November 11, 2008 95 Comments

If I Owned BrightKite

BrightKite I see such potential in BrightKite, after using the iPhone application. The website is nothing nearly as nuanced and obvious. In fact, it’s fat and bloated. I’d strip it now that I’ve used the iPhone app. I’d make it closer to the experience that is so simple. (I understand the difference. The iPhone, by providing location information, makes the value far more obvious.)

If I owned BrightKite, I would make it an (the!) information resource for the annotated world. In fact, that’s where the real gold is. The marketplace of information this tool can provide is where the magic lies.

If I owned BrightKite, I would sell information access into Yelp, and I would build bridges to Google Maps. I would encourage the use of BrightKite for everything from geocaching to shopping to group gatherings. What better way to empower flash mobs?

Why this application? Why not? Should Google buy BrightKite as the ultimate UI for annotating their maps?

I’m watching you, BrightKite. I’m thinking long and hard about how this application can do more for businesses, for nonprofits, for humans in need of guidance through a secret world. I’m seeing linkages to several applications, to several other data stores in need of shaping.

And I’m challenging you to think of other ways that information untethered from the web as we think of it could serve us. Did you not realize this as yet another part of the post media world? Is this not the web cast free of our office spaces?

Don’t you dare start by envisioning marketing opportunities messing up this information flow. Instead, think of what would exist beyond marketing, in the marketplace itself. What would come first? How could we educate? What would history lessons look like through a mobile browser? How will we take the tattered web back to the larger screens, and then back again, in ways that add to it all?

What say you?

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  • http://leftthebox.com Samir Balwani

    It definitely makes sense what you’re saying Chris. I use Bright Kite a lot and the problem is since many of my friends in the area don’t my timeline seems to be pretty empty. If it was more (like you suggest it to be) I’d probably use it more often.

  • http://leftthebox.com Samir Balwani

    It definitely makes sense what you’re saying Chris. I use Bright Kite a lot and the problem is since many of my friends in the area don’t my timeline seems to be pretty empty. If it was more (like you suggest it to be) I’d probably use it more often.

  • http://twitter.com/franswaa frank

    Ok ok … now you hace convinced me to go start checking out this app.

    So what do you tell people that think you are crazy for doing all these things to ‘tell people about your life’?

    Reason i ask, is because i love it … and love what BrightKite is all about ( I’ve been using whrrl ), but most folks i deal with at work, home, church, play dont get it?

    How does all this ‘apply’ to the world out side of New media?

    I know this is slightly off topic of BrightKite specifically, but i’m thinking more about wide spread use of these applications in relation to the rest of the world using them and finding value?

    –
    http://twitter.com/franswaa

  • http://twitter.com/franswaa frank

    Ok ok … now you hace convinced me to go start checking out this app.

    So what do you tell people that think you are crazy for doing all these things to ‘tell people about your life’?

    Reason i ask, is because i love it … and love what BrightKite is all about ( I’ve been using whrrl ), but most folks i deal with at work, home, church, play dont get it?

    How does all this ‘apply’ to the world out side of New media?

    I know this is slightly off topic of BrightKite specifically, but i’m thinking more about wide spread use of these applications in relation to the rest of the world using them and finding value?

    –
    http://twitter.com/franswaa

  • http://tshayes.com/ Tyler Hayes

    Chris, I’m really glad to see you wrote an article about this after your Tweets the other day. I have been thinking about it a lot as well after our brief exchange.

    BrightKite is a brilliant idea, but like you say only for mostly the mobile world, specifically the iPhone world. I have an LG Voyager, and would never want to have to access my mobile browser just to update my location on BrightKite. If I had a phone with applications akin to the iPhone however, I would update almost constantly.

    Some of my friends have even taken the time to delete their accounts on BrightKite, citing how much “epic failure” it is. On that note, the people over at BrightKite should really get moving on this before somebody else steps into the picture.

