Archive for March, 2007
I (don’t) know where you live!
The aka-aki team from a GPS point of view
We had a lot of reading to do these days. Since our first online announcement on March 1st google-hits for ak-aki rocketed from 500 up to almost 40.000 (see technorati for an overview, article on spiegel.de). The De:Bug blog representatively outlines exspectant media coverage: „It’s about time something like this is going.“ More ciritcal thoughts were expressed though concerning location based services.
„I know where you live!“ used to be the strongest weapon of these kind of guys that waylayed you on your way home from school (besides the baseball bat, of course). „I know where you live!“ in the age of telegate and www has lost some of ist menacing character – however, it remains a trauma: The fear of communicating ones domicile, let alone ones current whereabouts, appears to be tremendous.
Note the following: aka-aki does not know where ist users are, but merely who is around. That’s it. aka-aki is not a location based service, but a proximity based service. It derives its benefits and pleasure from informations on who else is there, not who else is where.
GPS by the way is not required for aka-aki. GPS needs a direct satellite connection, and therefore does not work properly in confined places. And what good would aka-aki be if you couldn’t use it in a club or in the subway/ the tube/ the metro? Then, only very few mobile phones are GPS-compliant. aka-aki requirements are by far less extravagant.
All complaints and troubles identifying aka-aki as complete and inevitable surveillance are to be found in german, well and austrian weblogs. International comparison might be worthwhile.
P.S.: Of course we continue to work hard on the beta. If you want to be among the very first aka-aki users then sign up as a beta-tester! We are looking forward to your feedback and ideas – as a comment or via e-mail.
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aka-aki. Click people.
Digital is better? Real is even betterer! Your town is full of people – you just have to click them. That’s short for aka-aki. Real life with all the web’s functions – on your cell. aka-aki takes social networking where it belongs: to the street.
What does aka-aki do?
aka-aki shows the profiles of people around you. And that’s around you – we’re talking 65 feet. With pictures, what they are up to, and your mutual friends. Like:
- You’re on a bus. Who else is there? Could that be a friend of a friend? Findings lurk at every station.
- You’re at your drinking hole. What now? aka-aki tells you who’s up for some tabletop soccer.
- You’re clubbing. Looking for someone? aka-aki detects common subjects with those around.
- You’re stuck in an amazingly boring performance. aka-aki shows you who of your friends is online. Send messages to them for a fraction of the SMS tariff.
- You’re in a foreign city. And you know just about nobody. Or maybe you do. Put „Who can show me around London?“ on you profile and somebody responds. New places, new faces.
Can my cell do aka-aki?
Your cell has to be JSR-82 compatible. What that means is quite simple: Java and Bluetooth compatibility. Plus internet connection. So it’s no big deal – and far from expensive anyway. Your cell shouldn’t be older than 1.5 years, preferably Nokia, Sony Ericsson or Motorola. You can do the aka-aki compatibility check (sorry, page in German only as of now).
How much is it?
aka-aki is for free. You just have to pay the traffic. But don’t worry, with the right adjustments it’s cheaper than you thought as rates are currently going down. We will tell you exactly what to do and keep you on track about new tariffs.
When is aka-aki getting started?
aka-aki will be launched in Summer 2007.
We need your input!
How would aka-aki change your life? Where would you use it and what for? How do you like the idea in general, and if you don’t like it, why so? Comments are welcome (see link below)! And by the way: If you want to we’ll send you an email as soon as aka-aki beta starts. So sign up!
P.S.: Your e-mail address will not be shared.
Photos used with kind permission by Sony Ericsson.
