Friday, November 13. 2009

Another Biz Model for Cell Phones: Location-based Pricing

The technology is from Telecordia and called dynamic discount tariffing.

It was launched in Africa in September. There MTN, Vodacom and Safaricom offer between 45 and 95% discounts. It's now likely to be launched in India.

My question: how will you know the discounted areas? "Subscribers get information on the discounts through SMS or by an interactive voice response system." I guess it's just a form of "congestion pricing."

- Business Line (via Plugged.In)

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in LBS at 06:00 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Thursday, November 12. 2009

APB Gets More Social

We've added a "share this" toolbox to each All Points Blog post that allows visitors to share our content via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media options. We've done the same over at Directions Magazine.

Just like we learned in kindergarden: sharing is good. Further, it helps you to "be sure to tell a friend."

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Social Networking at 06:00 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0) |

Tuesday, November 10. 2009

More Info on Twitter Location API

- Google Groups

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Social Networking at 09:02 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Monday, November 9. 2009

The Value of Location-based Tweets

Noam Cohen writes in the New York Times why the upcoming location API for Twitter will make the service so much more useful. Basically, it helps filter the huge number of tweets, so many of which are re-tweets, simply sending on the same information. Using the existing geofiltering to get news on the recent sad events at Fort Hood, he notes, helped tremendously, even before this API is fully available.

I think he's right; there's quite a lot of noise on Twitter and any further tools to find the relevant information will be a huge step forward.

- New York Times

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in LBS at 07:45 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Friday, November 6. 2009

Junaio: Mobile Social 3D Editable Augmented Reality App

Metaio Augmented Reality Solutions is behind the Junaio iPhone app which will launch soon. RWW has the preview of the app which allows users to add, edit and animate 3D objects within the phone's view of reality. Then, those photos, for example can be shared via social networks. The video examples are fun (putting a dinosaur near the Golden Gate Bridge, putting a pumpkin in the hands of a coffee shop visitor) but as the article suggests, the uses for games and other interactive events is quite high. I'm sure there are uses for advertising and perhaps more serious uses. The app also has "traditional" AR features including providing information about locations and finding restaurants.

junaio from junaio on Vimeo.

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Social Networking, Augmented Reality at 09:02 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Wednesday, November 4. 2009

Acquisition/Parntership Roundup

TeleCommunications Systems, a developer of text messaging location-based software, has acquired Solvern Innovations, a Baltimore company specializing in cyber security.

- press release

MapmyIndia, one of India’s map and GPS navigation services providers has signed a deal with Survey of India. MapmyIndia can use and provide value added services to Survey of India maps.

- India Times

Loopt has added "Pulse" a tool to access content (like restaurant reviews from Zagat and Citysearch) as well as a search feature and check in option to its LBS app. Loopt will also be using NAVTEQ LocationPoint Advertising to offer the targeted and relevant offers and promotions.


- TechCrunch

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Geospatial Business, Social Networking at 08:43 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |