Graffitio

For some reason, I find it to be a very compelling concept. And I usually reject any communication method other than phone or email No twittering for me!

To be a little more clear than the OP, here's how Graffitio (graffit.io) works:

You post "invisible messages" in the real world--tied to your location (via GPS) like invisible graffiti. It's all very simple and self-explanatory. At launch, you see the nearest "walls" (places people have posted), with the time of the last message. Nothing posted near you? Hit the "plus" button and a new wall is created where you are now (and you can name it). There are also general walls for your town, state, country, etc., if you want to tie your message to larger area.

I don't see any walls in my town yet but I'm strangely compelled to go around adding them. I made one for my apartment complex, my local library, and one at my favorite hiking trail (where I have wildlife questions that I'd like to post for other hikers). Graffitio suggests using it to comment on what's good/bad at restaurants. Or you could use it as an impromptu forum for live discussion of a particular event, like a baseball game. I can envision geocache-style treasure hunts and other urban gaming too.

And other than those general area walls, it seems that you HAVE to be within 3000 feet of a well to post or even to view it. This can't be used like any old forum ABOUT places, you have to BE there. Like real "graffiti."

There just seem to be so many potential uses--and hey, you get to combine surfing message boards with going outside in the world! Who ever thought those two would meet? I hope this really takes off. It seems to be iPhone-only (and iPod Touch) now so it may take time. (It could be done with any GPS-and-Internet device though.)

The sign-up process is interesting: you choose a unique username and email address, but you do NOT need to choose a password and there's never a login to perform. You just get one activation link sent to your email, and when you click it, somehow your username is tied to your specific phone. (I assume you can get the email re-sent and activate a new phone later on.) I never had to connect my phone to my computer--it was all done on the phone.

But you don't even have to register--you can post anonymously. And even if you do register (free) you can still choose to make any post anonymous. (There's no moderation yet as near as I can tell.)

I see the next version will let you fine tune the location of a wall you make, in case the GPS thinks you are next door or something.

nagr[red]o[/red]mme

I require stroyent!
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