The "Killer App" for Pocket PC Phone Edition?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/09/18/020918hnmsdemo.xml?s=IDGNS">http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/09/18/020918hnmsdemo.xml?s=IDGNS</a><br /><br />It's comming folks. Location based services. "At the DemoMobile show taking place this week in La Jolla, Calif., [Microsoft] will be demonstrating the Microsoft Enterprise Location Server, server software that allows enterprise customers to build applications for mobile devices that make use of location-based services. Customers that purchase Microsoft's server are expected to be able to build applications that let Pocket PC Phone Edition devices get maps that identify where the user is at any given time, where other users are, and nearby points of interest."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20020918-locationservices.gif" /><br /><br />Imagine the possibilities in the enterprise. UPS, FedEx, cable and phone repairmen. Based on where they are the software could dynamically update their route based on new information from the home base simply using cell phone networks. Ultimately, this would filter down to consumers, in fact it could be as early as 2003 for AT&amp;T Wireless customers. While I can see great benefits to this for the consumer, I hope it isn't paid for by drive by advertising. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif" />

[/dev/niall]

UPS trucks have been connected to a private cellular network for at least 8 years, though when I worked there they weren't taking full advantage of it (probably because of the cost at the time). They truly have some remarkable technology already available to them... it will be interesting to see what they do as the tech becomes a commodity.

[Jason Dunn]

You know what I would love? An instant message from UPS saying "Our truck is in your area and will be there in 10 minutes". I work from home, and I'm always missing shipments because the courier comes 3 minutes after I leave...

[/dev/niall]

You know what I would love? An instant message from UPS saying "Our truck is in your area and will be there in 10 minutes". I work from home, and I'm always missing shipments because the courier comes 3 minutes after I leave...

That would be really cool, but I'm not sure it will happen anytime soon. They've technically been able to do this for years.

Customer support reps already spend an inordinate amount of time explaining to customers that drivers can't "come back" or call them when they're "in the area". It seemed to me that they went out of their way to downplay the fact that they usually know where their drivers are.

Of course, when I worked there consumers weren't into cell phones, pagers, and IM clients like they are today. Maybe now that such things are commonplace...

[Registered]

Me being tracked wherever I go ?

-what could be better ??