Between the geolocation wars of Facebook and Twitter and the flux of geolocation-based social networks and mobile apps that have been hitting the market recently, the competition is tough. Today, mobile networking startup NearVerse, is launching a free iPhone app, called LoKast, which allows people to share media between iPhones at super-fast speeds. The kicker: the app connects people in its network based on proximity.
LoKast, which is actually short for “local-casting,” allows you to set up a profile that will list all of your photos, selected contacts, videos, web links and music on your mobile phone. You can select which content you’d like to include to the public and which content you’d like to keep private. When a LoKast user is in proximity (300 feet) of other LoKast users, the app will automatically discover other users nearby and allow the user to view and download their content. For example, you can see the iTunes library of any user who is in close proximity to you. You can choose to download a 30-second clip of any song to your own profile and can also follow the link to the iTunes store to purchase the music (LoKast collects an affiliate fee for this, of course). Similarly, you can download photos, videos and even contacts from other users into your profile. You’ll also soon be able to share apps on your phone with other users.
The beauty of Lokast is that it has its own internal network; eliminating the need for 3G connectivity to run the app, as LoKast works in subways, underground and heavily congested areas such as stadiums, where 3G connectivity is unreliable. The startup’s app is effectively all network based and currently has five patents for its proprietary technology.
LoKast is also partnering with bands to help market their content to users. LoKast has struck deals with music distribution companies including The Orchard, IODA and Monalis 360 to provide users with exclusive content within the LoKast app. And production companies, such as Mark Cuban’s Magnolia Pictures, are also using the service to promote their new films.
LoKast will soon be launching an Android app, and plans to launch integration with Facebook Connect. The app itself is incredibly simple to use and seems like it has potential to be a great way to share content on your mobile phone. Of course, some people may not feel comfortable sharing their personal content to complete strangers, so that may be a barrier for certain users.
I wonder what their propietary technology is. I bet they do an internal Skyhook-like thing in their iphone apps client side that checks the wifi mac addersses and whatnot of hotspots the phone passes and automatically builds a database on fly of wifi hotspots that are near each other, and loads up data of other Lokast users that pass the group of hotspots, instantly filling up each iphone with the data of other users for a while, even if 3G internet access goes away and possibly even if Wifii access goes away, caching it on the iphone app.
Either that, or the article was written to sound like they’re doing something fancy, and they’re not. Thoughts?
Was Wifi detection not banned by Apple — I recall some news stating that all apps which were trying to do their own location detection we being pulled….
James et al – please stay tuned on proprietary tech answers. I appreciate all of the inputs on creative technology solutions in the meantime – think your approach is sound.
For best references on mobile networking tech evolution that we are pursuing, please read Wireless 2025 article by Kevin Fitchard of Telephony Magazine (http://bit.ly/9sGVRe).
We are very committed to providing the highest speed networking experience to our consumers to make LoKast a true, real-time experience, and are leveraging experience with short-range wireless, 3G, 4G, and CDN tech in tackling the solution.
Ok this app is for C2C or B2C market. As to enterprise world, here is another application that allows you use mobile apps to view, upload, edit content in your corporate portal, team groups while you are on the go, check it out http://bit.ly/cYAyUw
Alright, this is so anti-climatic and sort of funny. Nothing patentable here.
They work with Wifi only if you are on the same network (haha) and use Bonjour like broadcast to connect to users there (weak and error prone).
If that fails they fall back to Bluetooth which effectively limits you to 6 or 7 feet and have you ever tried to share photos over Bluetooth before?
The 300 feet crap is a pipe dream (if you are luck and get two people on the same network and that network doesn’t block two wifi clients from talking to each like most do like a starbucks and hotels). You are limited to that 6 feet setup with awful bandwidth.
Someone got suckered into a pipe dream from a good sales person here.
“Local-casting” is definitely an interesting social networking concept. But in some ways, I’m afraid it removes the “ice breaker” aspect to meeting new people.
Amazing info, thanks for sharing…
Doesn’t work…
Eugene,
If you are having problems using LoKast, I would be more than happy to help. You can email me your specific issue at support@nearverse.com or directly at brians@nearverse.com, and I will have it sorted right away.
But as a general note, be sure that all devices have bluetooth turned on or are on the same WiFi network when using LoKast. I hope this helps.
Cheers!
Brian
Seems cool enough to me, smart move on releasing during SXSW
Pics and interviews from SXSW Interactive http://bit.ly/mbsxsw
THIS IS GREAT……..