“Location” has been one of the most frequently used buzzwords in the web industry recently, with i.e. Twitter, Facebook and Google having substantially stepped up efforts in that area in the last few months. TechCrunch has always been particularly bullish about location-based mobile social networks, with Loopt, Brightkite or, most recently, Foursquare among the big names.
But there are more location-based social networks out there, and one of them, Centrl, is now intending to further bridge the gap between mobile phone users and the web at large (a move we called for last year). The service, which has been available on the iPhone [iTunes link], Android, BlackBerry [JAD file] and Nokia since May 2008, extended its offering with a web app a few days ago. The service runs within major social networks and lets you login from your existing accounts (on Facebook, MySpace, iGoogle, Friendster, Ning, Hi5, bebo, Orkut, iTimes, or Sonico) on any platform and device, which means there’s no need to register. (It’s free to use in all variations, too).
iPhone and Facebook versions (click to enlarge):
Centrl’s new web application basically does all what the mobile version does: broadcast your own location to your friends, help users find coupons, restaurants, bars, gas stations, general points of interest, real estate, or events near you by pulling information from Yelp, Citysearch, Wikipedia and other sites (Centrl calls these sites “layers”). The web app is completely integrated into Centrl’s social network versions and mobile phone apps.
It’s also possible for users of the web version to contribute and share content, for example by marking a certain place on a map, uploading a picture of it, adding a comment and posting a link to Twitter (mobile app users can do this, too). Centrl then automatically creates a profile page based on that information for other mobile or web app users to view and interact with.
Screenshot of the Centrl web app (click to enlarge):
Centrl’s web version also introduces location-based communication in real-time. According to CEO Murat Aktihanoglu, his service is the first to offer a “free IM on a map”-system that doesn’t rely on SMS and is completely device- and platform agnostic (as long as you’re a Centrl user). The way the messaging system works is that people accessing Centrl on a PC, for example, can see the location of people using one of the mobile apps and instantly start text-chatting with them, virtually in real-time and without fees for both sides.
Centrl has attracted 500,000 users so far. The service is based out of New York and angel-funded with $500,000.
Very impressive for a bootstrapped startup. Would like to know how many of those 500,000 are “active” though. Good luck guys!
That’s a quite work.
All the best for future.
A new location-based mobile social network to bridge the gap between mobile phone users and the web at large. This web version also introduces location-based communication in real-time.
This a system that doesn’t rely on SMS fully but works with mobileapps. Let us wait and watch how much the location based app is useful to us!
Centrl’s entry into web apps is a great step. Though many location-based apps are available in geo-locational system, Centrl’s web version’s real time communication based on location is special and a needed one. It is going to contribute heavily in terms of security.
Integration with Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Orkut etc is going to be an intelligent feature to know where the person in user lists resides actually in the network.
Congratulations to Centrl! Not only is your app innovative, fun, and useful, it’s conscientious! Well done. It’s also great to see a NYC born location-based app outmaneuvering that valley out in California!!! Keep up the press and word of mouth should take care of the rest.
Twitter appears to be unavailable at the moment.
Direct appsto.re link to Centrl’s iPhone app: http://appsto.re/centrl
“First Real-Time Location-Based Messaging System”
Funny, I don’t think it’s the first. What about BlockChalk?
See: http://blog.blo...k-up-your-block
“BlockChalk is the voice of your neighborhood. You can use it to talk to anyone, about anything. It’s like a virtual graffiti wall, a community bulletin board, and a poster-covered lightpost, all rolled into one. Using the GPS in your iPhone, it shows you messages that other people have left at the place you’re standing, and it lets you leave your own messages, too. It’s anonymous unless you decide to share more. You can even privately reply to other users while still remaining anonymous.”
Been following this incredible startup since its early days as Unype. It’s installed on my iPhone and I’ve used it abroad too.
