There can be no doubt that Pokemon Go has started a collective "poke-mania" in the U.S. The app available on both Apple's App Store and Google Play has surpassed expectations. According to SimilarWeb, an information technology company that provides analytics of marketing trends, as of July 11th, the app has taken over 10.8% of all Android devices in the U.S. In New Zealand, that figure stands at about 16% of all Android devices and 15.1% in Australia. On top of this, Similarweb found that the people who have the app installed have been using it almost every single day.
The popularity of the app has fueled a lot of future plans for Pokemon Go that include expanding into a number of new countries and new features such as trading, Pokemon model upgrades and more.
Of course, when an app hits this level of popularity there's bound to be some issues. However, on the flip side, Pokemon Go has also incited developers to add improvements to the game. One of the newest improvements is a website called Pokevision.com.
Pokevision.com is a new website that offers Pokemon Go players the ability to track and locate Pokemon in specific areas. Using an API developed by Niantic, Pokevision.com provides a mobile and desktop friendly map that allows players to find Pokemon in specific areas in real time. Using the map is very simple.
To start, all you have to do it navigate to Pokevision and enter an address, state or zip code. The map will automatically navigate to that location as well as setup a marker. Once the area and marker load, you can change the position of the marker to cover different areas. After you've found the area you want to check just click on the "Find Pokemon Near Marker" button at the bottom of the map and after about 5-15 seconds you'll see the Pokemon in that area pop up.
It's important to be aware that every Pokemon that shows up on the map has a timer underneath it. Once this time hits "0" the Pokemon will disappear from that area. Also, the map does not pick up Pokemon that spawn due to lures or incense. This is mainly because the Pokemon that spawn due to these tools are only visible to you or the people in the area.
One underrated thing that Pokevision can help you do is planning your trips. There have been reports of people getting into trouble or suffering injuries while playing it and so this type of tool to have more knowledge where you're going is another thing you can add to your tool bag along with some best practice and safety tips.
The only downside to Pokevision.com is that it relies on the stability of Niantic's servers. Because of the sheer number of players, the servers have been placed under a great deal of stress, which in turn, affects the performance of Pokevision.com's map results. This could be anything from a delayed area scan to a complete stall.
Whether the developers behind Pokevision.com have a grander vision for the site remains to be seen. Until then, Pokemon Go addicts have a new tool to aid them in their quest to catch 'em all.
What have you been your experiences with Pokevision, and do you see it as being a useful tool in your Pokemon Go adventures?
