Travel Trends - My Location, Talking Outdoor

When Outdoor Talks Back - A great post from MediaPost's Mobile Insider blog talks about a deal between outdoor giant Clear Channel and Bluetooth content provider Qwikker that will allow thousands of outdoor ads to talk to your phone. Basically, if you and your Bluetooth enabled phone come close enough to a certain ad, say a subway transit board, a signal will be sent from the board to your phone, asking you to interact with the ad...perhaps via a download or message (similar to the popular RFID ads used by Mini earlier this year, pictured). But before your start avoiding bus shelters and subways, remember that this type of technology will be (more than likely) permission based. Now that is an interactive ad.
http://blogs.mediapost.com/

Google Maps Launches My Location - Earlier this month, Google Maps...who are slowing mapping everyone and everything...launched another product offering called My Location. My Location will allow cell phone users, with or without a GPS-enabled phone, to see a real-time representation of their location on a (Google) map. Sounds good, might be interesting. But the real benefit for Google is the integrated advertising opportunity that this technology creates.

Let's say you use Google for mobile search (or online search) and they know you have searched for a pizza restaurant in Scottsdale. So, the next time you are physically near that pizza restaurant, Google sends you a text message coupon for that restaurant. Or if you are near a certain store, Target for example, Google can send you an ad or message relating to that store.

Considering the shear amount of usable data gathered by both providers and application creators (such as this one) as well as its wide-spread use, this type of mobile advertising could create some extremely targeted advertising opportunities for marketers.
http://www.google.com/mobile/

Escape Old London's Most Feared Prison — Guided by GPS

Through a thick drizzle I gaze at the ominous gray stone buildings of the Tower of London, England's most notorious prison. I wander from one to the next, trying to imagine what it was like to be held captive here hundreds of years ago. That's when I hear a ghost. "Psst, you there... I'm sentenced to die tomorrow morning. Please, I beg you, can you help me escape?" >>Full Story

Thoughts// A fascinating story from Wired touting the latest tour at the tourist-filled Tower of London. As the article discusses, the Tower of London with assistance from HP, launched an (truly) interactive tour based upon some of the more famous prisoners and their escapes from the Tower.

As part of the tour, visitors receive a PDA, a GPS unit, and a radio transmitter. Then, as tourists walk through the historic grounds they are prompted to join in the virtual adventure when they enter certain rooms or locations. Once the game has started, players must visit certain locations within the Tower to help their prisoner escape (Ranulf Flambard, Bishop of Durhma, pictured). As the article says, the idea of the program is to surround the visitor with an experience, rather than just reading various plaques and signs.

Not only is this a great program for the Tower of London, but it begins to make you think about what other well-known (and possibly well-visited...read, I have seen it before) attractions could benefit from such an interactive experience.