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Location-aware services are becoming prevalent components of day-to-day technology, technology delivering information based on one’s physical location. Though its use may already be common in feeding general search results, delivering multi-media contents, local directory listings and advertising, Apple’s iPhone has undoubtedly placed the potential of location-based services for the mobile platform in absolute prominence. Not only can it be used to pin-point one’s physical location using GPS, Wi-Fi or cellular triangulation, the real potential is how devices can make use of this information. Here is a glance of the potential applications that could very well change our ever-sophisticated urban lifestyle.

The apparent uses of this technology has already been made readily-available (albeit lacking permeation and maturity), delivering user-generated critiques of restaurants, clubs, lounges and other aspects of entertainment immediately nearby. Photographs are being geo-tagged; no longer necessary to recall where they had that thick, juicy cut of steak, or the ever-so-hard-to-find antique store, just return to the photographs. The users of social networks can discover the physical location of nearby friends, or reveal places or people of interests in near proximity. Join friends for a cup of coffee, or let-in on the others know where the get-together is being held, it’s hard not to contemplate about the convenience and potential of this technology.

The interesting aspect of this however, depends on how creative and innovative the developer community can be in its potential uses. Tired of the age-old recurring question “Where should we eat?”? Urbanspoon is the solution for you. Shake the device and the application can decide the restaurant of choice, by cuisine, price, proximity, or by mere fate. If you just happened to be dead-tired amongst a long commute, use iNap to prepare an alert just as you are nearing your destination. Let the informed device locate economical filling stations nearby, discover nearby events and venues, be a personal sight-seeing guide, even find your parked car.

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“On November 5th, a launch campaign began in Tokyo, with two McDonald’s locations in Shibuya and Omotesando being totally converted to ‘Quarter Pounder’ shops. The restaurants offer only two choices on the menu: a Quarter Pounder set for 500円, and a Double Quarter Pounder set for 600円. The interiors are minimal black, and feature Le Corbusier sofas. Interestingly enough, there are no discernable connections to McDonald’s: no golden arches, no Ronald. Japanese consumers are not likely to know exactly what a pound is, or a quarter for that matter, but no clues are even offered on the ultra-minimal Quarter Pounder website.”

1. fivebyfifty » QUARTER POUNDER.
2. NO LOGO, Naomi Klein.

Here is an excerpt of recent articles I’ve shared on my Google Reader.

The Hive Five winners: what’s the best tool for the job?

Amazing tilt-shift time-lapse videos.

Ten ways to re-think your commute. BBC

“Near perfect” solar design could change the entire industry.

Redscale film shows analog photography is not dead yet.

Google’s green energy future revealed.

Silver-zinc batteries coming in 2009 with 40 percent better run-time than lithium-ion.

Long overdue GPS upgrade could save airlines $10 billion a year.

Current State makes you mini Captain Planet.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

“This is your victory. And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election, and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

“This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: yes, we can.”

1. Barack Obama Wins Presidency, Wired.
2. Obama Victory Speech Transcript, CNN.