There are no shortage of whispers out there right now as to what Facebook’s plans for location are. With rival Twitter having recently announced its geolocation API, the pressure is on the larger network to deliver something. Tomorrow will bring a step in that direction, as Nokia will announce a new service at its Nokia World event that will utilize location within Facebook, we’ve learned.
Now, to be clear, this is not Facebook officially getting into the game itself yet, but it’s big enough that Henri Moissinac, Facebook’s director of mobile, will apparently be using his keynote address at Nokia World to unveil this, we’ve heard.
The app looks to be a direct result of the Nokia purchase of the location-based social network Plazes, in the summer of 2008. As you can see in the screenshot below, an Ovi Map (Nokia’s map property) will reside inside of Facebook and show where you are. It can also update your Facebook status with your location, and a link to it on one of these maps.
Other services such as Yahoo’s Fire Eagle and Whrrl have applications to set your location within Facebook, but those are still rather cumbersome to use, and haven’t taken off within Facebook. Presumably, this Nokia announcement would also be tied into its mobile devices, which could get it access to millions of users right off the bat.
It’s also interesting that this Nokia/Facebook concept appears to work around “checking-in” places, which is what services like Foursquare (and Plazes before it), use for location. That’s different from something like Google Latitude or Loopt, which simply track your location.
At some point, Facebook is going to have to get off the bench and throw its considerable weight into the location-based services arena itself. That’s definitely happening, we’ve heard from many sources, but the question is, when? For now, partnerships will have to do.
Not sure about these tools that empower stalkers
+1
I kinda wonder if people (especially “privacy advocates”) consider the long term ramifications of this tech?
I’m moving to a cave and investing in tinfoil hat manufacturers as soon as the government requires RFID implants.
Facebook > Privacy Settings > Profile > Status and Links > Choose who you want to be able to view status updates.
If you are worried about getting stalked or murdered by friends shouldn’t the question be why you let them on your Facebook in the first place?
it’s not about my friends. it’s about the uninformed who may learn the hard way.
:rolleyes:
So you think people who have no idea what the app does will unknowingly seek it out and install it and begin sharing location with people who could possibly use it for no good?
geo location is definitely the buzz word in the coming months.. imagine the possibilities! targeted ads according to your location.. able to see updates of people around your location.. finding businesses and things you wants near your current location..
the partnership is obviously another way of cash in-flow for facebook.. interesting model..
not sure where you’ve been, but this has been going on for a long, long time in adult.
Now to compete with the Geolocation API, Nokia World event is going to utilize location within Facebook with the help of the Nokia OVI map. This app looks to be a direct result of the Nokia Purchase of the location-based social network Places.
Anyway this partnership is obviously another way of cash in-flow for facebook!
the tip of a massive iceberg. 70% of disposable income is spent within 10 miles of where your at. got plot?
Facebook is going to have to get off the bench and throw its considerable weight into the location-based services arena itself..
>>>> Implementing geo-location options in Facebook will sure be a wonderful service. Twitter has just launched this. Hope Facebook will soon announce the location launch and help me find out the actual location of my friends and fans.
This will be the best feature on Facebook if they adds Geo locator finder of your friends and fans across the world.
Ovi does not seem to have support for chrome…With chrome’s growing share in the browser market, I would have expected that facebook to look at a service that supported all major browsers.
http://jyothipr...h.wordpress.com
Why the F### should I tell anybody (except my wife) where I am?
Because Facebook tells me to?
Eff Facebook.
MG,
Some day we’ll get you excited about our service again. Maybe I’ll just bribe you with beer next time I run into you
Yahoo’s Fire Eagle is by the best service IMHO because it provides a API for app developers to hook into be they mobile apps or web based sports tracking
it means I can choose what i publish to what websites
if facebook was smart they would use this kind of thing for their photo’s and hook it into a review type system
you would be able to choose the map/data provider be it Yahoo’s Fire Eagle or googles latitude or Live Maps
but the data would be published to facebook raw
so if I look at fb and use yahoo I see that service but if a Live Maps user use’s it they see it on that service…
you just need to decide on the tag format for photos
then provide a api to update current location
then hook into a review/branding system for local things (and provide a way for people to claim their location/business for a fee and provide a page for that location) watch the $ come in
BTW facebook please quote me I am quite happy for you to take this idea and run with it !
have fun
John
http://www.johnjones.me.uk
I wish Apple would support FireEagle or provide a location subscription server for networked apps.
