I think you'll be hard pressed to see Twitter going in this direction. They do platform well. They've focused on dependability and I think they're finally there. They will leave the Tweet__(insertnamehere)__.com applications figure out which features will be most popular.
However, I agree with FB, where the hell are they, definitely late to the race but they may launch a version that blows these other "cheezy" ones out of the water.
The real power for Social Networking with a mobile is the combination of location with a phone's address book, those contacts are more likely to be the people I want to share my location with. Zyb got this right early on.
I think the order would be: 1. Phone address book 2. Social Network(s) 3. Email contacts
Google Maps for Mobile doesn't let me share my location with people in my address book, nor does it let me share my location on Facebook, Bebo etc.
This is only really interesting if Google starts using FireEagle to manage location sharing or comes up with an alternative of their own.
bertdelongue
· 10 months ago
"Where are Twitter and Facebook’s Geolocation Features?" It's exactly what I wonder. I personally consider the "where are my freinds" feature as very useful for users (as very well exemplified by Google Latitude team). In addition, it has a huuuuuge potential for the Fb and Twitter owners in their quest to 'monetise' their contents. So it must be a core feature, and not some add-on or app only few geeks install. Maybe the blocking factor is technology: among my hundreds of FaceBook freinds, only a very small minority has a smartphone, and maybe only a couple of them would bother installing specific apps on it and on Fb. to get this extra feature ... I live in Europe, maybe it's different in the US, where the underlying geolocation technologies seem to be more available, at least in big cities. So Google Latitude and similar, only for (North American) geeks ?
Adam Ostrow
· 10 months ago
@Ryan it's less likely than the other socnets, but not a huge stretch. Twitter's roots after all were in mobile (140 character SMS)
@Pieter cool idea, but I wonder how that would ever be possible given your cell's phonebook has people on all different carriers and phones with different features?
@bet I think it works internationally ... the example images from Google include "Cairo, Egypt" as a location. Shouldn't be any reason they'd have to restrict it to N. America.
Pieter Oonk
· 10 months ago
@Adam: Thanks, that's why we built a solution that is carrier- and device agnostic, covering about 70% of all GSM phones.
Have a look at m.locle.com, we have developed mobile applications that read cell tower information from a handset, sends data about it back to us and we present it on a map, combined with your friends' locations. So far, it integrates with Facebook and Twitter and lets users invite others by SMS. Next step will be full phone book upload, we're working on it ;-)
@ccmaine
· 10 months ago
While location based social networking is not new, Buddy Beacon has been around for years and Loopt is also pretty popular, what I think Google will do for this industry is make it a little more mainstream. If Google's doing it, the early adoption rate of these services is likely to increase. I'm sure we can expect to see Facebook and Twitter cash in on these services shortly.
HECTOR ARTURO AZUZ SANCHEZ
· 10 months ago
Well, I know 2 apps in Facebook but maybe do not work with all my contacts, only with the contacts that use the app.
Sal Matteis
· 10 months ago
Folks, check out this start up: mobnotes.com They have been in stealth mode for 8 months and I think they got it right. They are using fb connect so you can test it out with your fb account. Pretty powerful!
It does exactly what it says on the tin
Allows to post notes about places you see, microblog, check in at your current location and see where your friends are. A twitter on steroids with geo location.
Neat! I hear they are testing their iPhone app and launch in march.
rmc
· 10 months ago
Tweetie for the iPhone has a feature that shows you what local people are saying. Great way to connect with local tweeple.
Steve
· 10 months ago
I actually checked out mobnotes. Looks to still be a little rough around the edges but it appears to get the job done. I have latitude setup but haven't tested it out yet. I have a massive phone list of clients and I'm a little hesitant to have information to this extent available to anyone who might find my phone in a taxi cab (don't ask). Gemalto covers issues like this so I'm waiting to see if my concern is warranted.
