mishmap

Map Mobs will occur when people have an incentive to use mobile technology to easily SMS an information payload, along with their GPS coordinate.

"Easily" means that there is minimal or no action by the end-user.

"Incentive" implies that one’s current context (location, proximity to a "micro-event", etc) is a valuable commodity in a gestalt kind of way.

Map Mob Application #1: Dodging Traffic

1-A query is received from a traffic service: "What is your speed".

2-Your car’s computer interfaces with a mobile device (built-in or bluetooth), which responds to the query with your GPS coordinate and current speed. One can comprehend the "mob" when multiplying this micro-response by thousands of cars all over the city.

3-Information is received by a GIS server, which crunches the data and serves up compiled data to interested consumers. The interface might be a color coded map, or more likely an application which interprets the current traffic results and suggests the most efficient route. In "web 2.0" fashion, the information can be syndicated to relevant sources throughout the Internet.

Map Mob Application #2: The Price of Milk

1-While shopping, you SMS the price of a product of interest (with your GPS coordinate, of course) and send the information to  a GIS server.

2-The data is crunched, likely associating the pricing information with store names using the GPS coordinates as a lookup.

3-Consumers are thus more informed about the best values and increased competition promotes better prices.

This model can also publicize product inventory - no more frustrating Christmas eve trips to the toy store to buy your kid the latest gizmo!

Map Mob Application #3: Get Out the Vote

1-Political canvassers ring doorbells, identifying potential supporters who need a ride to the poll on election day.

2-Their location is sent to a central server, which uses a traffic routing algorithm to determine the most efficient way to get these people to the polls.

3-More votes are cast.

Map Mob Application #4: Psychic Pizza (or kozmo.com on steroids)

1-A market for JIT (Just In Time) services is born. Roaming your
neighborhood, one can find pizza pies, geek squads (computer/appliance
installation experts), doctors, "escorts", knife sharpeners, shoe
shiners, psychologists, taxis, graphic designers, fresh produce
grocers, babysitters, florists, make-up artists, dog walkers!

2-Their whereabouts are sent to your desktop/cell phone mapping
application. As a whole, the individual vendors
constitute a mob, plotted on a map according to your subscription
preferences. Trusted networks will play an important role in this new
economy.

3-You bid or enlist for the desired service.

Map Mob Application #5: Drinks on the House

1-You decide to take off the work edge with a last minute after-work cocktail. You SMS your location to your trusted social network (a la Dodgeball.com, but using GPS instead of predefined locations).

2-Your colleagues, who notice your plea for company on their cell phone mapping application, flock to meet up with you.

3-Your popularity qualifies your party for a group discount.