AppDate: geo.nick takes on renaming the world

geo.nick

geo.nick is a global precision addressing platform, doing away with traditional addressing systems and making it easier for individuals to share location data. For tourists, language is often a barrier to sharing locations or finding directions in unfamiliar countries. Street names are often in unfamiliar languages, and the similarities between location names only add to the confusion.

How it works: 

geo.nick has divided the world into a 1m² grid. Every square metre is assigned a geographic nickname: a unique combination of two words, a number, and a city (see image below). One just needs to enter the nickname into the app to pinpoint any location in the world. This allows for precise locations to be conveyed. Short and concise location names are easier to remember and quicker to implement.

Several European nations have already integrated these simple addresses into their emergency services. Navigation systems are being updated to implement this location data, as voice commands are far easier to recognise, leading to faster responses from first responders. Delivery companies have also started to adopt this geolocation alternative in an effort to help reduce failed deliveries and delays.

Visit the geo.nick website here for more information.

Float

Local fintech, Float, has brought an interest-free Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) product to market which uses a customer’s existing approved credit.

The product enables consumers to get their purchases upfront and use existing credit to pay in up to 24 interest-free, fee-free equal monthly instalments. There are no applications and no credit checks as Float uses credit already granted to the consumer by their financial institution.

The model charges the merchant commission on each transaction and, unlike other BNPL offerings, each merchant can configure Float to suit their business requirements. 

Several businesses have already signed up since Float went live in September, including Dial-a-Bed, Sloom, Arthur Kaplan, Jack Friedman, NWJ and Wits DigitalCampus.

When a customer is paying they select Float as a payment method at checkout, choose the number of instalments, and enter their Visa or Mastercard credit card details.

If a shopper pays late or not at all, Float deducts the balance of the instalment plan from their card – much like a regular credit card transaction – after giving a week’s grace period.

Platform: Android and iOS

Expect to pay: A free service

Stockists: Visit Float here to signup and download the app.

Nedbank’s Avo app wins a bronze medal

Nedbank’s Avo app received a bronze medal in the “Reimagining the Customer Experience” category at the EFMA-Accenture Banking Innovation Awards 2021.

The EFMA-Accenture Banking Innovation Awards competition, which recognises the best in banking innovation, attracted 816 entries from nearly 300 institutions in 73 countries. 

Avo was created to match one’s lifestyle needs to product and service offerings through artificial intelligence, secure payments, and bank-grade security.

The Avo e-commerce platform was launched in 2020 during the height of lockdown restrictions in South Africa in response to the challenges people faced to access essential services such as healthcare and home repair services.

Platform: Android and iOS

Expect to pay: A free download

Stockists: Visit the Avo website here for more information and download instructions.

DigsConnect.com

South African online student accommodation marketplace, DigsConnect.com, has entered into an agreement with the world’s largest student accommodation site, Student.com. This will enable the startup to expand its presence to approximately 30 new countries and 400 new cities. DigsConnect was founded in 2018 and is a service to students and landlords, matching students to suitable accommodation in the areas around universities and colleges. The platform has to date connected more than 65 000 landlords and tenants.

“The primary growth regions for DigConnect.com include the USA, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Growth in the Northern Hemisphere is important due to the academic calendar. With international operations we’ll be able to take advantage of the academic seasons in both September (Northern Hemisphere) and again in January, our own South African peak period,” says DigsConnect.com CEO and co-founder, Alexandria Procter.

Platform: And device with an up-to-date Internet browser

Expect to pay: A free service

Stockists: Visit DigsConnect.com here to start searching for accommodation.

Bolt Food in Johannesburg

After its initial launch in Cape Town, Bolt Food has announced that it is now able to deliver food in Johannesburg.

Like many similar food ordering apps, Bolt is able to deliver customers’ orders from a wide range of restaurants and fast-food outlets. Currently, the service is available from Bryanston in the north to Braamfontein. 

To start using the app one needs to register and add a payment method such as a credit card. Then they must set a delivery address, pick a restaurant and a meal, tap the checkout option and pay. A new screen will advise the delivery time.

Platform: Android and iOS

Expect to pay:  A free service

Stockists: Visit the Bolt Food website here for downloading instructions.