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Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Two to Three Years
Location-based services provide content that is dynamically customized according to the user’s location. These services are easily (and commonly) delivered to mobile devices, but can also be accessed from any Internet-capable device. Current common applications for location-based services include advertising, news, social networking, and similar services. A growing number of mobile applications are taking advantage of the built-in geolocation capability that is increasingly a standard feature in mobile devices. Media such as photos and video, as well as the simplicity of geotagging, will be important aspects of location-based services as they continue to develop.
Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Two to Three YearsLocation-based services provide content that is dynamically customized according to the user’s location. These services are easily (and commonly) delivered to mobile devices, but can also be accessed from any Internet-capable device. Current common applications for location-based services include advertising, news, social networking, and similar services. A growing number of mobile applications are taking advantage of the built-in geolocation capability that is increasingly a standard feature in mobile devices. Media such as photos and video, as well as the simplicity of geotagging, will be important aspects of location-based services as they continue to develop.
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Location-based services have some features in common with augmented reality (for example, they are commonly accessed via a mobile device), but they are distinct in that the services are not overlaid with the real world, but rather keyed to provide information and content about services available near one’s current location. With the advent of mobile-embedded GPS technology, location-based services are among the fastest growing families of mobile tools. Early applications focused on marketing, advertising, and social networking: consumers could discover retailers and venues near them offering services of interest, and easily connect with friends and colleagues in the area. New tools are emerging that focus on tourism, public art, learning, jogging and other interest areas.
Location-based services have some features in common with augmented reality (for example, they are commonly accessed via a mobile device), but they are distinct in that the services are not overlaid with the real world, but rather keyed to provide information and content about services available near one’s current location. With the advent of mobile-embedded GPS technology, location-based services are among the fastest growing families of mobile tools. Early applications focused on marketing, advertising, and social networking: consumers could discover retailers and venues near them offering services of interest, and easily connect with friends and colleagues in the area. New tools are emerging that focus on tourism, public art, learning, jogging and other interest areas.4
There are three ways that mobiles discern location, described here at decreasing levels of resolution: geolocation, cell tower triangulation, and wireless Internet access points. Tools for developers are lowering the bar to creating location-based applications; while programming skills are still required, systems like TransGo by TransFormat enable rapid development of location-based applications using GPS, RFID, network triangulation, and other technologies. Digital resources can be connected with physical locations and objects very easily, so that once location is established, tools can direct users to locations in a particular area that offer information, products, or services useful in that physical context.
There are three ways that mobiles discern location, described here at decreasing levels of resolution: geolocation, cell tower triangulation, and wireless Internet access points. Tools for developers are lowering the bar to creating location-based applications; while programming skills are still required, systems like TransGo by TransFormat enable rapid development of location-based applications using GPS, RFID, network triangulation, and other technologies. Digital resources can be connected with physical locations and objects very easily, so that once location is established, tools can direct users to locations in a particular area that offer information, products, or services useful in that physical context. 5
Information about nearby stores, cafés, buildings, landmarks, or other fixed features is commonplace; a growing use of location-based services is to locate friends who may be nearby or who have common interests or experiences. Educational applications for location-based services are currently designed along the same lines, delivering relevant place-based information and allowing easy geotagging of captured data. Location-specific data can be displayed in a variety of ways: photographs, videos, or text overlaid on maps, photos, or live views of the area, for instance, or listed by location name and address. Contextual information can include historical data, weather reports, locations of nearby people, objects, and places, and so on.