  • http://tshayes.com/ Tyler Hayes

    Chris, I’m really glad to see you wrote an article about this after your Tweets the other day. I have been thinking about it a lot as well after our brief exchange.

    BrightKite is a brilliant idea, but like you say only for mostly the mobile world, specifically the iPhone world. I have an LG Voyager, and would never want to have to access my mobile browser just to update my location on BrightKite. If I had a phone with applications akin to the iPhone however, I would update almost constantly.

    Some of my friends have even taken the time to delete their accounts on BrightKite, citing how much “epic failure” it is. On that note, the people over at BrightKite should really get moving on this before somebody else steps into the picture.

  • http://www.neonrain.com/blog/ Arif

    Absolutely agree Chris…there’s SO much potential for something great, but at the same time there’s potential for mis-use.

    Remember facebook’s beacon?

    If used correctly and tied with other applications, this could be amazing. Imagine having your GPS not take you to a specific address but to a specific person? It’s endless…

    It’s the end of ‘Hide and Seek’ though :(

  • http://www.neonrain.com/blog/ Arif

    Absolutely agree Chris…there’s SO much potential for something great, but at the same time there’s potential for mis-use.

    Remember facebook’s beacon?

    If used correctly and tied with other applications, this could be amazing. Imagine having your GPS not take you to a specific address but to a specific person? It’s endless…

    It’s the end of ‘Hide and Seek’ though :(

  • http://shegeeks.net Corvida

    Well said Chris! I agree that the Brightkite iPhone app has made Brightkite seem a lot more useful to me. I’ve even started to use the service a lot more myself. It’s really ashame that so much potential shines through the iPhone app rather than the website itself. I think the website is quite the opposite for me, a little too plain for my tastes and just doesn’t offer me much compared to the iPhone app.

    Bridging gaps with other services would be great. I would love to see Yelp or a similar service integrated into Brightkite! It’s already building bridges with Maps on the iPhone, but it would be great to see this taken elsewhere.

    I can’t wait to see where Brightkite takes things. It’s definitely a service to look out for.

  • http://shegeeks.net Corvida

    Well said Chris! I agree that the Brightkite iPhone app has made Brightkite seem a lot more useful to me. I’ve even started to use the service a lot more myself. It’s really ashame that so much potential shines through the iPhone app rather than the website itself. I think the website is quite the opposite for me, a little too plain for my tastes and just doesn’t offer me much compared to the iPhone app.

    Bridging gaps with other services would be great. I would love to see Yelp or a similar service integrated into Brightkite! It’s already building bridges with Maps on the iPhone, but it would be great to see this taken elsewhere.

    I can’t wait to see where Brightkite takes things. It’s definitely a service to look out for.

  • http://rorowe.blogspot.com Robert Rowe

    I love BrightKite (and use it on my iPod Touch when I’m around wifi, sms when I’m using just my phone).
    I love the way you’re thinking about it’s amazing possibilies.

  • http://rorowe.blogspot.com Robert Rowe

    I love BrightKite (and use it on my iPod Touch when I’m around wifi, sms when I’m using just my phone).
    I love the way you’re thinking about it’s amazing possibilies.

  • http://www.backtype.com/alwillis Albert Willis

    Thanks for expressing some of the thoughts that have been in my head. Yes, there’s tons of potential with Brightkite. I feel like such an early adopter, since few of my friends are on right now.

    If owned Brightkite, I would communicate more via their blog about what they’re doing; I’d also iterate more quickly with the website and the iPhone application. Every have location services turned off and try to use the Brightkite app? It’s not pretty.

  • http://www.backtype.com/alwillis Albert Willis

    Thanks for expressing some of the thoughts that have been in my head. Yes, there’s tons of potential with Brightkite. I feel like such an early adopter, since few of my friends are on right now.

    If owned Brightkite, I would communicate more via their blog about what they’re doing; I’d also iterate more quickly with the website and the iPhone application. Every have location services turned off and try to use the Brightkite app? It’s not pretty.

