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Webapps the future of LBS ?

openairI have been quoted in a report from ZDNet Asia about the future for stand alone GPS devices. While I agree with the general point of the article in that stand alone GPS devices are not yet doomed, I think we are beginning to see just how useful location is when integrated with other information.

To use location as contextual information the device of choice is of course the smart-phone, which as well as knowing your location also has access personal information you may be storing on the device or via the its wireless the web.

Of course the web also provides access to to other sources of information.

OK, you may say nothing new here, but I would argue there has been a very important change in the last few months..

It is now trivial to build applications that use location as web apps completely by-passing any vendor or network control, and deliver really useful applications quickly. Importantly this is possible via a web standard so the application works in  most modern mobile web browsers and is therefore cross-platform.

A great example of this type of development is the BBC OpenAir app, which provides you with a local weather forecast and the location of your nearest park or open space.

Note : Sorry for the poor blogging service recently, holidays and business travel I’m afraid : Normal service is now resumed.

Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network

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