Information about nearby stores, cafés, buildings, landmarks, or other fixed features is commonplace; a growing use of location-based services is to locate friends who may be nearby or who have common interests or experiences. Educational applications for location-based services are currently designed along the same lines, delivering relevant place-based information and allowing easy geotagging of captured data. Location-specific data can be displayed in a variety of ways: photographs, videos, or text overlaid on maps, photos, or live views of the area, for instance, or listed by location name and address. Contextual information can include historical data, weather reports, locations of nearby people, objects, and places, and so on. 6
Location-based services offer a number of interesting possibilities to engage in a deeper level of interactivity with visitors. Many museums are already taking advantage of location-based tools and applications. Foursquare (http://foursquare.com), for example, is a mobile application embraced by many museums that determines a user’s location, suggests a list of nearby places, and awards points to users that check in from those and other venues. Users can add “to-do” items related to places they visit, and museum staff can add tips and to-do recommendations as well. By earning the most points in a single location, a person can become the “mayor” of that venue. A few innovative museums are using Foursquare to their advantage by offering store or café discounts to the current “mayor” and by creating to-do items that lead visitors to their location in order to win the points associated with completing the activity.
Location-based services offer a number of interesting possibilities to engage in a deeper level of interactivity with visitors. Many museums are already taking advantage of location-based tools and applications. Foursquare (http://foursquare.com), for example, is a mobile application embraced by many museums that determines a user’s location, suggests a list of nearby places, and awards points to users that check in from those and other venues. Users can add “to-do” items related to places they visit, and museum staff can add tips and to-do recommendations as well. By earning the most points in a single location, a person can become the “mayor” of that venue. A few innovative museums are using Foursquare to their advantage by offering store or café discounts to the current “mayor” and by creating to-do items that lead visitors to their location in order to win the points associated with completing the activity.7
It is readily apparent that there is some overlap among the technologies described in this report — mobiles, augmented reality, and location-based services in particular. Many of these applications are converging, as in mobile applications that use location-based information to deliver augmented reality content to the mobile’s screen. Applications like Layar, for instance, might easily appear under any of those topics. It is also clear that applications that support augmented reality or location-based services are being developed so that the device upon which they run is not important. Many of these applications are available for desktop or laptop computers as well as for mobile devices of all kinds.
It is readily apparent that there is some overlap among the technologies described in this report — mobiles, augmented reality, and location-based services in particular. Many of these applications are converging, as in mobile applications that use location-based information to deliver augmented reality content to the mobile’s screen. Applications like Layar, for instance, might easily appear under any of those topics. It is also clear that applications that support augmented reality or location-based services are being developed so that the device upon which they run is not important. Many of these applications are available for desktop or laptop computers as well as for mobile devices of all kinds.9
Location-based services offer a ripe opportunity for museums to extend their reach into the community as well as improving their educational offerings to visitors in the galleries. With more GPS-enabled devices in the hands of consumers — consumers with the resources to own a smart phone — the market for location-based applications is growing. From helping visitors find the museum to providing customized contextual services in the museum or out in the community, museums now have the means to reach patrons when and where they are ready to engage with the world of art, history, culture, or science.
Location-based services offer a ripe opportunity for museums to extend their reach into the community as well as improving their educational offerings to visitors in the galleries. With more GPS-enabled devices in the hands of consumers — consumers with the resources to own a smart phone — the market for location-based applications is growing. From helping visitors find the museum to providing customized contextual services in the museum or out in the community, museums now have the means to reach patrons when and where they are ready to engage with the world of art, history, culture, or science. 10
Some museums, for example, are using location-based services as a way to offer walking tours that point out locations where pieces were created, indicate what the city looked like centuries ago, or provide information on historic buildings or sites as the viewer stands in front of them. Others are helping the visitor interested in a particular painting or sculpture to discover other nearby works by the same artist, other pieces that feature the same subject matter — or related content in the museum store!
Some museums, for example, are using location-based services as a way to offer walking tours that point out locations where pieces were created, indicate what the city looked like centuries ago, or provide information on historic buildings or sites as the viewer stands in front of them. Others are helping the visitor interested in a particular painting or sculpture to discover other nearby works by the same artist, other pieces that feature the same subject matter — or related content in the museum store!11
Services designed to support businesses, like Yowza!! (http://www.getyowza.com), work with merchants to offer coupons to mobile users; these can easily be adapted for museum use. Yowza!! lists and locates nearby restaurants and retailers that are advertising sales or offering coupons and tracks how many times each coupon is used, when it has expired or been used up, and how much was saved by using the coupons. Guides like these can direct visitors to a museum’s location, suggest nearby venues for dining or shopping, and advertise special exhibitions or sales in the museum’s store.