  • http://bit.ly/gwalter gwalter

    Right on!

    Now, if B-Kite would just develop a Blackberry app that rivals the iPhone app. Check out the Get Satisfaction conversation on this. ( http://is.gd/6ZQa )

    Don’t people understand the marketshare of the Blackberry?

    Oh, and while I’m ranting, Verizon: let my GPS go! Give my GPS access to 3rd Party apps!

  • http://daddytude.com Gary Walter

    Right on!

    Now, if B-Kite would just develop a Blackberry app that rivals the iPhone app. Check out the Get Satisfaction conversation on this. ( http://is.gd/6ZQa )

    Don’t people understand the marketshare of the Blackberry?

    Oh, and while I’m ranting, Verizon: let my GPS go! Give my GPS access to 3rd Party apps!

  • http://brightkite.com Martin May

    Chris, excellent points, points that we are thinking about and acting upon. Just wanted you to know that we’re listening.

    Martin
    brightkite.com

  • http://brightkite.com Martin May

    Chris, excellent points, points that we are thinking about and acting upon. Just wanted you to know that we’re listening.

    Martin
    brightkite.com

  • http://www.freddy.lostsignalnetwork.com Freddy Gipson

    Instead of just blogging about your fantasies and ideas maybe you should try approaching the owners of Bright Kite as a salesperson and pitch these ideas to them. After all you do have good name recognition it seems in the blogosphere. Your ideas are golden so pursue them before someone else does.

  • http://www.freddy.lostsignalnetwork.com Freddy Gipson

    Instead of just blogging about your fantasies and ideas maybe you should try approaching the owners of Bright Kite as a salesperson and pitch these ideas to them. After all you do have good name recognition it seems in the blogosphere. Your ideas are golden so pursue them before someone else does.

  • http://www.suzemuse.ca Susan Murphy

    @Freddy looks like Brightkite’s already listening (see response from Martin May). The power of the blogosphere!

    I have been a fan of Brightkite from the beginning but until I started using the iPhone app I didn’t really “get it”.

    My timeline is a bit boring too, but such is the plight of the early adopter. Imagine Twitter with only 100 users – wouldn’t be all that exciting either.

    If BK plays it smart and listens to their customers I think that they have the potential to turn this application into something very worthwhile.

    My gut says they are going to do it.

  • http://www.suzemuse.ca Susan Murphy

    @Freddy looks like Brightkite’s already listening (see response from Martin May). The power of the blogosphere!

    I have been a fan of Brightkite from the beginning but until I started using the iPhone app I didn’t really “get it”.

    My timeline is a bit boring too, but such is the plight of the early adopter. Imagine Twitter with only 100 users – wouldn’t be all that exciting either.

    If BK plays it smart and listens to their customers I think that they have the potential to turn this application into something very worthwhile.

    My gut says they are going to do it.

  • http://talksocialnews.com Wayne Sutton

    Chris I agree with most of your points about Brightkite and it will be interesting to see what happens to Brightkite once it comes out of private beta.

    I had chance to talk with the founder / CTO Martin May of Brightkite for a podcast. He talked about the future of location based services and the what’s next for Brightkite you can check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/5sp8dz

    You can find me on Brightkite here: http://brightkite.com/people/waynesutton

  • http://talksocialnews.com Wayne Sutton

    Chris I agree with most of your points about Brightkite and it will be interesting to see what happens to Brightkite once it comes out of private beta.

    I had chance to talk with the founder / CTO Martin May of Brightkite for a podcast. He talked about the future of location based services and the what’s next for Brightkite you can check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/5sp8dz

    You can find me on Brightkite here: http://brightkite.com/people/waynesutton

  • http://www.geordiebarker.com Geordie Barker

    Hey Chris,
    As a BK early adopter here in Australia, I am taking great pride in checking in to my favorite places and posting tips, like favorite menu items and good drinks.

