My experiment with GPS-aware applications
In a previous article, I considered trying GPS-aware social networking tools. As something that both intrigues me and fills me with a little bit of dread, they are absolutely fascinating to me.
Not one to back down from trying something new, I went ahead and downloaded whoshere. The concept is simple — it lists people who are nearby. You can chat and (presumably) meet up with people.
Attempt One:
At work, I head out for lunch alone. I want to sit down, so maybe I’ll find someone to chat with over lunch? It seems like a good opportunity to see if it works. Central London at 12:30 has plenty of people about.
So who is the person nearest me? SwedishStallion. Byline: I am who I am – today: Hot and Horny.
I kid you not. Worst fears realised? Maybe. But the Stallion and I seem to be on the same wavelength: He does not try to contact me. I do not try to contact him.
Craig from Leeds then starts messaging me. He is, actually, in Leeds. And here I was expecting someone local. I chat with Craig a little bit. He wants to talk about snow. As a Canadian, I feel that my expertise is useful.
Attempt one is a definite failure — I did not do this in an effort to chat over the Internet with strangers when I could be enjoying my lunch and watching people.
Attempt Two
Attempt two was not much of an attempt — more of an extended browse. The profiles are filled with people’s sexy pictures.
Common interests:
“Guys, I don’t want to see your cock, please stop sending me photos”. Interesting.
“Guys, I’m not gay. Stop sending me pictures of your cock.” Also interesting.
“I’m not going to send you nude photos, so please don’t ask”. Great.
And on, and on. And on.
In the end, I didn’t contact anybody using it — perhaps it’s the people, perhaps it’s the application, but it feels like a dating tool and not a “meet new people platonically” tool. Perhaps I’m judging it too quickly — I have not, after all, tried to meet anybody through it. But the whole thing just feels too odd. The problem is that I am in London, and would want to meet other Londoners. But why meet up with them?
I have at least a half dozen friends who work within walking distance of my office — not to mention people actually in my office. I can have lunch with these people, or meet up for drinks after work. Why look for strangers on my iPhone? People are seldom on a constant look-out for new friends, but single people tend to often be on the lookout for new mates — and so that’s what this technology has been hijacked for.
It stays on the phone, though. Maybe I’ll decide to give it an attempt three. Maybe I’ll want to use it if I am trapped at an airport somewhere, at some point in time. But it certainly is not getting top billing.
However, one interesting thing has occurred — my discovery of a GPS-aware option on my Twitter application. It will tell me what nearby Twitterers are saying. And while I do get a bit too much from the BBC, it seems to be filled with interesting people to follow and tweeting about local events.
Now that is awesome, and in regular use.
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