Where is the ATM?

Want to locate ATMs near Janpath or wish to grab a slice of pizza in Noida? Navigating your way through Delhi’s maze of businesses and public services is easier, says Girija Duggal.

Want to locate ATMs near Janpath or wish to grab a slice of pizza in Noida? Navigating your way through Delhi's maze of businesses and public services has just become easier. StreetSmart, a new and free mobile application launched by local information service provider asklaila, not only pinpoints your location on a city map, it gives information on services closest to you.

"For example, you want to locate an ATM," says asklaila co-founder Kiran Konduri. "Type in the search and you'll see the address, nearest landmark, phone number and type of ATM [the bank's name] near you. Then you can copy the address, e-mail it, SMS it or save it to your phone book."

There're other similar applications in the market; StreetSmart scores over them in one aspect— it doesn't require you to own a costly GPS-enabled phone. Of course, Google Phone Search is a free voice-based service, but there's no map to illustrate the location.

StreetSmart scores over GPS-based applications as it works using a method called cell phone triangulation, where the mobile user's position is determined using the three cell towers nearest to him. Because of this, it however becomes purely an urban-use application. The further away you are from a cell tower, the fuzzier the information becomes. "It's not the greatest of devices to use when on a highway or while hiking," admits Konduri. "But within the city limits we're pretty extensive. We rarely come back and say we can't locate something."

Suddenly, it's that much more difficult to lose your way in the city. You can download StreetSmart at: http://www.asklaila.com/LailaMobileDemo/