where — GPS Obsessed

Virgin Mobile Teams Up With Location-Based Social Network Buzzd

by Justin

Virgin Mobile is the latest handset carrier to get caught up in the location-sensation of late, teaming up with New York-based buzzd to bring localized entertainment information to users through the carrier’s WAP deck. Users will be able to tap reviews and ratings for popular venues such as restaurants in addition to event guides, all in real time, or contribute their own two cents and share it with friends in the general vicinity.

Much like popular applications such as Yelp, WHERE, and Citysense, buzzd aims to “turn the cell phone into a remote control that accesses the best a city has to offer”. Entertainment information is editorially-driven and aggregated not only from user-generated feedback, but through mobile content partnerships with the likes of Flavorpill, TimeOut, and Zagat. User-generated content is layered at the top of the handset display so user’s can easily see the latest in real-time feedback and friends can also be accessed via SMS making a rendezvous at the coolest nightspot a cinch.

Sound interesting? Only available in the United States, you can register by texting ‘join’ to 96321 on a Virgin Mobile handset or by heading over to Virgin XL and clicking on the ‘buzzd’ link.

Buzzd

Virgin Group

via cellularnews

(Photo Credit: Techcrunch)

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September 3, 2008 No Comments

Sprint’s XOHM: WiMAX Mobile Broadband Network “Largely Location-Centric”

by Justin

In talking with uLocate Communication’s Dan Gilmartin a couple of weeks back, we were aware of a partnership with Sprint somewhere down the line. Now the details are official and when Sprint rolls out its WiMAX mobile broadband network, dubbed XOHM, in Baltimore next month, uLocate’s WHERE platform and friend-finding application Buddy Beacon will form the backbone of what Sprint calls a “largely location-centric experience”.

With the new XOHM service, Sprint aims to jump on the growing popularity of location-based services and provide a “geobrowsing effect” that incorporates location context into the mobile browsing experience. Not only will XOHM apply to cellular devices, but any mobile device connected to the WiMAX network, including automotive PND’s, laptops, portable media players, and even digital cameras.

Perhaps the most impressive part of XOHM is its openness. Sprint will make the XOHM API’s available to 3rd parties so they can create their own location apps on the XOHM network, improving its usability.

While uLocate is Sprint’s primary partner in the XOHM rollout, they aren’t the only name of note. Yelp, Eventful, Topix, Navteq, AccuWeather, Google, Openwave Systems, and Autodesk will add their own location context to the new service. Look for XOHM to rollout in both Chicago and Washington, DC in the fourth quarter.

uLocate

Yelp

via arstechnica

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August 31, 2008 No Comments

Garmin Partners With uLocate To Get Hands On Popular Where App

by Justin

Garmin looks to be bringing a bit of a more personal experience to some of their devices, partnering with Boston-based uLocate to bring the popular Where application to a selection of unnamed navigational devices. This looks to be huge for both parties. Not only does Garmin benefit from Where’s rich variety of widgets, everything from Yelp’s restaurant reviews to GasBuddy’s gas price comparisons to Facebook, but uLocate now has a presence on the platform of America’s number one PND maker.

It would be great if Where was available on Garmin PND’s. Not only would it make the device’s exponentially more useful, but relative to the value added Garmin probably paid next to nothing, multimillion dollar deal or not. So far though, Where has largely been a player in the wireless world and given its huge popularity on the 3G iPhone we’d also expect to see Where featured on Garmin’s nuviphone.

It would definitely make sense, but so far neither company has verified anything. We’ll keep you updated as we find out more.

via cnet