The 20 mobile apps riding the new wave of location innovation

 

The SXSW festival in Austin has become something of a pilgrimage for social and/or location-based startups, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Twitter and Foursquare in using the event as a launchpad for success.

At the same time, the ease with which developers can create location-based services by tying into datasets and APIs from Google, Facebook, Foursquare and others is driving a burst of activity around location andapps, principally around iPhone and Android.

Here's a list of 20 apps that are part of this new wave of location innovation. All face the same three challenging questions: 1 How do they find an audience? 2 How do they make money? 3 If they're successful, how will they avoid being cannibalised by Facebook? Few have answers now, but this is nevertheless a snapshot of some of the more interesting ideas in the area.

 

Ditto (iPhone)

Rather than ask what you're doing right now, Ditto prompts you to update your plans for what you're about to do, and then get recommendations from friends for restaurants, films or attractions, hooking into Facebook's social graph.

 

Yobongo (iPhone)

Launching just in time for SXSW, Yobongo is all about location-based messaging, promising to help its users "get started communicating with people around you". For now, it only works in New York, Austin and San Francisco though.

 

Shadow Cities (iPhone)

Location-based games are enjoying a second wind on iOS and Android, with Shadow Cities the latest attempt to turn real-world cities into massively multiplayer games. Hugely popular in its native Finland, it's launching globally this year.

 

Lonely Planet Audio Walking Tours (iPhone)

Travel firm Lonely Planet recently launched five walking-tour apps based on central London. Covering the West End, Covent Garden, the City, Spitalfields and the Southbank, they tie audio to location, plotting walks on Google Maps.

 

Flowd (iPhone/Android/Nokia)

Flowd is another Finnish startup whose app starts with Foursquare-style check-ins, but then wraps music features around them. Users can follow bands' updates and tips, while uploading photos from gigs and entering contests.

 

StreetSpark (iPhone/Android)

Location-based dating has some challenges to overcome – specifically concern about stalking – but StreetSpark is one of a clutch of apps looking to hook singles up spontaneously. Its social matching process aims to ensure they hit it off, too.

 

Ask Around (iPhone)

Ask.com started life as the Ask Jeeves search engine, but its latest spinoff is a location-based conversation app. The emphasis is on questions and answers, with users able to tap into local knowledge when finding themselves somewhere unfamiliar.

 

Screach (iPhone / Android)

UK startup ScreenReach recently worked with Newcastle FC to allow fans at the club's stadium to vote for the man of the match using its Screach app. That's one use for Screach, but there are others – it can be used for coupons, content, voting and gaming.

 

Situationist (iPhone)

Situationist is less about meeting friends than it is about meeting strangers in surprising ways. Users choose from a selection of scenarios, from impromptu hugs to angry flashmobs, and then wait for other users to detect their presence and carry them out.

 

My Star (iPhone)

My Star is a collaboration between UK developer Mobile Pie and operator Orange. It's a social music game where players level up their character and jam with friends. The location aspect involves plastering virtual flyers in real-world locations.

 

View (iPhone)

Like Yobongo, View is an app making its debut at SXSW that currently only works in New York, San Francisco and Austin. Its focus is on discovering information and tips about nearby venues, tapping into the Foursquare and Google Places APIs.

 

Love Clean London (iPhone/Android/BlackBerry/Windows Phone 7)

Even London Mayor Boris Johnson has his finger in the apps pie, having announced this week a new initiative called Love Clean London. Its app aims to encourage citizen activism, as people report graffiti and other "environmental crimes" by uploading photos.

 

Short Stack App (iPhone)

Australian pop-punk band Short Stack are one of the first artists with their own social location app on iPhone. It lets fans check in to gigs Foursquare-style to earn points as part of the app's loyalty programme, which can then be exchanged for rewards.

 

payasUgym (iPhone)

The name says it all: payasUgym is all about buying one-off e-passes to use gyms, currently across London. Its iPhone app takes the process mobile, allowing users to search for local gyms on a map, and then buy an e-pass there and then to use them.

 

Localmind (iPhone)

Another startup hoping to make a splash at SXSW this year by splicing location with questions and answers. With Localmind users can see who is checked in to a specific venue via Foursquare, Facebook Places or Gowalla, and send them a question – with a points system to reward answers.

