“Mates” – A location-based social network system.

SmartMobs has this pointer to an interesting digital social network that utilises location orientated data to locate your "mates". Developed by a team of students at the Uni of Michigan in the USA, "mates" is designed to receive location input rom various sources such as direct input, or via some GPS device or services such as Ekahau (uses WiFi networks for location tracking on campuses)

An interesting aspect of their design is that they are looking at implementing Webservices type APIs. From their site…. "We strive to create an open infrastructure that will allow existing software to harness the power of location based social networking"

Now this is what 3G providers should be looking into, especially in light of recent press here in Australia from companies such as Seeker Wireless who utilise cost efficient technologies over exisitng GSM networks to perform location based services.