These guys reached over 150K users before they even raised ant funds. Centrl definitely proves that with little funds and a lot of passion you can get very far
Way to go Murat!
location based app is really a interesting stuff.
there will be more like this
In China there’s BEDO.CN since a couple of years : BEDO.CN is a geographically-based mobile platform that incorporates map software and SNS services.
http://www.bedo.cn/
http://www.clar.../106-244-1.aspx
I’m working on a location based application called “Get Lost!”. Currently it’s attracted angel funding of about $2 including a cup of coffee and a cracked iPhone that explodes on voice command. We don’t have an application yet but we have a 1046 page business plan printed on old dot-com prospectuses which clearly outlines our proprietary five year plan to boldly go where no business plan has gone before. This is your chance to get in on a ground floor opportunity that has no where to go but up since it’s, well, on the ground floor!
Oh yeah, congratulations to Centri. If they already have 1/2 million users they are kicking butt and taking names later. Good for them! Have a good Monday all.
This app is so useful – my girlfriend and I use it every day for the excellent chat and location sharing. the iPhone client is simply great to use. Glad to see it finally get some techcrunch love
Centrl, this is so cool. I’m lovin’ it, for real.
Their web app is totally confusing. It created two profiles for me – one in Facebook, one on the web and there’s no way to link those… Why do people feel so eccentric and design totally non-standard account systems?!
It came out that the Facebook app is also very spammy – every time you log into their web or Facebook app and it publishes a message.
Nice to see other location based startups getting covered on TC. Good to see there are others out there with really good products. Of course, all the valley insiders are pushing foursquare(even though it crashes half the time).
this is really cool…
I’m not sure if the future is all that rosy for location based apps..Apps might do well initially but privacy and invasiveness will weigh in later as it is a fundamental concern for people. I’ve written a post on this here http://thetechstig.com/?p=26
That was the initial reaction to LBS 2-3 years ago, but came out to be a non-issue for people and that’s why LBS are blooming these days.
How is this different from Layar?
http://www.trendslate.com
Hey, congrats to Centrl!
In Europe also my bootstrapped startup, called “Mobnotes” is doing pretty well in mobile LBS space. We have more then 60K users, since the pubblic launch last 6 months, +50K users since August!
Give a try here, it’s free: http://bit.ly/Ymlcv
Hey Venkat, I dissagree. I think that people are getting used to applications like this. There are a bunch of new applications that allow users to be tracked. The one that I have running on my Nokia is for travellers. Nifty little app that allows users to update their staus, get live tracking, create geo tagged pho albums, directly from their phones etc. the site is http://www.hummba.com. Mobile social netowrking is the way forward.
The IM part of it seems interesting!
Here’s another location based app in Facebook (you can add up to 3 locations and see who lives near by):
http://apps.fac...ok.com/nearyou/
I like what they are doing at cntrl. they are splashing new features every other day. All whilst facebook and twitter haven’t figured out yet what they want to do with Location Based Services.
in Europe, Mobnotes is the one company worth checking. Since their Iphone app launch in september have picked up 50 K + users and made quite an improvement over their UI on mobile web and pc.
You’ve touched on some great points and aggregated useful data. I’m presently writing a book on social media monetization from a marketing perspective for Pearson (http://pearson.com) which will be released in early 2010.
Can you shed some perspective on perhaps what you see as 5 key points of where this trend will move within the next 18 months? If your information fits the book, I’d be happy to quote you and talk further. Please email if you’re interested. In the meanwhile I’ve shared your blog with several of my business networks.
Would be good if they can use FireEagle as a back-end location broker – can make our life easier if we want to supply locations into different networks.
Hi Andrew, thanks, I will contact you.
Hi Roman, we are working on our FireEagle integration, thanks for your feedback. We agree that your location is your data and you should be able to access it openly.
Centrl is a great, very feature-rich app. Once they integrate more tightly into existing social nets it’ll be a real hit!
All spread new Foursquare motto!
“The game where even the winners are losers”
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