More Location Based Services Coming to the Desktop

Google today said they are bringing location awareness to Google Maps on the desktop. I tested it today in Google Chrome here in Illinois and it worked really well, as you can see from the image.

So, where does this go from here? When you think about the metadata, lots of possibilities beyond this little feature...

Commerce - click a product on a site to find this item in a store near me where I am right now
Social - Loopt, Foursquare, etc. begin to work equally well from the desktop
News - citizen journalist reports from computer webcams can now more easily add metadata
Productivity - web-apps get location data automatically embedded; great for sales forces
Advertising - think of Google ads served based on your location that are hyperlocal

The upshot is that this is part of a bigger trend. Mobile isn't just about phones. It's about mobility. It's a state of being that covers an array of devices (netbooks, phones, Kindles, GPS systems) that tap into location based services that sync across.

Location Based Services are one of the most exciting areas to watch right now.

Jul 09, 2009

Mo Krochmal said...

I like the "I'm here's," but I want to track and share, I was there, there and there today, and now I'm here. Any advice?

Steve Rubel said...

@Mo not seeing that yet. Maybe the mapmaker?

Ellen Hoenig said...

Appreciate the distinction of thinking about 'mobility' vs just mobile phones...

David_Rogers said...

Yes, mobility is > "phones"! LBS computing is getting embedded in our shoes (Nike+), our cars (Honda's internavi, and maybe soon with Dash, courtesy of RIM), etc.

But we should probably stop calling them smart-"phones." Phoning is my iPhone's weakest feature, and minority of my usage. What about the old term "PDA"? Or "mobile device"?

Martin Lindeskog said...

David Rogers: You are right about the term "smart phone". My Qtek (HTC) 9100 is not always working as a great phone device... ;) Steve Rubel: Have you seen examples on how Quick Response codes are used by location based service in America? I have heard that it is big in Asia, taking photos of this new type of bar code tag and then get a special offer / URL link displayed in the phone browser. Here in Sweden you could sign up for a service called "Manna from Heaven" (manna.me) and get special deals on stuff via your mobile phone. They call it Just In Time marketing. You get a SMS when you are close to a location that has an offer. The GPS technology is "tracking" you movement.

Jul 10, 2009

Susan Gosselin said...

I'm in agreement with David Rogers, and I look forward to the day when we have these capabilities in America. The question is, who will deliver it? When you think about it, it's almost a yellow book kind of thing...you pay for it as part of your yellow pages account, and are able to download things like menus, coupons, product lists, etc. Or, it could be a great source of revenue and a simple service to offer for a Chamber, for instance. Wouldn't it be even nicer if there was some kind of national standard so you didn't have to search for a local network all the time? For instance, I'm in Chicago on a business trip and I'm in the mood for some deep dish pizza at lunch. I check my GPS, find three local places, look at their menus, checkout their discount offers, and choose one, getting walking directions while I'm at it. This application has implications beyond just marketing. Many people are starting to use city based gaming where it sends you on scavenger hunts and gives you challenges. Pretty interesting!

John Gillett said...

I agree--location-based services are red hot because they are extremely targeted and the world is increasingly mobile

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