computer science

Pointr

Pointr is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pointr rather than just read about it. In short: Pointr is a startup company based in London specialized in indoor positioning and navigation utilising iBeacons, which are Bluetooth Low Energy devices formalised by Apple Inc. Pointr have created a GPS-like experience with true position and turn-by-turn navigation that is supported by most modern smartphones operating on both Android and iOS.

Key takeaways

Pointr belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Pointr to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Pointr from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Pointr is a startup company based in London specialized in indoor positioning and navigation utilising iBeacons, which are Bluetooth Low Energy devices formalised by Apple Inc. Pointr have created a GPS-like experience with true position and turn-by-turn navigation that is supported by most modern smartphones operating on both Android and iOS.

History Pointr was founded in November 2013 by Ege Akpinar under the name Indoorz; he was then joined by co-founders Axel Katalan, Chris Charles and Can Akpinar in early 2014. The software was developed for seven months before launching, allowing time to build and test the product. In November 2014 the company adopted its current name of Pointr after receiving a client question about whether it could work outdoors as well. Pointr raised its first round of angel funding in January 2015 and has grown steadily with its first customers in retail, warehouses, offices and libraries. In February 2015, Pointr was accepted onto the Microsoft Ventures accelerator program based in Liverpool Street, London. Pointr are also supported by Level 39 (the Fintech Accelerator programme for Canary Wharf Group) and have installed their technology there to locate colleagues and assist new users navigating the venue.

References

External links Official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pointr

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pointr claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pointr before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pointr ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pointr

In research: Pointr appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Pointr in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Pointr is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2014 software, Android (operating system) software, IOS software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Pointr outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Pointr in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Pointr means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Pointr out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pointr in simple terms?

Why does Pointr matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pointr?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pointr.