    I work in the Arts and I find BK a perfect vehicle to host photos of the installations that I assist on the installation of. I like to think of it as a location based history book.

    I would like to see the ability for people to rate posts at a certain location, so that the higher rated posts can appear when you check in.

    also looking forward,

    Cheers,

    Geordie

  • http://www.geordiebarker.com Geordie Barker

    Hey Chris,
    As a BK early adopter here in Australia, I am taking great pride in checking in to my favorite places and posting tips, like favorite menu items and good drinks.

    I work in the Arts and I find BK a perfect vehicle to host photos of the installations that I assist on the installation of. I like to think of it as a location based history book.

    I would like to see the ability for people to rate posts at a certain location, so that the higher rated posts can appear when you check in.

    also looking forward,

    Cheers,

    Geordie

  • http://chrisbrogan.com chrisbrogan

    @Martin – I knew you’d visit. I’m glad you’re listening.

    @Freddy – I have no time to pursue every idea and dream that I want. I’m in the army raising business now. My job is to set as many hands to work as I can, while working on the larger story. Thus, by conveying my wishes here, perhaps Martin and team will run off and make the world bigger.

    Make sense?

  • http://chrisbrogan.com chrisbrogan

    @Martin – I knew you’d visit. I’m glad you’re listening.

    @Freddy – I have no time to pursue every idea and dream that I want. I’m in the army raising business now. My job is to set as many hands to work as I can, while working on the larger story. Thus, by conveying my wishes here, perhaps Martin and team will run off and make the world bigger.

    Make sense?

  • George Brett

    I’d like to see BK use location detection even for Gen 1 iPhone like I have instead of trying to bang in addresses I don’t know. Last week I tried using it while driving from Falls Church, VA to Birmingham, AL. Bristol, Virginia popped up as Bristol, England, UK. I bet my BK buddies wondered how I crossed the Atlantic so fast. Oh well.

    Thanks Chris!! Glad @Martin is reading along too.

  • George Brett

    I’d like to see BK use location detection even for Gen 1 iPhone like I have instead of trying to bang in addresses I don’t know. Last week I tried using it while driving from Falls Church, VA to Birmingham, AL. Bristol, Virginia popped up as Bristol, England, UK. I bet my BK buddies wondered how I crossed the Atlantic so fast. Oh well.

    Thanks Chris!! Glad @Martin is reading along too.

  • http://www.speak-tome.com Ted Murphy

    Checked it out, and yes its an excellent idea. Btw, there should be a way for BK to bridge into Twitter — the Twitter app called TwitterLocal offers a similar vision for Twitter users.

  • http://www.speak-tome.com Ted Murphy

    Checked it out, and yes its an excellent idea. Btw, there should be a way for BK to bridge into Twitter — the Twitter app called TwitterLocal offers a similar vision for Twitter users.

  • http://ikeif.net keif

    @Ted:

    You can tie BK into Twitter (I think it’s in their options). When I check in/post a note/picture it automagically updates twitter for me.

    I wasn’t a fan of BK until I got an iphone (about two weeks ago) and now it’s so damn easy to use, I can’t help not checking in everytime I move 30 feet.

  • http://ikeif.net keif

    @Ted:

    You can tie BK into Twitter (I think it’s in their options). When I check in/post a note/picture it automagically updates twitter for me.

    I wasn’t a fan of BK until I got an iphone (about two weeks ago) and now it’s so damn easy to use, I can’t help not checking in everytime I move 30 feet.

  • http://DrThomasHo.com Thomas Ho

    does BK ‘know’ your location via WiFi or do you have to update manually?

  • http://DrThomasHo.com Thomas Ho

    does BK ‘know’ your location via WiFi or do you have to update manually?

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  • http://mariadkins.com Mari

    I have the same problem as Samir. :(

  • http://mariadkins.com Mari

    I have the same problem as Samir. :(

  • http://michaelmyers.biz Michael Myers

    Great post. I interviewed BKite recently (post here: http://www.michaelmyers.biz/CRUCES/the-kite-is-bright) and I agree that they are perfectly positioned to help create the annotated world.

