I created an earlier post to brainstorm ideas for reality mining while avoiding a conversation on privacy. How about some of the business uses for Mobile GPS:
1. Advertising: I'm not the first to come up with this idea. But imagine advertising for retail, truly capturing impulse buyers by sending coupons/deals to customers passing by your store. Couldn't be totally random though (that'd be annoying) but perhaps if someone signed up for the service for a chain of stores/restaurants they like.
2. Driver locations: I imagine large businesses have GPS services, but for small wholesaling businesses with a handful of drivers making deliveries this could present a cheap solution to knowing where your drivers are. They're already outfitted with cell phones. Just add the GPS app.
3. Safety: Also not an original concept. Some college campuses have utilized mobile GPS in their security escort service, following up on students that haven't checked in before making it to a certain location.
So there's just a few ideas, anyone have any other good ones?
What's really scary is that the metro has already talked about or even implemented your first idea.
ReplyDeleteWhile you are at a bus stop and looking at an advertisement, you could get a text message telling you more.
Where do they draw the line now?
Yeah, your first point about sending coupons has been around for some time. It is something that started internationally and has been moving to the US. For me, it does not matter how much I love a retail store, I would get annoyed with the text messages.
ReplyDeleteAs far as other ideas, there was talk of trying to using mobile GPS for cabs. In the sense that if you wanted a cab, you could signal that through your phone and by using GPS the cab would find you. Not sure, if this has already been implemented in some big cities. But, unlike the coupons...the taxi cab service would be something that I would be interested in.
As far as drawing the line...it will depend on the individual user and what they subscribe to.
Andrew, your first idea scares me! I have an addiction to shopping (it's really bad), and the worst thing for my addiction is special deals! I would be (even more) broke if I was getting coupons to my favorite stores texted to me as I walk by...
ReplyDelete