Location is where it's at

A couple months ago, we posted an article that discussed foursquare -what it is, what it does, and why you want it (or not). But foursquare is just one application of its kind. In addition to applications that are dedicated to providing location-based services, applications such as Twitter and Facebook are adding in location-based features that provide the same functionality.

So why would you want everyone you know to know where you are at every moment of every day? (For most of us, where we are is simply just not that interesting, after all. "I'm at work. I'm home. I'm at the grocery store." Riveting stuff.) However, there is an entire generation for whom their friends and connections are among their greatest assets. They think of life in terms of networks and communities, and as they move through their days, they are ever aware of who is around them and how they can use those connections in work and play. For this group, staying on the grid is worth the breach in privacy.

But even beyond the personal and professional value, location-based applications present profound implications, according to David Carr of The New York Times. "Logic suggests that the advertising possibilities enabled by knowing where someone is or what they have been watching at a given moment are profound," writes Carr. "If the first movers gain users and the big boys come off the sidelines, what looks like a fetish object could end up being one more important tool in navigating physical and digital space."

Do you use location-based applications in your personal life or your work? If so, leave a comment and let us know how you're using it and what the benefits have been.

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