Places

Facebook recently added a feature called Places. It is a geo-location application similar to Gowalla and Foursquare in that it allows you to share where you are with your friends via social media. These programs use the GPS in your phone to pinpoint your location to within 300 meters.

Most geo-tagging applications are currently set up as games, where you can earn badges and points. However you can also read reviews and offer discounts or coupons to people checking in at a location. For example Pizza Hut has found this to be successful by offering free breadsticks to people who are mayors. Others offer percentage discounts for 5 or more check ins. Think of it as an electronic frequent buyer punch card.

Are your employees already using it? They very well could be and could call your office Workie Poo. A sweet term of endearment do you think?

You can even take it to the extreme by using a geo-location tool called a GPS ‘Pen’ to check in and spell out words like this man did for his love of Ayn Rand’s books. Here’s a link to the whole story behind it.

iPhone Apps 4 U

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have a new application (app) waiting approval at the Apple App Store. The App uses the GPS capabilities of the phone to contact the correct local authorities when people see children listed on the missing children list.

Has anyone considered how to use an iPhone App for our agencies or for the people we serve?

How can we harness what may be the next evolution of social networking and support?

What innovative things would you like to do with an iPhone App if you didn’t have to worry about the costs or expertise of producing and iPhone App?

Please let us know in the comments.