 

Broadcastr (iPhone/Android)

Broadcastr styles itself as providing "location-award audio and storytelling", and is making its debut at – you guessed it – SXSW. It lets people record audio clips and associate them to locations, for others to tune into when using the app in that spot.

 

RedRover (iPhone)

RedRover takes a more niche spin on the idea of a location-based social network, focusing purely on parents. With a slogan of "make playdates on the fly", it helps groups of friends with children to arrange impromptu meet-ups, while finding child-safe locations.

 

Heyo (iPhone/Android)

Heyo doesn't revolve around locations, but around events – parties, meetups, sports and so on. It ties in with Facebook and Twitter to provide calendar notifications. There is a location aspect though, with the app identifying friends' events in the user's vicinity.

 

Unsocial (iPhone/Android)

A lot of social location apps put their emphasis on partying, but there's arguably as great a need for business-focused apps too. Unsocial ties into LinkedIn to help people find relevant work contacts at events, such as conferences, including messaging features.

 

Hot Spots @ SXSW (iPhone/Windows Phone 7)

PR group Waggener Edstrom has its own SXSW app that aims to pinpoint the most popular events by crunching data from Foursquare check-ins. This idea of aggregating and analysing data from the bigger social location services is likely to fuel more apps in 2011.

That's our list of 20, now tell us what we've missed. What innovative and interesting location apps have you seen that you think have a shot at building a business? Which of the ones above do you think have legs? Join the debate by posting your thoughts.

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10 iPhone, iPad Apps to Help You Survive a Disaster

 

In light of the overwhelming destruction caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, all of us should all be taking a moment to consider how fragile our life on this planet is and how easily we can find ourselves at the mercy of Mother Nature. Whether it’s flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes or forest fires—not to mention all the other calamities that can occur—it is important to be aware of the risks you’re exposed to, especially where you live and where you work. More importantly, it is critical to have a plan on hand in case disaster strikes. While one might not consider turning to Apple’s App Store as a first line of defense, the site offers a vital selection of applications that can help you increase your knowledge of environmental disasters past and present, along with useful guides to help get you and your family out of a dire situation. There’s also help for small businesses that have to rely of themselves or their own IT administrator to recover from a disaster. As the Web continues to provide us with greater ability to converse and share information when other forms of communication fail, having a handheld escape plan might be a wise choice to make—especially if a nuclear power plant is involved in the crisis.

Emergency Supply List ($0.99)

Help may not always arrive as quickly as you need it, so prepare in advance with this checklist of items you’ll need in an emergency.

 

Disaster Alert (Free)

The Pacific Disaster Center provides a listing and interactive map of active hazards occurring around the globe.

 

iEarthquakes ($1.99)

Google Maps displays earthquakes occurring around the world in real-time, as well as magnitude and population of the area where the quake struck.

 

Disaster Survival ($0.99)

This guide provides information on how to prepare for a disaster and what to do when one strikes, including help for children and the disabled.

 

American Red Cross: Shelter View (Free)

The Red Cross runs this app, which provides maps and details of shelter facilities across the United States, with information updates every 30 minutes.

 

FloodWatch (Free)

Using data from the National Weather Service, this app monitors recent and historical river levels across the country.

 

Mobile REMM (Radiation Emergency Medical Management) (Free)

This app provides information about clinical diagnosis and treatment of radiation during radiological and nuclear emergencies and is produced by the Department of Health and Human Services and National Library of Medicine.

 

First Aid ($0.99)

Learn the basics on how to treat minor injuries with this app, which provides a list of tips and how to deal with burns, breaks and other injuries.

 

Skype (Free)

If the phone lines are down and power levels are spotty, a phone equipped with a VOIP (voice over IP) app such as Skype could be critical in getting your voice heard.

 

Flashlight Emergency ($0.99)

Be seen and heard in a crisis with this app, which also features a "Text to Morse Code" option that lets you send signals farther than your voice could carry.

