Hivemapper Unveils New Bee Device: Earn Rewards While Building Decentralized Maps on Solana

Hivemapper, a startup with the ambitious goal of decentralizing map creation, has made major strides in competing with tech giant Google in the mapping industry. The company has unveiled its latest mapping tool, the Hivemapper Bee. It has announced that its community of contributors has mapped an impressive 8 million kilometers (5 million miles) of roads in just 16 months.

New Hardware, Bigger Goals

The Hivemapper Bee is a premium dashcam that aims to further accelerate Hivemapper's mission of building fresher, more affordable maps. Designed to be more robust and weatherproof, the camera comes with the added flexibility of both internal and external mounting options. This durability should make the camera more attractive to businesses with corporate fleets, which Hivemapper hopes to expand its service soon.

In addition to being more resilient, the Bee boasts a more powerful processing system than current Hivemapper models, with the company saying it will make the camera more "passive ."The device will do more with the data it captures before uploading it, which will save time for its users. Hivemapper plans to begin shipping the Bee in Q3 2023 at a price of $549 (cellular LTE) or $449 (WiFi-only).

Hivemapper's map data is built on the Solana blockchain, adding decentralization and transparency to the world of mapping. This unique approach sets the company apart as it seeks to create a mapping infrastructure that is more accessible and equitable than traditional mapping solutions.

Contributors to the Hivemapper map are rewarded with the company's token, Honey, listed on the Coinbase exchange. With the new Bee device and its emphasis on creating a frictionless user experience, Hivemapper seeks to empower individuals to participate in the future decentralized mapping infrastructure built on Solana.