At SPRXmobile we believe in explicit location updates instead of implicit (like Latitude). We see that people still are worried around location updates and have the need to actively update their location when desired.

Some of the current worries and problems around loc. updates we see today:

• Loc. update apps use to much battery because the use of GPS
• You would like to update your location when you are inside. Inside GPS does not work
• The degree of accuracy is something you would like regulate. Are you in Amsterdam? or are you on Prinsengracht 404?)
  
• You are not sure which apps update where and when. Too many apps slurping your location. Not sure about the interval. You need to manage all these settings.
• Location Updates when automated are not a social gesture. There is meaning behind location updates. When we automate this the meaning is lost..
• You need to start up separate apps to update your location. It should be made possible to update from “where” you already are on the web (and that is twitter of course ;-))

That’s why we built WhereMeNow. It’s probably the easiest way to update your location. You regulate the accuracy. You decide when. It uses Twitter to do so.. Here is how it works..

1. Go to www.wheremenow.com and fill in your Twittername and click the link to Fire Eagle button.

2. Authorize WhereMeNow to update your account on FireEagle

3. Done! You now just tweet your location to @wheremenow..

Some cool things about this service:

• Everybody sees in twitter where you are. Updates are now social.
• It’s a H.U.M.A.N. who makes the update
• You get a confirmation tweet back when you updated
• We will create a personal page on WhereMeNow with you last updated location on http://wheremenow.com/[twittername] (planned to launch this tomorrow)
• We will add a RSS button to your personal page so people can see where you are in other parts of the web.

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Picture from Annejan

On january 8th we organised the biggest Android Dev Camp in the world. 250 people participated at the event. During this event we announced a Dev Challenge. Developers had 2,5 weeks time to submit their Android application. In the end we received 22 working Android applications. WHOHHOOOO! We did not expect such a big turnout. I was also a jurymember and saw all the 22 applications. The submitted apps can be categorised in 4 segments: Tools, Loc. based services, Games and Messaging.

Anyway yesterday(Feb. 29th) the winners were announced. All winners got a G1 and will be part of T-Mobile’s advertising campaign around the launch of G1.

1st Prize Metermaid:

Additional prize: Ticket to Silicon Valley

Martin Koel and Alida Roskam

Category: Tool

Usecase: Making parking at parkingmeters easier and quicker.

How does it work: It basically makes composing an SMS for your parkingservice easier by bookmarking.

Uniqueness: Makes use of all existing parkingservices. You can bookmark license plates and locations.

Gigfinder Roeland Landegent and Mark Bekkers:

Mapbased Gigfinder. Uses the GPS function in the phone. Gets gigs from Last.fm. When you find a nice Gig. You can find your way towards it with Google Maps.

Backchannel Eelco Lempsink:

This service blew me away. It uses ZeroConf to set up a wifi chatroom. You just need to enter a name and start chatting in the wifi hotspot you are in. everybody else in the hotspot that has this application open can receives your messages. Eelco just needs to figure out how to position and brand his service

Treasuremytext Paul Stringer:

Tresuremytext saves your sms messages to web automatically. Very handy if you treasure your messages. Watch out that you dont publish your messages accidently on the treasuremytext website. The whole sign-up procedure is still too complicated. Katie was happy with the price

Nukaart Sander Stefann, Arjen Haayman and Max Dammers

Nukaart shows all articles from nu.nl on a map. It has a great graphical user interface. It already an existing on the web ported to Android

Check Android Market on your G1 for the apps.

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I am a cyclist and live in Amsterdam. Although I know my way around I still sometimes want to know if there is a better route of just see what the distance is. And as a cyclist i cant do that well on TomTom or a web route planner. Those are for cars.

Until Routecraft that is. Ever since they came online I use it. It’s a sweet web app with smart features which not just gives you the route but also the amount of tree’s that you save while cycling.

And now they will launch their Iphone app on December 12th. I’ll download it!

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