Unmesh
· 10 months ago
@Nightwyrm - we also have created an App that lets you easily tweet from a Map. We tag your tweet with the location url.
@sadakmap
DIaneLouis
· 10 months ago
You lost me in the second paragraph with your improper use of the personal reflexive pronoun, 'myself.'
Isabella
· 9 months ago
Maybe I've watched too many X-Files episodes. I don't want my tweets to be geo-targeted. It's just a short step off a cliff to anyone, including the government tracking our every step to within a yard... creepy. Anyone up to no good will LOVE it though.
Andre
· 9 months ago
Take a look at http://apps.facebook.com/locate_me/ it has already passed 700 users, public positioning ffeatures and mobile seems to be coming..g..
Hey Adam, IRL Connect does this by putting all your Facebook and Twitter friends on the map. Check out the Private Beta by going to www.irlconnect.com invite key: Facebook
IRL Connect is a visual social network. It's LBS on the Web. You can import your friends from your favorite social networks on the map - instead of browsing through profile pages - you can just SEE your friends on a map. Today you can login to IRL Connect and integrate your page with Twitter and Facebook. IRL's intent is to become the first social network to put all the social network users from any network on the map. They are going to launch the public beta in April.
Tom Rathburn
· 5 months ago
Found another cool one called ItSpot.com. It's like Twitter, but has actual usage beyond stalking celebrities. The new W3C geolocation standards for browsers are going to push these apps forward by leaps and bounds.
All Comments
However, I agree with FB, where the hell are they, definitely late to the race but they may launch a version that blows these other "cheezy" ones out of the water.
Great post.
I think the order would be:
1. Phone address book
2. Social Network(s)
3. Email contacts
Google Maps for Mobile doesn't let me share my location with people in my address book, nor does it let me share my location on Facebook, Bebo etc.
This is only really interesting if Google starts using FireEagle to manage location sharing or comes up with an alternative of their own.
So it must be a core feature, and not some add-on or app only few geeks install. Maybe the blocking factor is technology: among my hundreds of FaceBook freinds, only a very small minority has a smartphone, and maybe only a couple of them would bother installing specific apps on it and on Fb. to get this extra feature ... I live in Europe, maybe it's different in the US, where the underlying geolocation technologies seem to be more available, at least in big cities.
So Google Latitude and similar, only for (North American) geeks ?
@Pieter cool idea, but I wonder how that would ever be possible given your cell's phonebook has people on all different carriers and phones with different features?
@bet I think it works internationally ... the example images from Google include "Cairo, Egypt" as a location. Shouldn't be any reason they'd have to restrict it to N. America.
Have a look at m.locle.com, we have developed mobile applications that read cell tower information from a handset, sends data about it back to us and we present it on a map, combined with your friends' locations. So far, it integrates with Facebook and Twitter and lets users invite others by SMS. Next step will be full phone book upload, we're working on it ;-)
They have been in stealth mode for 8 months and I think they got it right.
They are using fb connect so you can test it out with your fb account.
Pretty powerful!
It does exactly what it says on the tin
Allows to post notes about places you see, microblog, check in at your current location and see where your friends are. A twitter on steroids with geo location.
Neat! I hear they are testing their iPhone app and launch in march.
@sadakmap
be geo-targeted. It's just a short step off a cliff to anyone, including the
government tracking our every step to within a yard... creepy. Anyone up
to no good will LOVE it though.
it has already passed 700 users, public positioning ffeatures and mobile seems to be coming..g..
worth a try..
bye
More than 1000+ users and still counting, featuring mobile version and more!
definitely worth a try..
bye
IRL Connect is a visual social network. It's LBS on the Web. You can import your friends from your favorite social networks on the map - instead of browsing through profile pages - you can just SEE your friends on a map. Today you can login to IRL Connect and integrate your page with Twitter and Facebook. IRL's intent is to become the first social network to put all the social network users from any network on the map. They are going to launch the public beta in April.