Services designed to support businesses, like Yowza!! (http://www.getyowza.com), work with merchants to offer coupons to mobile users; these can easily be adapted for museum use. Yowza!! lists and locates nearby restaurants and retailers that are advertising sales or offering coupons and tracks how many times each coupon is used, when it has expired or been used up, and how much was saved by using the coupons. Guides like these can direct visitors to a museum’s location, suggest nearby venues for dining or shopping, and advertise special exhibitions or sales in the museum’s store.13
- Education and Interpretation. Location-based services allow a museum to extend its collection into the world beyond its walls. For example, simply geotagging public artworks can provide an easy mechanism to lead a visitor to the museum’s website or establish waypoints on a walking tour that ties into a current exhibition.
- Exhibitions and Collections. Location-based services within museums can “pin” information to a given object or gallery location and have it pushed to a user once he or she has reached that location. (This approach to the delivery of location-based services is known as geocaching).
- Marketing and Communications. Museums can use location-based services to push information to audiences based on where they are within the city, building or grounds. Tourists, for instance, can access information about nearby cultural attractions, museums, and other points of interest using their mobiles, while gallery visitors can receive information tailored to the exhibit they are looking at.
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Compass and Camera Used in Location-Based Apps for G1
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/02/compass-and-cam
Museums and other cultural centers can benefit from apps like Nru (‘near you’), which shows either a bird’s eye view of the surroundings or detailed information on a particular building or structure, depending on how the mobile device is held.
Compass and Camera Used in Location-Based Apps for G1http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/02/compass-and-cam
Museums and other cultural centers can benefit from apps like Nru (‘near you’), which shows either a bird’s eye view of the surroundings or detailed information on a particular building or structure, depending on how the mobile device is held.
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Map.pr
http://map.pr/
This service shows popular locations by type — restaurant, entertainment, sights — giving an at-a-glance overview of which are the most frequented. Users can add tips and to-do items for a location as well, and see what others recommend.
Map.pr http://map.pr/
This service shows popular locations by type — restaurant, entertainment, sights — giving an at-a-glance overview of which are the most frequented. Users can add tips and to-do items for a location as well, and see what others recommend.
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MoMA – Museum of Modern Art
http://foursquare.com/venue/241470
Foursquare is a location-based social application that allows members to let their friends know where they are and what they are doing. MoMa has a large Foursquare following and helps its members to collect points and prize ‘badges.’
MoMA – Museum of Modern Art http://foursquare.com/venue/241470
Foursquare is a location-based social application that allows members to let their friends know where they are and what they are doing. MoMa has a large Foursquare following and helps its members to collect points and prize ‘badges.’
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Museum of the Phantom City
http://phantomcity.org/
This innovative project creates a virtual mosaic of architectural ideas for New York City proposed by leading architects and designers over the decades, offering a vision of what might have been. The museum is entirely virtual, with its content tied to the location where it might have been built.
Museum of the Phantom Cityhttp://phantomcity.org/
This innovative project creates a virtual mosaic of architectural ideas for New York City proposed by leading architects and designers over the decades, offering a vision of what might have been. The museum is entirely virtual, with its content tied to the location where it might have been built.
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Streetmuseum
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/MuseumOfLondon/Resources/app/you-are-here-app/index.html
In 2010 The Museum of London introduced a new, location-based application that allows the user to browse historical photographs as they travel around London.
Streetmuseumhttp://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/MuseumOfLondon/Resources/app/you-are-here-app/index.html
In 2010 The Museum of London introduced a new, location-based application that allows the user to browse historical photographs as they travel around London.
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The following articles and resources are recommended for those who wish to learn more about location-based services.
The following articles and resources are recommended for those who wish to learn more about location-based services.23
7 Things You Should Know about Location-Aware Applications
http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutLocat/163839
(Educause, March 2009.) This brief report discusses how location-based services can be applied in the service of education.
