My principal interest in mobile applications is to push the boundaries of innovation to create uniquely mobile experiences. I hope my blogs excite and challenge developers to think 'outside the box'.
Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 06 September, 2006 18:13
Today one of my PhD students Will Bamford launched our academic project LocoBlog to investigate users socio-technical experiences related to location based mobile blogging. In a nutshell we have created a J2ME application (initial prototype developed in Python) that allows you to link up your phone via Bluetooth to a GPS unit and then create blogs of text and pictures which are the tagged with latitude and longitude as shown below.
The application loads these blogs to a mash-up running Google Maps to create a kind of travelogue whereby you can the retrace your journeys through time and space rather than in the linear time of traditional blogs. Here is an example that shows part of my recent trip to
If any one wants to participate in the experiment we can send you the application (contact details on the site) and all we would request is that you provided us with feedback that we will use for academic purposes only. Unfortunately we cant help you with the data costs so check you have a good tariff.
Entertainment, Java, Location Based Services |
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Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 07/09/2006, 20:45
KevinThanks for your comments and we will send you out a copy asap and you should have in plenty of time for the London Smart phone show. I am trying to rearrange some of my teaching at the moment so I will hopefully see you there.
We had thought about a Google Earth version but I dont have a Pro copy at the moment. However, Google did say they would look into supplying me with one after I gave a tech talk for their London Office. If that comes through (hint) we will certainly be trying it out asap.
PS: Dante always tends to look fairly pleased with himself as only a five year old can.
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
tote_b5 | 08/09/2006, 05:02
Very cool, Paul! I was also impressed by this app when you showed it to me in Budapest, but now I'm shocked to see how good and nice-looking it is. The next big step would be to save and store these pics and associated information (like longitude, altitude) on a del.icio.us-like web site. So that other could also check them out and add their own.Tote
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 08/09/2006, 10:35
GaborThanks for your comments we are really pleased with the response to the project thus far. You are correct the next stage will to build some more community based functionality around the software and ultimately have it such that it could be incorporated into more general blogging sites by possibly making it open source.
It was very nice to meet up with you in Budapest and I hope the pictures do it justice.
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
tote_b5 | 13/09/2006, 14:14
Paul,You might be interested in that others are also very well aware of the capabilities of GPS and IP combo: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127117-pg,1-RSS,RSS/article.html.
Gabor
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 13/09/2006, 14:34
GaborI think we will see more and more projects in this area as it is readily accepted as one prime for growth. Indeed that is one of my motivators for this study to find out what users would desire from such services? How they will use them? And what are the barriers to adoption?
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
alpinesicherheitcom | 19/09/2006, 22:42
Users can post their risk receptions e.g. on canyoning. The result looks like a blog:
http://www.alpinesicherheit.com/canyoning/meldungen.html
The posts relate to the canyoning gorges - users can now search postings by geography:
http://www.alpinesicherheit.com/canyoning/schluchtenfuehrer.html
This very interesting LocoBlog would help bringing time and space together. LocoBlog would be very interesting in Alpine outdoor risk management.
Christian Klingler, ASI, Austria
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 20/09/2006, 10:22
ChristianWe actually developed this idea through working Geography and a number of them suggested it could benefit a lot of fieldwork. We are think of developing a version for collaborative mapping which could then be used on something like your project.
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
bardonelgen | 19/09/2006, 23:19
Our SemaWorx Project has introduced a Bluetooth beacon earlier this year [ http://blog.semaworx.eu/semaworx-started-up/admin/2006/02/21/semaworx-prototype-introduced ] which can direct-push coordinates or URIs to your phone.
We*re currently working on a backend to collect the context-related data.
Bardo
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 20/09/2006, 10:29
BardoI did some work on using phones with Bluetooth as beacon points in a game to create a portable infrastructure. One of the problems we felt for scaling (similar to that of PlaceLab) was the mapping problem to get as many devices as possible and separating mobile from fixed. I would be interested in looking at your solution though.
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
senthilruban | 20/09/2006, 10:01
It is really cool project. I know about mobile blogging. However this location based blogging very useful for traveller and tourist where they can easily record their travel findings and notes. As Kevin mentioned, Google also another point to improve where you can create bookmark. I am looking forward to seeing your client application and web site.
Regards
Senthil
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 20/09/2006, 10:34
SenthilThanks for your comment I am glad people are seeing the same potential as we envisaged.
In regard to Google, the Google Maps API is improving all the time (something for which I am very grateful) and they have a facility where you can move points about the Map which could indeed be used for bookmarks.
regards
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
paninizuercher | 27/10/2006, 10:15
Thanks
Stephan
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 27/10/2006, 10:30
StephanNot had a new N series to test it on yet unfortunately. However have shown the app works on an E61 (obvioulsy without camera) so you could download it from www.locoblog.com and try it and I think it will be fine (certainly wont do any harm). I will get it tested properly as soon as possible.
cheers
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 27/10/2006, 19:17
StephanTried it on an N80 works fine so if you want to try it download the S60 version from the site.
enjoy
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
paninizuercher | 31/10/2006, 14:14
Thanks for looking into this. I alsotried and indeed the app runs on my N80. Now I have the reason to buy a GPS module :-)
Thanks again
Stephan
Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
coultonp | 31/10/2006, 14:30
StephanNo problem I am glad people are so willing to try the application and I must be doing wonders for GPS sales. Incendently if anyone has a new Nokia 5500 i have just tried it on that and it also works fine.
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My principal interest in mobile applications is to push the boundaries of innovation to create uniquely mobile experiences. I hope my blogs excite and challenge developers to think 'outside the box'.
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Re: Location Based Mobile Blogging
kevinauthor | 07/09/2006, 20:11
This is cool. I checked out the LocoBlogs site (Dante looks quite pleased with himself putting up that tent) and I pinged Will for a copy. Hopefully I'll have one in place in time for my trip to the Symbian Smartphone show next month.
Have you and Will investigated also mashing up with Google Earth? Probably not something that's practical to stream to a mobile, but the "flying" UI experience of GE could be quite stunning mashed with personal photoblogs.
--Kevin