There are already a few devices and applications that allow you to access semi-dynamic Point-Of-Interest databases, like TomTom and its MapShare technology. Some websites also make it possible to download POI lists onto any GPS device. The problem with those services is that you have to synchronize your device with a remote source in order to retrieve a batch of points of interest.
And what happens if the restaurant your PND lead you to has been closed since the last time you synchronized? And what about highly dynamic information like promotional events or parties?
The thing is that most of POI sources are made for devices without a network connection. TagSpot relies on the fact that it is built for mobile phones and smartphones and uses a network connection to retrieve the information you need and nothing more. And since it is not based on a local database that you have to synchronize, each time there is a change on the server, like a closed restaurant, a new party or anything, you can retrieve this information almost in real time. No need to synchronize, no need to worry about whether your device database is up-to-date, no more greedy application that eats up your whole device memory.
Technically, such a connected service is nothing new, but in the world of POI-based services, it opens up new possibilities like locating temporary events.
Of course, this network connection has a cost, especially on mobile networks where data connectivity is still more expensive than the one you have at home. But since the original iPhone came out, most mobile network operators have released unlimited flat-rate data plans. Hopefully data connectivity will become cheaper and cheaper as our mobile usage evolves. Anyways, TagSpot is not a mobile website, it’s an application that loads raw data, without all the images and useless data. So it loads only the data you need, nothing more, and in a very optimized form. So in the end, using TagSpot is relatively cheap compared to a mobile web or WAP site.
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