twitHere Bartosz MALOCHA Ioannis PAPATHANASIOU Luis SALAZAR Jakub SENDOR Sharique KHAN Mobile Communications Services Applications Challenge Feb. 19th 2010

Introduction

General Idea ◦ Follow your friends’ status ◦ Check where they are writing from ◦ See how close you are to them  Meet for: lunch, shopping, car-pooling ◦ Manage your social network twitHere

Competitive Advantage Internet Based : 24/7 access. Mobile application: high granularity (GPS) PC access: low granularity (bases) Large range of target users, including non- internet mobile users. Faster than IM and twitter to locate people. Integration with the MS allows for immediate calls, SMS, MMS. Extension to SMS service handy for old mobile phones

Competition

Target users Web 2.0 users (social networks). Twitter mobile users. IM mobile users Emerging business. Mobile Operators Profile Young, dynamic, modern. Apple profile.

Use cases 1/2 Mobile ◦ ‘I discovered great new cafe/restaurant/ski slope’ ◦ ‘Dudes, there is a great party here right now, come and join us!’ Standalone (messages pinned on the map) ◦ ‘You wouldn’t believe, but I’ve been here today’ ◦ ‘This is the place I’m going to spend my New Year’s Eve’

Use cases 2/2 Special accounts for business owners – promotion opportunity e.g.: ◦ Restaurant publish information about the dish of the day ◦ People who visit the place can rate it

Technical Specifications

Technologies Web application server ◦ Django web framework ◦ Python programming language Database server ◦ MySQL Web clients communicate with Google Maps API via Javascript J2ME clients communicate with Google Static Maps API via HTTP requests

Webclients Interactive Google Map Full social-networking functionality: ◦ Creating new user account ◦ Managing friendlist (adding/removing) ◦ privacy/anti-spam options Location for the message: pinning on the map/entering address -> ‘tagging places’

J2ME clients and Symbian clients Static map from Google Maps Location read from GPS receiver ◦ Eventually, location entered as string address WML clients No map, only numeric distance Eventually icons showing relative position Location entered as string address

The Business Model

twitHere The application: development, support, upgrades, customer service. The relationships: customer life cycle, partnering companies for ads. As a service provider to mobile operators. Sell at low price (B2C), get customer base, exploit the partner’s (B2B)

Revenue Model B2B Application Sales Advertisement in website Advertisement in application Mobile Operator Content Provider B2C Downloads SMS usage Kb usage Banners, links. Promotions in the map Total Revenue

Marketing Methods Get user ratings at application stores. Post youtube videos/myspaces channel. Facebook group. Adverstise in partner’s applications / websites. Promote to friends of an early adopter.

Future Evolutions Location-Based Services Are Finally Emerging As Mobile's DNA. Service Areas Enhancements Elderly alert: Possible to integrate into Healthcare. Job alerts: Possible for Job Seeking. Teaching and Education: Possible for assignments.

Hardware Enhancements Bluetooth – Broadcast within a small campus in line with the Mobile communication network (GSM, CDMA,UMTS). e.g: campus, supermarket etc.

FIN