Location-Based Social-Mapping Services Go Live!

GPS capability has existed in phones for months, and, in many cases, years. But because of security and privacy issues, carriers have been reluctant to implement the cool location-based services that use GPS. In recent months, Verizon Wireless and Sprint have launched navigation- and child-tracking-applications on their handsets, but the "social mapping" services that let you stay in touch with friends and their locations have yet to materialize—until now.

Recently, Helio launched its BuddyBeacon service on the new Samsung Drift phone. And Loopt has launched its new social-mapping service on all Boost Mobile phones. I met with Loopt and have been testing out the service on the just-launched i885 phone from Boost Mobile (pictured, with Loopt in action).

The service is cool. It works like this: The location of as many as 25 of your buddies is available to you via Loopt's easy-to-read onscreen color maps (your buddies' locations are marked by little dots and info-boxes that have their names or handles and brief welcome slogans). You can also create a little on-phone mobile blog, called a Journal, with text entries and time-date-location-stamped images taken on your phone. (Journal entries can be accessed via text screen or on a map, geo-blogging-style—very cool). Other neat features: A text message alert anytime a particular buddy comes within a certain distance of you (anywhere from .5 to 25 miles), and the ability to send out invites with your live location to a party, e-vite-style.

How did Loopt address privacy and security issues, given that the prepaid Boost service has a young demographic? By keeping it private: In other words, your Loopt network is closed. You have to get someone's phone number and have them approve you before they are added to your "Friends" list. No random strangers can just approach you from their phones. Also, if you want your location to be a secret, you can just turn off the GPS on your phone temporarily. You can also block specific users at any given time, insuring that the social laws of high schoolers will translate well to the mobile-cyber-realm.

How does Loopt differ from Helio's service? For one thing, Boost has 3.1 million subscribers and all of its phones are GPS-enabled, so the service has a decent shot at having a lot of members. Helio, on the other hand, is still in its infancy as far as subscribers are concerned, so you'd better get all your friends to sign up for Helio if you want to use its BuddyBeacon application. Also, Helio's app requires that you update your location manually, whereas Loopt updates automatically (so your friends know where you are at all times, if you want them to). And BuddyBeacon lacks the journaling features.

BTW, Loopt is free until the end of the year, and $2.99 per month starting in January.

But hey, I applaud both services for getting these location-based apps out. Now I can't wait for either of them to move to a carrier that most of us actually use. (We're watching you, Verizon and Sprint.)

Who likes the sound of these services? If so, how might you use them in your daily life?

Related links:

New Helio Drift Phone Makes Nice Use of Built-in GPS

A GPS On Your Cell Phone

GPS is Available on Cell Phones for Older Kids, Too