Location, Location

Smartphones know where we are, down to a couple of metres. Enterprising software developers are beginning to leverage the possibilities inherent in geolocation.  Besides the compelling commercial possibilities, more interesting options involve users adding huge amounts of information about their favourite locations, trips, current location, current activity, planned activities, et cetera. Maps will no longer be static, but dynamically updated and full of personalised information. Users will be able to tap into the power of crowdsourcing.  Four Square, EveryTrail, Google Maps, Runkeeper, and a host of café, restaurant and tourist-based apps are leveraging location and your linkages with other people via Facebook, Google contacts and other social media sites. The idea of your location and activities being broadcast to the web (even if only to a chosen group of friends) can seem a little daunting, but the private/public frontier is where some of the most interesting things on the Internet are currently happening.