Nokia buys Plazes

[slitchfield]

Nokia has snapped up Berlin-based Plazes, an SMS-based location-aware social network. Plazes has been in beta for ages and the developers promise that all their plans will carrry on under the new ownership. Now - I wonder whether Nokia can go the extra mile and add GPS-support to Plazes? (via PhoneBoy)

Read on in the full article.

[tenoce]

Makes sense, especially if you take a look at the Sportstracker application, which can already publish your whereabouts live. I guess it is not too far, to have either have a reskinned Sportstracker, let's say Plazes application, or just include it directly in the Sportstracker itself.
However, sometimes I have some doubts with having GPS always on, it consumes a way too much battery.
Plazes itself has a similar functionality as Google's Dodgeball, I am curious whether Nokia will have more success with promoting it than Google. However Nokia's main advantage is to pre-install an application on the handset to access it easily.

[slitchfield]

My ideal location killer app would be something akin to Buddyping or Find On A Map, that let the people you authorise (i.e. friends and family) see where you are and have access to any recent text or media items.

Battery shouldn't be an issue, since the GPS doesn't have to be always on. The default could be to activate for 30 secs every 15 minutes, for example, or for 30 secs every 5 mins for a child, perhaps, in order to find them?

[tenoce]

You're right I have not thought about having the GPS turned on in time intervals. It definitely can be a killer app if such offer introduced. However, it was always a big question for me, can stay such a service free, only to support Nokia's sales figures? Or will be later some additional features introduced, which will be paid service? Like Nokia Maps eg.

[Bosambo]

This whole location based services craze is getting boring. When will people accept there is no practical application for GPS apart from getting directions and geotagging photos.

Do I want all my friends...or any of my friends, knowing my location at all times? Fellas, do you really want the wife knowing your location at all times? How do you explain those moments when you get home and you've gone "off grid" for a while to get some peace?

I have an app thats does location based searches. The time I wait for it to get a lock renders it useless. Plus times when I have to do a search of another locality, having to turn off the "My Location" option first is annoying. By the time my GPS has a lock I could have typed the postcode I'm in...or a street name or any of the other more traditional ways we search for a Starbucks now.

We're in danger of coming up with convuluted ways of solving a problem that doesn't exist. If someone wants to know where I am...and I'm holding my phone...call me! If you want to find your kid...and they're holding their phone...call them! Is it really wise to always imagine the worst ever scenario...your child at the bottom of a well unable to answer your call? Is that even possible in the cities we live in? There are stand alone GPS units you can buy and stick in the kids rucksack anyway...is it wise to send them out in the world with an expensive smart phone?

All of this stuff is a fad and a pointless one at that.

[tenoce]

I disagree with you in some points. Of course there are people who do not want to share their whereabouts. They will not use such service. Or at least they will not use it for live broadcast. But even this type of users might want to share some runnings, sightseeings, etc. This is now done with Sportstracker.
However nowadays teenagers are much more extrovert with all their stuff. Have you seen a profile page of a teenager on Myspace? These guys will definitely show where they are, because they would like to meet friends, and this facilitates them. In times when they don't want to do it, they turn it of. It is very similar to the case when they turn of the phone, if they don't want to be bothered with a phone call.
For them this is a perfect offering, especially if those additional services implemented, which have been noted by Steve.

[krisse]

However, it was always a big question for me, can stay such a service free, only to support Nokia's sales figures? Or will be later some additional features introduced, which will be paid service?

...or perhaps some kind of advertising deal might support such a service?

One could imagine GPS location services being a goldmine for advertisers because it would allow incredibly localised adverts, for example if you're just a few metres from a shop it could make you a special offer to tempt you inside.

I'm not saying I'd personally love to see adverts, but if the adverts pay for the service then maybe I'd put up with them like I already do on radio and television (and the internet come to think of it).

I don't think anyone knows what's going to really happen though, it's too early to tell.

[Williamoni]

I totally agree with Bosambo. This constant push of GPS is annoying, and at times, we are seeing irresponsible journalism. Why not do a feature on how criminals could happily utilise the fact that people are openly advertising where they are in the planet at particular points in time? Of course that doesn't fit in with our love of mobiles and what we can do with them, but it may be necessary so that certain people get a wake-up call.

These things are of benefit when used correctly, obviously, but the whole thing is hyped up beyond what is sensible. Let's be alive to possible dangers from an over-zealous use of GPS.

[snoyt]

Indeed, big brother can easily be watching you once your cell phone is infected with a virus. But this was already the fact when using a phone without GPS. Cell tower location already existed now only the accuracy is updated... And with wellness diary they can now track how much I walk, eat, sleep, "excercise" and more intimate details of my life..

The naysayers against GPS/location services have a point - but only within the very limited boundaries you're thinking in. Sure, those usage scenarios you've heard about might not appeal at all, and I can understand that (they don't really appeal to me either). But as a developer who's been thinking about and following location services for quite a few years, and is now finally moving into creation, I can tell you that there is a lot of scope for innovative new services and use cases most people (including the media) have not thought of yet. Location can be a lot more subtle and embedded in the background of other things than the limited scenarios we have seen put forward so far.

Alex
phonething.com