You are currently browsing the Travels category.

Brightkite Rides Shotgun

April 20th, 2009

I moved to St. Louis, started a new job at Washington University in St. Louis, and got engaged. Beginning November 2008, I traveled back-and-forth from St. Louis and South Bend, Indiana every weekend until now. If you are wondering why, please read the first sentence above again.

Sidebar: if you need to know anything (anything) about Illinois Highway 55, just ask. I’ve seen some interesting sights.

My immediate family is spread out across the midwest and east coast. We are a very tech savvy group—each using Twitter for many years, Flickr fans, and iPhone handlers. We use web services to keep in touch, share information, and update each other on our travels. This has gotten more and more mobile in the past few years. Thank you, iPhone.

My family is wired.

For the past year (or so) we’ve started using Brightkite to keep each other informed of our locations. We move around a lot. A lot. I will not explain how Brightkite works, go see for yourself. Lately, on my weekend trips back to South Bend, I checked-in with Brightkite on my iPhone during the drive. It keeps people posted on my whereabouts, progress, and arrival times. It lets others know when I can speak on the phone. That is, when I am on the long stretches of beautiful, Illinois prairie. No joke—it’s beautiful country.

Sidebar #2: If you ever stop for gas or food in Lexington, Illinois, be nice to the gas station clerk. He’s friendly. And, be sure to wave to the state trooper who parks there all the time. Those guys work hard.

Brightkite has been invaluable to me and my family. I feel like we are keeping in touch—little by little—via this amazing service. And, it makes the world seem smaller and accessible. I know that may sound cliche, but it is true. And, I am learning so much about my travel patterns.

This all made sense to me recently when I looked at the “map view” of my travels during the past five months. It is amazing to see all of the check-ins from the road between STL and SBN. Each of these orange markers represents a time when I sent a message to my family/friends from Brightkite. Each time, telling them where I was and how I was progressing during the trip in real time.

To me, it is so much easier (and safer) while driving to “slide to unlock” my iPhone, hit the Brightkite app, let it find me, and then check-in to update my family than it is to try and do the same with Twitter or any Twitter apps. This is not a value judgment, just a fact. And, I love Twitter.

I do not usually gush like this, but I want to officially state my impressions of Brightkite. I wish them much success and thank them personally for making the world smaller and closer for me and my family.

Posted in Travels | Permalink

Other Recent Posts:

A GPS in Every Car

January 2nd, 2008

I traveled quite a lot the past couple of weeks, and I noticed an obvious trend. It seems to me that almost every car on the highway has a GPS installed. I observed this during a 12 hour drive on a major highway, a trip to Arizona, and as a passenger in a taxi. Being a GPS owner myself (TomTom One), I have an eye for this gadget. I’ve owned a handheld GPS for several years (bought one of the original Garmins), and it seems like the general consumer has caught up. Is 2008 the tipping point for GPS?

It is obvious that GPS is here to stay. Here’s how I know.

GPS passes the “Wii” test. That is, you can pick it up and play just as easily as Nintendo Wii. There is no need to read instructions or a manual. My father recently got interested in GPS, and he asked me how difficult it is to use. So, when we were in Arizona (a place where we both have no clue about directions), he was able to easily input an address and get turn-by-turn directions. I gave him no advance instructions or training. It is the exact same situation I encountered when my brother asked me how to play Nintendo Wii. I told him, “just play,” and he did.

On the way to JFK airport, the driver from the car service told me that he could not live without GPS. It is a way of life for him. I think this is now true for the rest of us.

Posted in Analysis, Travels | Permalink

Other Recent Posts:

 

Powered by Wordpress - Entries (RSS)