PhoneTalk

Mobile friend finder

By Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 (permalink)

Boost Mobile announced the release of Boost Loopt, a service that alerts you when friends are nearby. You can then see their location on a map on your cell phone. The service is free until 2007 in an effort to get people to try it and hopefully become hooked enough to pay for it. The nice thing about this service is that it's totally opt-in. If you don't want your friends to find you, don't opt-in. It's not surprising Boost announced such a service as it ties in so well with the company marketing: "Where you at?" This service will literally inform people "Where they're at."

This isn't the first attempt to have devices you carry reveal your physical location. But as is the case with most things in life: timing is everything. I'm not sure the time is right or not. I do know that this needs to be opt-in (which it is) if it has any chance at all. In the end, the success of the service will likely depend on how people value their privacy.

Tags: Somethin' To Talk About