Location-aware Mobile Services

Post by Jeff Brunelle. Find him on Twitter.

We’ve got all these online social networks and we’re starting to realize the value in them. We see how easy it is now to keep in touch with friends and family. It seems as if old grade school and junior high buddies have emerged out of thin air.  Facebook, Twitter, MySpace – they’re giving us a way to reconnect with people from the past and stay connected to those we hold close. Thanks to these social networks, we can rest assured that we’ll know when something monumental happens in the lives of our friends or family members.

But if we’re not at the computer, what do we do? How can we find out where our friends are and what they’re doing right now? The answer: mobile phones.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen mobile phone technology change incredibly fast.  What started with a brick is now a mini-computer in your pocket. For some, the thought of phones getting smarter has been disturbing. For instance, I think my mother refused to communicate with my sister and I via text message for nearly 6 months before she finally gave in. To others, phones like the iPhone are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Thanks to our cell phones, we’ve increased our accessability and made it easy to correspond no matter where we are. Whether it be talking or texting, most of us do it while we’re on the move.

Fast forward to today and many technology companies are toying with GPS to create location-aware services for mobile phones.  Mobile social networks are on the brink of becoming extremely popular among families, travelers and anyone who tends to have a busy social life.

These social networks provide location-aware services that enable users to share their location with anyone they want from their phone. In doing so, their exact location is mapped out on the network along with any notes, pictures or video the user posts – all viewable by said user’s  friends and family. Among the most popular of these emerging social networks are Brightkite, Loopt and Google Latitude.

To best grasp an understanding of location-aware mobile services, I think it’s best to watch a video.  In my opinion, Google’s introduction video to their service, known as Latitude, explains it the best:

As you can probably imagine, there are many uses for a mobile service like this. You can use it simply to let your family know where you are, to keep tabs on your so-called friends who are playing tennis down the street without you, or even to chronologically capture a backpacking trip through Europe – with pictures included.  The technology is there to make this all possible for you.

While Google explains the concept well, that does not mean it is the most suitable service for your needs. In fact, some technologists tend to believe that Brightkite and Loopt will overcome the entrance of Google into the location-awareness arena by offering more targeted features such as community and the ability to branch out and meet new people (See Why Google Latitude is Viral Marketing for Brightkite by Louis Gray).

Latitude broadcasts your current contacts’ whereabouts and let’s stay in touch with them easily, but it doesn’t deliver options to meet new people based on the the locations you’ve frequented like Brightkite does. With a few touches (clicks) on your iPhone, Brightkite lets you see who else is nearby and introduce yourself to potential friends who share similar interests. Meanwhile, Loopt sets itself apart by allowing you to explore areas based on recommendations from your friends and Yelp (a local reviews and recommendations website). However, the Loopt service only works with compatible phones and participating carriers.

Here’s an example of a photo I posted using Brightkite while I was walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Taking all of this into consideration, even if you do sign-up for one of these services it still all starts with who’s in your network and which of your friends or family members are willing to use the service too. Since it’s a new thing, most people you know probably aren’t onto it yet. My challenge to you is: Get on board and be an “early adopter”.

Much like Facebook and Twitter, the value you’ll get from using a mobile social network is a mix of educational and relational. You’ll see where your friends are in accordance to you and communicate with them easier, and you’ll discover new places and new people that will lead you to where you want to be.

You do not need to own a smartphone or an iPhone to signup and start playing, just a text messaging plan. Check out the links I’ve listed below and find out which one is right for you. Questions? Leave a comment and I’m happy to jump in and help you get started.

Brightkite

Loopt

The kicker when it comes to Brightkite and Loopt: you can integrate either service into your Twitter and Facebook accounts. For example, when I check in with Brightkite, whatever note or photo I post will also show up on Twitter and on my Facebook wall.

Google Latitude

Photos: Redvers, malcom

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