Comments on: Brightkite: A bright future for mobile social networking?

With a slick interface, extensive privacy controls, and iPhone and Android apps on the way, Brightkite is the most promising location-based social network yet. That doesn't mean it's perfect by any means.

[drewkoven]

Great article - do you have a twitter handle - would like to follow you. -Drew

[basraw]

I'd follow her too. She looks cute.

[El_Queso_Grande]

I completely agree with Altman in that "To try to do this without access to live location just doesn't work." Users should have the option to opt-out or to pre-configure their LBS settings, but this extra work should be the exception versus the daily norm. Britekite's approach will create a cute niche application, but the constant input process will put-off most potential users.

Where I don't agree with Loopt (and Helio) is their belief that LBS should be limited to service contracts. Like your "virtual tumbleweeds" comment pointed out, the subscriber-based model just does not work for the cell-phone masses when everyone is operating on different phones, different subscription services, different carriers, et al.

IMO the better social GPS application will follow Loopt's "always on" model, but it would do so in a free downloadable and/or browser based format. A tie-it to Google Maps with searchable locations + real-time people finding would set the stage for explosive growth. This base platform would then drive additional uses like proximity detection, dating scenarios, location advertising, social congregation points, et al.

[dam00n]

Interesting look at mobile social networks. GPS can be great in rural or suburban areas but in urban canyons like Manhattan, GPS is less effective. The opposite can be said of wifi triangulation.
Brightkite's checking in feature seems to make more sense. I don't really care about the physical location (lat/long coordinates) of my friends, I care where they are. I want to know that they are at crifdog not somewhere on st marks btw 1st and A. (But maybe that is just me)
One thing that I wonder about is whether there is a one size fits all solution for mobile social networks. Does something that works for New Yorkers also make sense in LA?

[bpende]

Brightkite has done a great job of putting the best practices from their predecessors in. They've also done an awesome job of using other microblogging sites (Twitter for one) as another place where they can share ideas and follow some of the conversations about their service. They've been responsive to my questions/feedback, and I'm finding out more about some of the people who are "local" to me. I'm still looking for some improvements, such as Flickr integration, and the removal of some seemingly unnecessarily confirmation boxes, but I'm keeping my account and sending out my invites. Do you need one?

On Brightkite : http://brightkite.com/people/bpende
On Twitter : http://twitter.com/bpende
On Pownce : http://pownce.com/bpende
On Jaiku : http://wholelotofnonsense.jaiku.com

[SIGEPJEDI]

Ive just started playing with BrightKite and so far thing the site is pretty amazing. The commands are a little overwhelming, but with the recent add of an iPhone accessible site that is less of an issue for me. The real issue is that is has yet to spread in my geo location, Tampa FL. Once it does catch on, it will be interesting to see and use the site with others around my area. I can certainly see how this will gain serious traction.

http://twitter.com/sigepjedi | http://brightkite.com/people/sigepjedi

[tarabrown]

After a bumpy start I have become an avid BrightKite user. Initially I was frustrated by the lack of mobile browser support for my smartphone, but once i got the hang of the SMS commands and emailing my photos, it's really become second nature for me to use the service. As someone that has a terrible memory, I utilize BrightKite to document my day...sometimes boring and sometimes rather interesting but at least I have a historical document.

I also use it to keep connected with my friends whether in Seattle, San Francisco, LA, or Canada. Having a combination of their BrightKite photos and Twitter tweets throughout the day really helps me to keep up to date with them even if there is great distance. It's also of course great to find out about last minute movies or parties and the address is readily available (I wish I could easily add the address to my GPS, but that's another matter...)

An interesting way that BrightKite was used recently was at Coachella...Brady created Placemarks for each stage so you could track which bands your friends were going to and try and meetup. The Placemarks in general are really easy..I just create ones for @home, @work etc. and its a simple command to check-in.

I have been pleasantly surprised with the exceptional response rate that Martin and Brady from Brightkite have afforded me and the BrightKite community...I feel that they care about their customers and are quite agile in releasing new features.

So overall I give BrightKite two thumbs up and I look forward to more featurse and the mobile browser interface (& GPS location service would be good too :) )

http://brightkite.com/people/tarabrown

-Tara

[webdevgeek]

Didn't you just contradict yourself in the same article? If there wasn't a grassroots base then why was everyone wanting an invite? The site is still in beta. It needs momentum to succeed yes, but I think the current amount of users who regularly use the site are a prototype for that momentum.

Loopt is excluding people. I think you should talk more about how they're going to survive? They're dead out of the box. Brightkite is building a foundation in which anyone with a mobile phone can participate in. Who's to say they won't build on to that?

Just like an upscale restauraunt doesn't cater to the meat-and-potatoes-going-to-McDonald's-on-Saturday-night crowd doesn't mean they aren't going to be a success, brightkite doesn't have to be everything to everyone. It's called a niche.

I think you'll regret this article when it's all said and done.

[jaseone_bk]

I know at least in Houston that Brightkite has a strong user community and it is continuing to grow, which I think is indicative of Houston emerging as more & more a hotbed for social media.