  • http://michaelmyers.biz Michael Myers

    Great post. I interviewed BKite recently (post here: http://www.michaelmyers.biz/CRUCES/the-kite-is-bright) and I agree that they are perfectly positioned to help create the annotated world.

  • http://rorowe.blogspot.com Robert Rowe

    One thing businesses should be doing to help users leverage BrightKite, is making sure their address is visible.
    (If it’s easy to check-in, people will do it more often.)

  • http://rorowe.blogspot.com Robert Rowe

    One thing businesses should be doing to help users leverage BrightKite, is making sure their address is visible.
    (If it’s easy to check-in, people will do it more often.)

  • http://www.g6phf.co.uk/ Mike Dent

    Good points. I’ve been using Brightkite for some time, mainly struggling using the mobile website on my Blackberry.
    It works but is *far* from a nice experience.

    I think in order to push forward, brightkite need to focus more of their time at developing as many mobile apps for different platforms as they can.

    In my opinion brightkite really starts to shine when its used whilst mobile, in order to do that we need applications to run on our mobile phones.

    Using brightkite whilst tethered to your desktop or laptop is not where the future is for it, lets get it out there and have more mobile apps….please :)

    Oh and whilst I remember the Blackberry is next on the list /nudge!

  • http://www.g6phf.co.uk/ Mike Dent

    Good points. I’ve been using Brightkite for some time, mainly struggling using the mobile website on my Blackberry.
    It works but is *far* from a nice experience.

    I think in order to push forward, brightkite need to focus more of their time at developing as many mobile apps for different platforms as they can.

    In my opinion brightkite really starts to shine when its used whilst mobile, in order to do that we need applications to run on our mobile phones.

    Using brightkite whilst tethered to your desktop or laptop is not where the future is for it, lets get it out there and have more mobile apps….please :)

    Oh and whilst I remember the Blackberry is next on the list /nudge!

  • http://vnoted.com Ted Gilchrist

    Me, I’m working on voice notes for Brightkite. And I wish there was a way to share placemarks. The more I think of it, placemarks are like tags, and we all know how Web 2.0-ish tags are.

  • http://vnoted.com Ted Gilchrist

    Me, I’m working on voice notes for Brightkite. And I wish there was a way to share placemarks. The more I think of it, placemarks are like tags, and we all know how Web 2.0-ish tags are.

  • Kendall

    For those not using Brightkite because friends are not on it – I suggest you read this article again, and think harder about what you can do beyond just looking in on what friends are up to. Early Brightkite users have the awesome advantage of being some of the first to add remarks to locations they enjoy – I’ve posted notes around restaurants I like, or other places I enjoy visiting. The next time a Brightkite user visits Escalate, they will know here to eat..

    It’s also really interesting to look at the Nearby stream for wherever you are, and see what others have said about the area… when I was recently visiting New York, I found there was a Stereolab concert (a band I used to really enjoy but had not kept track of for many years) that very evening near my hotel. I couldn’t go as it turned out, but wandering across random discoveries like that based on your locations is much of the fun of using Brightkite.

  • Kendall

    For those not using Brightkite because friends are not on it – I suggest you read this article again, and think harder about what you can do beyond just looking in on what friends are up to. Early Brightkite users have the awesome advantage of being some of the first to add remarks to locations they enjoy – I’ve posted notes around restaurants I like, or other places I enjoy visiting. The next time a Brightkite user visits Escalate, they will know here to eat..

    It’s also really interesting to look at the Nearby stream for wherever you are, and see what others have said about the area… when I was recently visiting New York, I found there was a Stereolab concert (a band I used to really enjoy but had not kept track of for many years) that very evening near my hotel. I couldn’t go as it turned out, but wandering across random discoveries like that based on your locations is much of the fun of using Brightkite.

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