Digital shortcuts to real-world locations

Just as URLs serve as (generally) intuitive shortcuts to IP addresses, so Mapcut aims to give people digital shortcuts to their location in the physical world. Now in beta, Oregon-based Mapcuts bills itself as “a registrar for the world map.” How it works: Users simply enter their home or business address on the site’s home page. (For locations without an address, Mapcut can also work with latitude and longitude coordinates.) Mapcut, in exchange, provides an easily remembered word or phrase that can be used to represent that location. The Google Map displaying the location can then be accessed by entering that phrase on Mapcut’s site, or by following the URL mapcut.com/phrase. Basic Mapcut phrases are free, and they display only the location. However, for USD 3 per year, users can also choose their own Mapcut phrase. Premium Mapcut links can also display phone numbers, email addresses, website URLs, names and social media links; in addition, they stay with their owners, even if they move. Nevertheless, Mapcut also makes it easy to sell and transfer Mapcut phrases to new owners, it says. Mapcut is now working on an iPhone app for its service. Given today’s growing mapmania and OFF=ON integration, it’s also anticipating a rush for the most popular phrases and company names, much as was seen in the 90s for domain registrations. One to get in on early…?