While this may sound scary at first, I suspect it could mature, with people finding the appropriate social norms around this new technology, and slowly integrating into their daily lives. In this sense it could resemble the social network or the mobile phone, where even luddites eventually cave in, as it eventually becomes a no-brainer, benefits greatly outweighing drawbacks.
That said, there is still a long way to go and this technology still has not found a compelling application. The only reason I would consider using it is to be one of the first people to actually figure it out on the ground and potentially find those compelling uses, if they exist.
Sharing your location is, at least right now, more of a feature than a product in users minds. If you have a google maps client on your phone already, you'll probably try it.
Users probably won't download an app that does just that as readily.
Google has the classic big company/large install base edge in this area.
If sharing the location is not the neat feature - perhaps it's visualizing/mining that information accrued over your daily life/time. Here's some concepts from MIT
Except fireeagle doesn't have a client with an install base as large as Google Maps' and is really more of a pipe/aggregator than a client in the first place.
Seems like google has done a good job on privacy. From Mashable "When it comes to privacy, Google seems to have done it right, since absolutely everything about Latitude is opt-in...you can set it up so that your wife always sees you at work. Why you’d want to do that, we leave to your imagination."
http://mashable.com/2009/02/04/google-latitude/
Which makes me wonder, how does everyone deal with the prospect of competition from Google?
I had an awesome idea for a startup, worked on it for a few months during graduate school...and then Google announced they were getting into the space. I just about crapped myself.
I seriously wouldn't worry about it too much. They either do or they don't it's a bit like the weather, it will influence you but since you can't control it you might as well simply adapt to it.
If it wouldn't be for that then you could never do anything at all for fear of some 'force of nature' coming along and destroying it.
And who knows, maybe you'll be better at it than they ever will be simply because you are focusing on just one thing instead of on 50.
A valid point. Most Google products never reach critical mass. But for a device like the iphone you are already using google maps. If its integrated directly into that, the barrier to entry is nothing.
Am I the only one who started reading and was confused as to what the use was of only knowing someones lattitude? (other them perhaps getting a feel for the expected climate to aid in small talk about the weather).
I think this is direct competitor to Twitter; as it includes not only location but a spot for 'Im at starbucks' too; you can also have followers etc...
- just seems to be a competitor; and not many people are seeing that I think.
This kind of stuff makes me a little uncomfortable. I can imagine someone being in a situation (abusive relationship maybe?) where they are compelled to share this information. Even under normal circumstances it seems a little creepy, but maybe that's just me.
Not saying it's wrong to provide the service or anything like that, just wondering about how it could effect things.
Loopt needs to look to be acquired or abandon the idea of a mobile only social network and focus on leveraging services like Facebook connect. Although there level of funding might make it difficult, I also think they're a great target for Facebook.
In any case, this will be a large space and there is room for multiple players.
Surprising that Ireland where their European headquarters are located is not among countries where latitude can be used, though it is the same way with twitter. I don't suppose anyone knows the reason?
That said, there is still a long way to go and this technology still has not found a compelling application. The only reason I would consider using it is to be one of the first people to actually figure it out on the ground and potentially find those compelling uses, if they exist.