Location aware web
applications
I am here !!
Subramanyan Murali
Yahoo! India

“The three most important factors in buying
a home are, location, location, location!”
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Web
• History has shown us that Distance is
irrelevant over the web
• Internet users historically preferred
anonymity
• Blogging and User generated content
started off sharing
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I can tell where you are
• Global positioning devices
– GPS enable mobiles, Iphone
– Car navigation systems
• Web based map services
– Yahoo! Maps
– Google Maps
– MSN live
• Geo IP
• Cell Tower signaling
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Location data is important
• People relate to the place they are in
• Take comfort in knowing things around
them
– Driving directions, bus routes
– Hospitals, ATMs, Bank, Hotel, Malls
• You socialize with people around you
– Friends and Relatives, Car pools
– Door to door services
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2008 and mapping
• Wired magazine listed out top 10 location
aware apps in 2008
• Trendwatching called it “MapMania”
• Iphone enabled many location aware apps
• Techradar said “Social networking goes
location aware”
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Socially relevant
• Social networking takes a whole new
meaning
• Application can present more relevant
information
• Connections are meaningful and sticky
• Information is more relevant
• New dimension to tagging
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Socially relevant …
Loca%on store
Web apps
Loca%on data
aggrega%on
Loca%on data
Friends
Social Apps
World wide web
Mobile Devices
Loca%on services
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Socially relevant …
• Historically, Social Apps have been time
centric. Adding location makes it even
more relevant
• Ads can be targeted better
• The widespread deployment of sensing
technologies will make location-aware
applications part of everyday life
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What developers have today
• Map Services
– Presentation platforms
• Yahoo! Ajax API
• Google Ajax API
– Data services
• Yahoo! Geo Planet APIs
• Geo-coders
• Real time traffic servers
• Fire Eagle location store
• Google Routing service
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What developers have today …
• Where on Earth Ids (WOID)
• Platforms
– Android Mobile platform
– iPhone
– Face book social apps platform
• Hardware
– GPS enabled phones
– Car GPS systems
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Developers toolbox
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Look further
• Your network responds to your location
– Network uses the right proxies automatically
• Locate misplaced items
– Dog collars
– Track your packages
• Location and travel aware Calendar
applications
• Location aware Alarms and reminders
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Look further …
• Automatic Restaurant and hotel
recommendations
• Social connections in your neighborhood
• Meet up people
• Predict travel patterns and make
intelligent recommendations
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Use cases
• Look at Friends on Fire Face book App
– Fire Eagle Backend
• Socialight – Location aware mobile
application
• iNap – Travel alarm
• Whrrl – Social Mapping service
iNap
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Thank You
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