7 Things You Should Know about Location-Aware Applications http://www.educause.edu/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutLocat/163839
(Educause, March 2009.) This brief report discusses how location-based services can be applied in the service of education.
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2009: The Year of LBS (Location-Based Services)
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/2009_the_year_of_lbs_location-based_services.php
(Sarah Perez, ReadWriteWeb, 7 July 2009.) From finding the nearest coffee shop to tracking your children, location-based services offer a host of solutions to everyday problems.
2009: The Year of LBS (Location-Based Services)http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/2009_the_year_of_lbs_location-based_services.php
(Sarah Perez, ReadWriteWeb, 7 July 2009.) From finding the nearest coffee shop to tracking your children, location-based services offer a host of solutions to everyday problems.
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The Era of Location-as-Platform Has Arrived
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/foursquare_location_platform.php
(Marshall Kirkpatrick, ReadWriteWeb, 25 January 2010.) This article discusses the potential of location-based services such as Foursquare, Twitter, and those offered by Google.
The Era of Location-as-Platform Has Arrivedhttp://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/foursquare_location_platform.php
(Marshall Kirkpatrick, ReadWriteWeb, 25 January 2010.) This article discusses the potential of location-based services such as Foursquare, Twitter, and those offered by Google.
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Location-Based Services in 2014: Part 1 and 2
http://geothought.blogspot.com/2009/10/location-based-services-in-2014-part-1.html
(Peter Batty, Geothought, 19 October 2009.) This article describes in detail the ways location-based services are expected to evolve in the next 4-5 years.
Location-Based Services in 2014: Part 1 and 2http://geothought.blogspot.com/2009/10/location-based-services-in-2014-part-1.html
(Peter Batty, Geothought, 19 October 2009.) This article describes in detail the ways location-based services are expected to evolve in the next 4-5 years.
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Place Your Bets 2010 – Location-Based Services + Augmented Reality
http://www.thetrendwatch.com/2010/01/18/place-your-bets-2010-location-based-services-augmented-reality/
(Luis Freitas, The TrendWatch, 18 January 2010.) This article considers the integration of augmented reality and location-based services with an eye to searching and finding locations — in the physical world as well as the virtual.
Place Your Bets 2010 – Location-Based Services + Augmented Realityhttp://www.thetrendwatch.com/2010/01/18/place-your-bets-2010-location-based-services-augmented-reality/
(Luis Freitas, The TrendWatch, 18 January 2010.) This article considers the integration of augmented reality and location-based services with an eye to searching and finding locations — in the physical world as well as the virtual.
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Why Hasn’t Location Reached the Mainstream Yet?
http://mashable.com/2010/05/13/location-mainstream/
(Leah Betancourt, Mashable, 13 May 2010.) This article reviews some of the challenges surrounding location-based services and describes how some of the larger social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, are poised to push this technology into the mainstream. Betancourt also addresses the value of ‘check-in’ apps such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp and BrightKite, proposing that these bring value to location within a social context.
Why Hasn’t Location Reached the Mainstream Yet? http://mashable.com/2010/05/13/location-mainstream/
(Leah Betancourt, Mashable, 13 May 2010.) This article reviews some of the challenges surrounding location-based services and describes how some of the larger social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, are poised to push this technology into the mainstream. Betancourt also addresses the value of ‘check-in’ apps such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp and BrightKite, proposing that these bring value to location within a social context.
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Delicious: Location-Based Services
http://delicious.com/tag/hz10mu+locationservices
(Tagged by Horizon Advisory Board and friends, 2010). Follow this link to find additional resources tagged for this topic and this edition of the Horizon Report. To add to this list, simply tag resources with “hz10mu” and “locationservices” when you save them to Delicious.
Delicious: Location-Based Serviceshttp://delicious.com/tag/hz10mu+locationservices
(Tagged by Horizon Advisory Board and friends, 2010). Follow this link to find additional resources tagged for this topic and this edition of the Horizon Report. To add to this list, simply tag resources with “hz10mu” and “locationservices” when you save them to Delicious.
