Location, Location, Location!
The web has been, and continues to be, an insanely successful platform for connecting, sharing, and discovering content. There is one tremendous aspect concerning the web that will take this internet-interaction to new heights. I’m talking about the geocentric, location-based web. We are in the early stages of this “location-aware” internet, and will see tremendous strides to implement it in the near future.
This geocentric web takes your location into account at all times, enabling content to cater towards your specific location. This element will not only improve local news and events, but will literally transform the way we interact and receive information on the web.
As mobile communication continues to soar with devices like smartphones, laptops, and netbooks, we are becoming an increasingly mobile network of individuals. We are seeing the first application of the geocentric web on our smartphones with services like Loopt, Whrrl, and Brightkite to name a few. These location-based services (LBS) allow you to locate and communicate with your friends, allowing you to see their real-time locations on a map.
Loopt on Apple's iPhone
This is a perfect and practical application on a mobile phone. It also serves as a glimpse of what is to come to the world wide web…
One pioneer in the push for a geocentric web has been Mozilla, and their Firefox browser-plugin dubbed “Geode”. Right now Geode is an experimental add-on to explore geolocation in Firefox 3. It was released for developers to experiment with enabling location-aware experiences, as it follows the W3C Geolocation Specifications.
- Q: How will this effect the future of the internet and its users? A: Immensely
One company who attempts to revolutionize the way we receive localized news content is hyperlocal news and information service, Outside.in. 
They announced the release of their API yesterday, allowing developers to integrate their location-based news into various applications. Outside.in is taking the idea of a geocentric web and is essentially creating a web-wide local news feed from numerous sources around the web. This is just one example of an effective application under a location-aware internet.
One of the most fascinating things about a fully geocentric web lies in its ability to essentially act as an extension of our surrounding towns and neighborhoods. Up until now, we are used to the web acting as a network across one single dimension. A network that is geographically localized adds a completely new dimension, affording neighboring grocery stores, restaurants, shopping malls, etc. the ability to target their true audience. Local products and services will be showcased in a whole new light. The geocentric web will truly transform the way individuals consume content and information on the web.
I’m talking about browsers that automatically generate and categorize news based on your location. Websites that feature advertisements and coupons for the Starbucks and Walmart located around the block from your house. Geo-tagged tweets, blog posts, and images sent throughout your social networks. Filtered, localized content from surrounding media outlets and venues. In other words, your own personalized, 365×24x7, digital concierge; assisting in traveling, planning trips, local shopping…you name it.
The internet has been the target of many debates. One in particular is the impact that the web has made on our society. More specifically, the overall sense of separation in internet users from their communities. In some respect, that has been true. Shopping is a prime example of how the internet has made acquiring products a “one-click” process as opposed to a more traditional social interaction. This will not likely change as long as the internet is around, although, a localized, geocentric internet has the potential to lead a more community-driven experience, where a localized web network will finally be able to unite communities based upon their location on the globe.
