Ever since mobiles gobbled up GPS chips and began pulling double duty as miniature satnavs, tech-heads and future-gazers have been predicting apps that’ll “let you see who’s nearby” and connect with them, whether that’s by walking in the opposite direction, or asking if they fancy a pint. Now, however, it’s becoming reality. And not just in phones. Location awareness is everywhere.
Microsoft just showed off Vine, its new Facebook and Twitter-beater in one. It’s a dashboard widget for Windows PCs designed to show groups of friends who’s in the vicinity and what they’re up to. But there’s a more serious side than simply organising impromptu pub crawls.