Wired News: Google Gets Earthy... another amazing app from google... it has a wiki like feel into it as it allows the user to add notes to locations. and of course, staying true to the google tradition, has an open architecture for the whacker (wacky hacker) in you!

i had long been a fan of location based services, imagine binding it with mobile phones! even without the ability to triangulate, just a database of cell site locations would do. when an sms is received by a CP/VAS the cell site id information is attached to it.

imagine the possibilities:
* want to know the nearest G-Cash/Smart e-money cash-in/cash-out? done (? kilometers away)
* want to know the nearest drug store? done
* want to see an aerial view of an environmental NGO's project site? done
* want an mms map of where you are? done
* want to know if your near a point of interest (POI)? done
* want to find the nearest hospital? done
* want to know if ka edong is nearby? done
* the lists goes on and on...

the POI sample above can be expanded by allowing you to make a comment on a POI (e.g. this restaurant sucks!). or just simply allows you to rate a POI. and when 90% of the mobile user phones has a camera and at least gprs wap enabled, technologies like shotcode could make things more user friendly.

another location based application would be presence initiated services. e.g. during an emergency, all persons near a vicinity gets an sms -> "calmly run for your life..."

of course some of these are already possible with the current telco locator services. but those are still too limited. there are far too many wonderful uses of mobile technology. wouldn't it be nice if those guys follow the google model?