Now that doesn't mean I constantly see people I don't know checking in to places near me as the service is still in beta so most people on Brightkite thus far I already know on Twitter as that is the primary channel that invites are being distributed through.

As for having to remember complex codes I call shenanigans, if you have predefined placemarks set up then you can check in to those using the @ symbol so I can do @home, @work & @park and it will check me in, the only other "code" you really need to remember is ?business name, so if you don't have a placemark defined you can find that business then it will text you back a list of options where you just reply with the appropriate number. Isn't that pretty simple?

One of the best things about BrightKite though is their support and their involvement with users on Twitter, every suggestion, question, bug etc I have sent has been addressed fairly promptly and I often see them replying to others.

[magerleagues]

I am in desperate need of a Brightkite.

Google can't figure out Dodgeball. Groovr's audience is dead.

Brightkite seems like a bright idea, but people have to use it. The nice iPhone UI will make it a successful social medium. The ease of use on the website will also help them.

But the private beta is kinda iffy. I like how when I run out of invites, I get more. I always say to people "Twitter is the what, Brightkite is the where".

I am going to visit my mom for her birthday tomorrow, and I am gonna explain Brightkite to her. She probably won't get it at first, but I'm excited to show it to her.

[heather gilmour]

Brightkite actually is a grassroots app, in my opinion. It grows by word of mouth/social networks every day. I enjoy it and have already met new people and told others about it. It's a great, growing thing.

[SIGEPJEDI]

magerleagues - Thats what i say too: "Twitter is the what, Brightkite is the where"

Also, i agree with your Groovr point, and its sad it didnt get more of a following. I think they just missed the mark in trying to be too grey of a combination of a few things when they should have just focues on a simple version of one thing they could be good at.

http://twitter.com/sigepjedi

[hidama]

My attraction to Brightkite is meeting new people and learning about new places. I look forward to using Brightkite when I'm traveling to get insight on public venues and maybe even meet up with fellow Brightkite users that are in the area. If Brightkite would be instantly popular world wide, I would enjoy meeting up with other users when I am traveling in Hong Kong, EU, or China.

[thatchman1]

I've used BK for a couple weeks now and I've found it very useful. One of the common problems we find in micro blog type social media is that we all use it but sometimes we have a hard time knowing "whose around us," such as large conferences, lunch spots, and others. With BK you can all "check in" at an event, business, etc. so regardless of whose phone tracks them at whatever coordinate, you can all see whose there. This is why in some ways it is above and beyond GPS enabled tracking. It could backfeed GPS enabled tracking also, but people get annoyed with a timed or constant update.

There is great potential with this app or apps like it, just like twitter, some commentary thought twitter was useless until the user base disabled the ability to claim its uselessness.

[DavidChartier]

Brightkite *just* entered a private beta barely a month ago. It is far, far too early to start dissecting whether it has a chance of gaining traction or whether the company's physical location in Denver, CO has any bearing on its potential for success.

I'm a big fan of the service already, but networks like Brightkite don't explode overnight even if they open the doors wide to the public from the get-go.

Give Brightkite some time to build a private community, stabilize its services, and open its doors to the public. Then maybe it'll be time to take a more serious look at the service's prospects.

[reuableahcim]

BrightKite is really about sharing the "emotional locational" aspects of our lives. There's a real connotation to the concept of "checking in" to a place. Developing this network of places that you, your friends, and others have checked into over the past and where they may check into (check out?) in the future is what this is all about. This network, its history, and its use in planning activities creates a compelling, unique asset for both consumers and eventually businesses alike. By having an emotional connection to "checking in" doing so manually becomes exciting, not a hassle so saying you need GPS to do this automatically is simply showing that other services lack this emotional tie. And because of this emotional tie, people other than those who think they know the Net because of where they happen to live will use it.

[dcmosqueda]

I'm enjoying BrightKite. The iPhone interface is good. I wish it used the iPhone's self-locator vs having to type in your location, but it is good idea. Invites are around Twitter if you're curious.

[slaguzman]

1. The beta is not tightly restricted. Brightkite is very liberal about handing out invitations. I got one by simply sending Martin May an email when I wanted to get in. Anyone can easily get an invite by going to www.brightkiteinvites.com as well.

2. Brightkite definitely has a grass roots user base. I have 8+ people in my area, and I live in a suburban area of Wisconsin. There is constantly activity with people checking in and posting notes and photos. In fact, if I chose to display check ins in my friend stream, I would quickly get overloaded since people are doing it so often.

3. Brightkite definitely faceses some adoption issues with people learning to integrate it into their lives. But sending a text message certainly isn't something that is a foreign concept to todays generation. I think any micro-blogging service fill face these challenges. In my opinion, Brightkite has a leg up in that it is very obvious what the service is about. I invited my brother to join, and he is very anti-Web 2.0. He never understands the services. When he tried it out though, he instantly liked it and said he wants to integrate it into his life.

4. While I think you raised some legitimate concerns, I believe they are largely unfounded. Brightkite is still so new (it seems they have really only opened up the private beta in the last two weeks or so) and they have not yet had their breakthrough moment. As a user and a part of thier growing community, I am convinced that they will have that breakthrough very soon.

[basraw]

where'd my comments go