Posted By
Jamie Beckland on 03/15/2010
Location-based services (LBS) are going to be needed to transform the digital lifestyle. You
want your lights to come on and your garage door to open as you're coming home
without interacting with the technology. LBS can make this possible. Imagine a
world where Foursquare knows that you are
a mile away from home, so it turns the thermostat up to a comfy 70 degrees.
That means that you are saving money all day long. And, as long as your pets
don't complain too much, that's bank.
Also, this model plays out with the concept of TV
everywhere. Cable companies use location now to determine what kind of content
you get, especially when it comes to sporting events. There is no reason that
LBS can't automatically update you wherever you are when your preferred team
scores a goal or hits a long outside shot. The information can find you.
Kids today are digital natives. That means that they can't
even imagine what life was like before the status update. The implication is
that they will be sharing their location by default—and living the
"digital lifestyle," which is an overused buzzword, but really just
means that technology is assumed. They assume there will be WiFi. They
assume that they will be able to Skype their friend. They assume that they will
be able to text their parents to say that they will miss curfew (but only by 10
minutes because they are already on their way).
The digital lifestyle is really just "the
lifestyle" now. LBS makes it a reality. It's all the buzz at SXSW.
Tags: social networks
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