For example, an iPhone user could give Facebook and Yelp permission to subscribe to the user’s location feed. The location feed is sent by the iPhone to FireEagle or Apple’s own location subscription server. Network based apps can have their server sip on that feed even if the app is not running.
For carpool or rideshare apps for example, users may want to allow access of their location data to the app’s network.
Thus you negate the need for an app to run in the background to send location data, by letting the iPhone core OS handle it.
I completely agree with you. But this platform should be available on all handsets. I searched the web some time ago and ran into a company called Aloqa (http://www.aloqa.com). They offer this platform as an app and everyone can develop his own channel using their APIs.
They already have a Facebook integration, which notifies you, when a Facebook friend is close by. Aloqa claims it’s updating in real-time and so far it worked in my case. BTW: Any idea why loopt and Google latitude are only doing periodic updates?
The position of my friend wasn’t shown to me on a map, I was only told he is closer than 1 mile, which I thought in the beginning is a missing feature but actually I like it that way my friends don’t know where exactly I’ve been.
So it seems, that they are providing this functionality and want to solve the problem without Apple, Android, etc. Interesting approach, if their app will get distribution.
John, sounds like Aloqa has a much better solution. I can see that their approach will enable not just connectivity among Facebook friends but across a wide variety of social networks (Orkut, MySpace, LinkedIn…) seamlessly and in a proactive manner. Have you heard or read anything about an iPhone implementation for Aloqa?
Frank
Seems to be a good move by both Nokia and Facebook
Seems to be a good move by both Nokia and Facebook if true
You’re now a video site like facebook is like video sharing is not very nice in another respect, I think everyone can be friends with you, or are running in order outside of obscene clips , merter cicekci merterde cicekci
What I really want is a cool Symbian facebook app, that’s what we need really
I wrote a post about this back in May, it was always on the horizon. Facebook and Twitter are perfect for location considering how much of the updates are now done from mobile (Facebook now has 20% of its user base using the mobile site) it will defo enhance the experience of the site for many users. And if you don’t like the idea, simple, just turn it off
Check out the post:
http://mobilein...es-on-facebook/
Tech Crunch. Please get rid of the Meebo toolbar. It really messes with my TechCrunch experience when you have large emails. I hate the hover over
http://www.trad...aspx?symbol=nok
Also I think the main difficulty for Facebook will be getting location to work across handsets without GPS as many operators don’t allow location lookups via WAP browsing. I’m guessing they are looking to do deals with operators?
Awsome, so not only can stalkers know all they need to know, they can also ‘accidently’ bump into you at your local watering hole. Brilliant.
Thanks Facebook.
and here is a simply location sharing via emai:
http://servlets...te.com/geomail/
try it from iPhone for example
The virtual life people have on the Internet is also an escape from their real life.
Geo-location makes their virtual life approaching their real life. Something people might not want.
I think it’s something people do want as a option which they can control.
Facebook if they adds Geo locator finder of your friends and fans across the world.
We are researchers studying people’s attitudes towards Google Latitude. If you have heard of Google Latitude (whether you have used it or not) and are at least 18 years old, we would like to talk with you. Please email us back at ucistudy@ics.uci.edu
We are conducting this research under the Institute for Software Research at the University of California, Irvine.
FB is not stupid to force the location application on people. you will surely have an option to choose whether you want to let your friends (or everyone, or group of friends) see where you are. And if you are paranoid about it, why use it? I just think this is a new avenue which is being tried for sometime now (w/o a lot of success) and has tremendous economic benefits. See services like Centrl (it is also a FB application), G. Latitude, Brightkite to get a feel of things. Keep in mind though that these services didnt really take off. Would love to hear from people about their opinions as to why!!