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Geolocation technology focus taken by latest Groupon app

| November 7, 2013

The company is refocusing both its application and mobile site on search, personalization, and local.

Although Groupon has been very successful in mobile, it has been struggling since it became a publicly traded company and has been working to overcome those challenges through the use of geolocation technology and other mobile friendly techniques.

Since the CEO of the company, Andrew Mason, was sent packing, the company’s revenue has declined.

In fact, since that time, there has been a steady reduction in the daily deal site’s income. This has occurred as consumers seem to be growing immune to the emails of flash sales, either shying away from them or completely ignoring them. However, the current CEO, Eric Lefkofsky, has a new strategy in mind, which includes everything from geolocation technology to a highly personalized consumer experience.

Geolocation technology has become increasingly important in the mobile marketing environment.

Geolocation Technology - Groupon appBoth the mobile website and the app have now been changed at Groupon with a considerable shift in their focus. They are now aiming directly at the places in which people actually look for their deals. Therefore, there has been a considerable swing toward personalization, geolocation technology, and search. These redesigns appear to make a great deal of sense and could make all the difference in turning the company’s revenue trend around, to an upward direction.

In fact, the geolocation technology based “Local Explorer” feature has opened up a number of new opportunities as it automatically pops up content within the user’s current city. This was once served only with a “nearby” tag. Now, it detects the user’s location and alters the background, sending targeted deals by way of push notifications, as well. These provide users with reminders of the existence of the app while they’re on vacation or travelling; times in which they are most likely to want discounts in places such as restaurants.

Moreover, beyond geolocation technology, there is also now a search bar at the top of all of the mobile screens, which place a greater focus on searching, which has never been there, before. Along with the personalized greetings and deals, this suggests a considerably enhanced experience for the customer.

Gadgets lead to new form of dangerous driving

| November 6, 2013

The first traffic ticket has now been issued to an individual who was wearing Google Glass.

Someone has now become the first to be charged for distracted driving while wearing the augmented reality gadgets known as Google Glass.

This represents the first time that a California driver has been ticketed while distracted by wearable devices.

The driver received the ticket in San Diego County, and has now been cited for driving while distracted by wearable gadgets – in this case, Google Glass. The driver was Cecilia Abadie, who was 44 years old, at the time. She received the ticket after having been initially pulled over for speeding. That said, while the driver was pulled over, the officer noticed that she was wearing the device and upgraded the ticket for driving while distracted by a mobile computer.

This use of the gadgets is currently considered to be completely illegal, in California, while behind the wheel.

Gadgets - Traffic TicketAccording to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), it is not legal for a motorist to operate a motor vehicle while using a video monitor, TV, video screen, television receiver, or other means of displaying a television or video broadcast in a visual way, for a business or entertainment application, if it is visible to the driver, even if it is in the back seat, facing forward. This would imply that wearing these augmented reality gadgets could be defined as breaking the law as – depending on what is being displayed – it could be showing something of an entertainment or business purpose.

At the same time, according to Google, its gadgets are designed to assist their wearers to better communicate and experience the real world, not to distract them from important tasks – such as driver – in which full attention is required. There are a growing number of people who are hoping that Abadie will take her case to court and fight it, so that there will be a precedent in favor of future wearers of the augmented reality glasses.

Abadie has explained that if she does fight the ticket in court, the outcome may depend on whether the judge is a technophile, who understands the gadgets, or if he or she is someone who simply thinks that they are devices that look odd.