Keyboard apps have been really popular lately, but there’s a new keyboard app that’s a bit different from all the rest. This one is called Goji, and it’s actually an emoji keyboard with a few twists.

A Helpful Keyboard Assistant

Goji is filled with emojis for almost anything, but the idea here is that this keyboard will list recommendations based on the emoji that you choose to use. For example, you could select a pizza emoji to indicate to a friend that you want to grab some pizza. When you tap on the emoji, Goji will list a few pizza places nearby that are highly recommended (the same goes for any emoji that you choose). The app uses location based tracker to recommend places to go, eat, and enjoy based on the emoji chosen.

Once you’ve chosen the place you’d like to go to from the list Goji includes, the app will also provide a nice and tidy link to the place that you want to go, so you can just insert that link into the message that you’re sending. From there, you and the person you’re talking to can simply navigate to the place that you’ve chosen.

The Information System

So, where does Goji get all of these recommendations from? App developers wanted to provide people with expert recommendations instead of simply pulling information from sites like Foursquare or Yelp. This means that everything Goji recommends has been researched and added by an expert - someone like the former editor from Chow Magazine, Meredith Arthur, for example. If this seems like a lot of work and research, that’s because it is, but it’s also the kind of information that people will want to get a better look at.

The app was developed by The Last Guide Company, which happens to be Josh Williams's company. If you aren’t familiar with him, you may remember a company called Gowalla, which was originally a Foursquare competitor. Facebook purchased Gowalla, and Williams disappeared. Now, he’s back with The Last Guide and with Goji. Right now, the app is somewhat of a trial, and only works in NYC, San Francisco, LA, and Portland, but it’s an interesting concept for sure.

Using the Goji App

If you do live in any of the cities listed above, you can check out this app by downloading it to your phone. You will note that Goji only recommend a few places per emoji (three or so), and that’s done purposely, so that users aren’t overwhelmed with options. But, remember, these recommendations are put together by experts, so you may just find the best coffee shop around and not a chain store.

Goji might just be the keyboard app that we need to have. If you want your keyboard to recommend places for you to check out at the last minute, Goji is the app to use (but you do have to live in one of the cities listed above!). The only thing that you may not like here is that Goji doesn’t use your data for recommendations, it relies solely on expert thoughts - good or bad, I’m not sure.