After reading this article on CNN, I may be a convert to the idea. Maybe not FourSquare, but the Shopkick and Geoloqi concepts are really interesting. What girl wouldn't go for the idea of earning discounts at clothing stores for taking a simple picture or just being in the vacinity. Currently, Shopkick is only available in large cities, I sure hope it comes down south soon!
Geoloqi sounds awesome. I want my grocery list to be texted to me when I am arriving at a grocery store. And, running late to work? No worries! The app will email your boss for you (my husband needs this one...)
While it is a little freaky that you are being tracked 24/7, in reality, these apps/programs could make life and business easier and more interactive. Is there a better way to advertise and create customer loyalty than encouraging them to become the mayor of your store/restaurant/bar? (FourSquare. Some people are growing fatigued of checking in to their locations; don't worry, you can set up automatic updates.)
And, Yelp, the venue review site helps businesses immediately adapt to customers wants, complaints, and needs (if they read the reviews, of course!). As consumers review restaurants, we are able to assist other customers in making decisions while also assisting businesses make new business decisions.
I recently bought a new phone, a Google Android MyTouch 3G. (My first internet friendly phone!) There is an option to set my phone up so that it will automatically change settings depending whether I am at work, home, or school. I have not set this program up yet because I am just not sure I want my phone to outsmart me... I guess this is so you can have a dreary setting while working and happy when at home?!
While most of these programs/applications are really intriguing, they are also a little bit scary as they step a little bit too hard on the toes of privacy.
One thing that I wonder about is whether or not such advancements in technology are really more convenient, or whether they are really just gimmicky and have little to add to the convenience of our everyday lives. Geoloqi, for example sounds awesome, but it really can only be of any use if we keep a running list on our computer of the things that we need to buy at the store. For most purposes, keeping a grocery list on your computer is probably more of a hassle than keeping a running physical list on your fridge. This would be convenient, but only in the event that you kept a good grocery list on your comp in the first place and then forgot to print it out.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, a program that emails your boss when you are running late would be great in certain situations. But like all automated messages, there is the potential for problems. Imagine the confusion that it could create if you were out of town on business or if you happened to be on vacation and forgot to turn the program off. Or if your message was sent automatically because you were a few minutes late but you would prefer that your boss NOT have documentary evidence of this fact (say you were trying to sneak in a few minutes late without him/her knowing!).
I guess while I find such technology as cool and interesting as the next person, I often question whether it actually makes my life any more convenient that it would be without it.