WRLD: CoolTechStuff


With summer approaching I spent some time the other day looking for architecture related travel apps. You may recall I did an article on an architectural travel app called “Buildings” back in June 2012. That app had access to a database of over 40,000 buildings, but alas, it appears to be gone. On the iOS platform it was probably a victim of the upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit. I don’t know what happened to it on the Android platform. However, the 40,000+ building database is still accessible with your browser at http://openbuildings.com.
What Does It Do: WRLD is a mapping program that shows major buildings and structures in 3D superimposed on a 2D map.
System Requirements: Mobile devices using iOS or Android operating systems.
What does it cost: It’s free, and does not have any ads. As for data, they may collect when we use the app, I read their Terms Of Service and Privacy Policy and am not sure how or if they will use any data collected.
Conclusion: This is a fun app to use with a fairly intuitive interface. Kids will find this app a great way to explore an unfamiliar city and will love the animated cars, trains and planes that show up in certain views. I could see using this app to scope out a visit to an unfamiliar urban area. However once you get outside of the major metropolitan areas there is not much to look at. For example I tried to find 3D views of the Mackinac Bridge and the Taj Mahal without any luck.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wrld-app/id858600575?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eegeo.recce&hl=en