The future of geographic search - with or without Google

Here is a decent looking web application - www.verveearth.com/landing. No doubt you are familiar with search engines. But I've often wondered where geographic information systems would take us since Google took centre stage. This company offers a 'geographic' search function rather than a concept or keyword search like Google. The reality is that Google revenues are going to plunge unless they can come up with a new paradigm. I think Verve might be closer to it. At this point it might be hard to imagine such a program being useful. Ok, you are interested in Arab people so you can scan some map to find links to Arab blogs. Interesting? Maybe...but not terribly lucrative.
The opportuinity here is to link GIS information with your cell phone. This gives prospective advertisers location-specific information about you. Now this might not sound so powerful to you, but consider the opportunity to:
1. Tie your location data in with knowledge about your likes, interests, tastes, etc
2. Tie your location data in with your general need to eat and drink. Maybe you'll be walking past a restaurant and they know from your membership that you like Indian food. In that instance you receive an email offering you a discount.

This is not hard to do. There are already products which tie GPS data to you. No one has yet made a revenue model from it to my knowledge. Of course already some models of cell phones have GPS already installed. Living in Metro Manila, I'm surprised how many people actually have N90 series phones. Makes you wonder where they get the money. Thats the extent of corruption I guess. :) But rest assured there will be more GPS-enable phones and cameras on the market in future. This is powerful in several ways:
1. The opportunity for advertisers to target people based on location & website profile data

2. The opportunity for cell phone companies to work with such GIS-based websites (like Verve) to develop an advertising model
3. The opportunity for telcos to generate revenues from advertisers for their location-specific data
4. The attraction of LAN-wifi, Wimax for providing GIS info as a competitive option to cell companies
5. The attraction of GIS-based websites to sell advertising through location data.

People currently have only limited search capability through their phones. Its also fair to say that these early GPS phones are pretty crude and cumbersome. They will however bevome sleak in time. I also suggest that

VerveEarth enables users to organize the information of the internet into a virtual world where content and users have a definite place. The neat thing about VerveEarth is that its a new type of search. VerveEarth enables you to surf the net in a completely new way and discover content you didn't even know existed. Curious to know what people in the Middle East talk and read about? Just go there. You might even strike up a conversation.

Clearly the value in this type of facility is in ‘just in time’ service delivery and advertising. More and more we will be doing business on mobile applications. The last aspect of this opportunity is the possibility of telcos offering free line rental if you are open to advertising news. If this is to happen telcos will have to make their incoming messages alot more enticing than they are now. Expect tunes, full colour images of some nearby restaurant, as well as other special enticements. eg. The first groups to fill the restaurant get a free beer! Of course they could also offer a web-based search as well. I think that car-based GPS might be a thing of the past. The other possible competition in this market might be GPS. It cannot be forgotten that GPS used by telcos is 'Geographic' NOT 'Global' Positioning System. Telcos use towers rather than satellites, so this will have implications for global reach and competition. But thats another story for another galaxy. Yeh I know.... I didnt need to say it.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Setting up a backpackers in Japan

There are actually no backpackers in Japan. There is a variety of discount accommodation, though nothing quite as cheap. I have always thought there is no better place than Japan for backpackers accommodation so it surprises me that I dont see any. The attractions are:
1. Lack of competition
2. Availability of the Japan Rail pass concession to foreigners
3. Availability of VERY CHEAP foreclosed properties which provides cheap accommodation in Japan.
For more information see my post on Foreclosed Property in Japan. There is a range of locations that suit a backpackers - coasta foreclosed properties, properties in rural areas, ski villages, onsens, and city suburbs. Everything is close to some commercial centre in Japan.
My idea was to establish a web portal to provide a gateway to internet-based bookings. If anyone is interested, let me know. Houses in Japan rent for Y50-60,000 per month ($150/week or $20/night) for a whole place, but I think we could charge $20-30/night per person depending on the location. Some people might only want to rent out for a season. Obviously cheaper for longer rentals.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com