend your surrounding space its unique vibe,” Jourabbaf said.
It will most likely be launched by the end of December 2013, he said.
Jourabbaf said notes can be published publicly or privately. They can be used in many ways, he said, such as a travel journal.
It is not a social network in the traditional sense, he said, describing the application as something that allows you to discover the surrounding community.
Notewalk gives the traditional directional map a more “social, collaborative meaning,” he said.
Jourabbaf said that with his partners and co-founders, Adnan Patel and Mahmoud Hosseini, they worked as a team to build something that would reimagine the map and how it is used.
“There is something genuine and authentic about pulling up your phone, scanning for notes nearby, and finding a note that has the capacity to move you in some small way. We think it’s powerful,” Jourabbaf said.
The team began producing the app September 2013, he said.
Even though it has taken them quite a long time to develop the app, Jourabbaf said the team describes it as a fun and exciting experience driven by curiosity.
The team expects to face some bug-fixing issues in its maiden iOS development experience, Jourabbaf said.
They will stay focused by maintaining four features of Notewalk’s interface: “register,” “login,” “read notes,” and “post notes.”
Jourabbaf said everything must be kept simple to limit the bugs for launch.
