On Strategy

The Networked Life…

Today I was catching up on some old articles and read a blog by Jason Bakker about geotagging and social networks.

The gist of it was, as smart phones get smarter, GPSs get more ubiquitous and businesses engage more in social networking, we’ll enter a networked age where you’ll be approached with coupons, offers, and incentives targeted to where you are at the time.

I found this a bit amusing because it reminded me a bit of a system of military gear called EPLRS, the Enhanced Position Location Reporting System.  Back in the day, when I was in communication school it was still plain ol’ PLRS and it had been developed in the day before GPSs got nearly as pervasive.

Actually the premise was a bit like a ground-based GPS.  Each of your units would have a vehicle with a radio transmitter/receiver in it that would broadcast its location.  Then, when combined with stationary base stations, you’d be able to triangulate so everyone knew where everyone else was.

As technology marched forward they realized that, in addition to basic location information, they could load other data onto the radio signal.  They tacked an “E” onto the acronym, and planned to use it as a way to push additional networked data capabilities down to small units.

I was never fortunate enough to be in a unit where we actually employed EPLRS, but I find it a bit amusing that marketing has come up with a very similar path to get me to take a detour to try the new Pad Thai place or see the show.

Tags: EPLRS, geotagging, marketing, military, technology, Twitter