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Apple iOS 5 Wish List: 10 Must-Have Features

 

When Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the new iPad 2 at a March 2 event, he also revealed that users would be able to download and use iOS 4.3, an update to the company's popular iOS 4 software it released last year. That update brings personal hot spot functionality and improved Safari browsing, among other features. For the most part, users are quite happy with its functionality. Still, for the vast majority of iPhone and iPad owners, the wait is on for iOS 5. As expected, Apple hasn't made any indication that it will be launching iOS 5 this year, but given its recent history of releasing major updates every year, it's likely that iOS 5 will be made available with the iPhone 5 later in 2011. When that platform comes out, there will be several features iPad and iPhone owners will hope to see. Yes, iOS 4 is a fine mobile operating system, but it has some glaring issues that need to be addressed in the next update. The following list of improvements would make iOS 5 not only a better operating system than its predecessor, but would undoubtedly cement its position as the top OS in the mobile market.

Improved Multitasking

Multitasking was one of the most coveted features of iPhone and iPad owners. Finally, last year Apple brought the functionality to its operating system. But was it too little, too late? Multitasking in iOS 4 isn't fully functional. Yes, users can switch back and forth between apps and they do run in the background, but having desktoplike multitasking where processing can go on in the background and having the ability to view windows before opening a program would make iOS 5 all the more appealing.

Better Browsing

When Google launched Android 3.0 "Honeycomb," the company delivered a vastly improved browsing experience, complete with full tab support, Incognito mode and a generally faster surfing speed. iOS 4's browser, on the other hand, lacks real tabbed browsing and doesn't come with all those desktop features Honeycomb boasts. Let's hope those features come to iOS 5.

Wireless Syncing Capability

One of the biggest issues with the iPhone and iPad is that when the devices need to be updated, they have to be plugged into a computer running iTunes. Android-based devices, on the other hand, can be updated over the air. It would be nice to see iOS 5 support over-the-air updates, as well as the ability to sync the iPhone or iPad with iTunes over the home network without requiring cables. That's the future. And it's time Apple embraces it.

An Improved Lock Screen

The iOS 4 lock screen is arguably one of the least useful features available in the operating system, since users can only choose to view different backgrounds. It would be nice to see Apple deliver actual usability to that lock screen, letting users place their Inbox, text messages or other content on the screen. If the lock screen is still useless in iOS 5, users won't be happy.

Bulk App Purchases

Try buying multiple apps in the App Store running on the iPhone or iPad. See any annoyances? Unfortunately, Apple only allows users to download a single app at a time; bulk downloads are not available. Considering some folks like to buy multiple apps in one sitting, it would be nice to see Apple offer bulk downloads in iOS 5.

Much Better Notification System

One of the biggest annoyances with iOS 4 is its notifications system. Whether users receive text messages, alerts or pop-ups from third-party apps, the messages are displayed over whatever the user is doing. Plus, they light up the iPhone's screen when it's turned off. Notification customization is an absolute must-have in iOS 5.

Improved FaceTime

With the launch of Apple's FaceTime video conferencing application last year, the company said that it would only be available over WiFi. But now that it's running on iPad 2, the iPhone 4, the iPod Touch and Macs, it would be nice to see Apple have FaceTime work over mobile wireless networks. It seems like the next logical step for the service. What better time to launch it than with the introduction of iOS 5?

Actually Useful Voice Control

When users hold down the Home button on the iPhone, they can activate voice control on the platform. That feature lets them give voice commands to perform tasks on the device. The only issue is, it doesn't work all that well. And its functionality is very basic. In iOS 5, it would be nice to see more sophisticated voice control, offering more than just the ability to open applications. Remember, Apple: the less typing, the better.

Better Auto-Correction

Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that his company improved auto-correction in iOS 4. If it did, it has much more work to do. Typing out text messages or e-mails with iOS auto-correction in place couldn't be more annoying. At times, it gets things right. But it seems that it gets the corrections wrong in far too many instances for it to be a reliable service. In iOS 5, Apple better make serious strides in improving its auto-correction.

Built-In Music Streaming?

When Apple acquired Lala in 2009, some believed that the company would be offering a music-streaming service. But it did nothing of the sort. After shuttering Lala, it seemed Apple had no plans to offering a streaming option. But maybe it was all part of the plan. Perhaps music streaming will be coming to iOS 5. After all, services like Pandora are extremely popular. Why wouldn't Apple want to capitalize on that with a built-in streaming offering integrated with iTunes?

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