Remember that feeling when you're watching the news about protests in Hong Kong, a festival in Rio, or floods in Venice, and you think: "I wonder what it's really like there right now?"
Not the curated Instagram posts. Not the news crew's narrow angle. But what regular people on the ground are actually experiencing, sharing, and feeling in that exact moment.
That curiosity led us to build Teleport—and it's completely changed how people use Spotit.
The Birth of Teleport
It started with a simple user request:
"I'm moving to Seattle next month. I wish I could see what different neighborhoods are like at different times of day before I choose where to live."
Then another:
"My parents live in Florida. When I see hurricane warnings, I want to check if their area is actually affected."
And another:
"I'm planning a trip to Tokyo. Travel blogs show the touristy stuff, but what's it really like for locals?"
We realized people didn't just want to explore their immediate surroundings. They wanted to satisfy their curiosity about anywhere, anytime. They wanted to teleport.
How Teleport Works
It's beautifully simple:
- Long press any spot on the map - That's it. You've teleported.
- See all posts from that location - Real posts from real people, right now
- Drag to explore nearby - Your teleport pin moves with you
- All your filters still work - Categories, time ranges, search—everything
A banner shows where you've teleported and how far you are from home. When you're done exploring, tap the X or swipe down to "teleport home."
The Magic Moments
Since launching Teleport, we've witnessed incredible stories:
The Daughter in Denver
Sarah's mom lives alone in a small Iowa town. Every morning, Sarah teleports to her mom's street to see the posts—sunrise photos, dog walkers, "another beautiful day" comments. It's her way of checking in without calling. "It's like being her neighbor, even from 900 miles away."
The Tokyo Job Interview
Marcus had a job interview in Tokyo but had never been to Japan. The night before, he teleported to the office location at different times—seeing the morning rush, lunch crowd, and evening atmosphere. "I walked into that interview knowing the area better than colleagues who'd worked there for years."
The Venice Flood Watch
When news broke about flooding in Venice, 50,000 people teleported there within an hour. Not for disaster tourism, but to understand. Local Venetians were posting real-time updates—which areas were safe, where help was needed, how their beloved city was coping. The posts helped coordinate volunteer efforts and donations directly to affected areas.
The Festival FOMO Cure
During Coachella, over 200,000 people teleported to the festival grounds. But here's the twist—many weren't experiencing FOMO. They were enjoying the "real" Coachella experience through locals' posts: the sunrise yoga sessions, food truck recommendations, secret after-parties, even warnings about pickpockets. Some said it was better than being there.
Why No Fake Locations?
You can browse when teleported, but you can't post. This was our hardest decision, but it's sacred to Spotit's mission. Every post must be authentic to its location.
We've had users teleport to Times Square on New Year's Eve, desperately wanting to add their "I'm here!" post. But that's not what Spotit is about. If you want to be part of a location's story, you have to actually be there. No exceptions.
The Unexpected Uses
Travel Planning 2.0
Forget review sites. People now teleport to hotels, restaurants, and attractions throughout different days and times. One user spent a week "virtually living" in three different Barcelona neighborhoods before choosing where to stay.
Real Estate Research
House hunters teleport to potential neighborhoods on Friday nights (is it noisy?), Monday mornings (how's the commute?), and rainy days (does it flood?). Real estate agents tell us buyers now arrive incredibly well-informed about areas.
Long-Distance Relationships
Couples separated by distance use Teleport to "walk together." They'll teleport to each other's locations during daily routines—morning coffee, lunch breaks, evening walks—sharing the experience through posts and comments.
News Verification
When breaking news happens, thousands teleport to verify what's real. During the Australian wildfires, teleported users helped map safe zones and evacuation routes based on real-time local posts.
The Numbers That Stunned Us
- Average user teleports 8 times per week
- Most popular teleport destination: Times Square (1.2M teleports/month)
- Longest teleport distance: 12,742 miles (New Zealand to Spain)
- Most teleports in one session: 847 (a geography teacher preparing lessons)
- Percentage of users who've teleported: 94%
What Teleport Taught Us
Building Teleport revealed something profound: human curiosity is unlimited when given the right tools. People don't just want to see famous landmarks—they want to understand daily life in a Mumbai market, experience sunrise from Mount Fuji, or check if their favorite childhood park still has that old swing set.
Teleport turned Spotit from a local discovery app into something bigger—a window to the entire world's lived experiences. It's not about the technology; it's about connection. When someone in São Paulo posts about a street artist, and someone in Stockholm teleports to see it, that's two humans connecting across 11,000 miles through a shared moment of curiosity.
The Future of Teleport
Users keep suggesting new features:
- "Time machine" to see historical posts from any location
- "Follow" locations to get notifications of new posts
- "Teleport trails" to share curated location journeys
- Virtual tours created by locals
We're listening. But we're careful. Every feature must enhance authentic connection, not gamify it.
Try It Yourself
Next time you're curious about somewhere—anywhere—don't just wonder. Teleport there. See what locals are sharing right now. Experience the world through the eyes of people who call that spot home.
Because your curiosity doesn't have borders. Neither should your ability to explore.