Two days ago, I wrote in this blog about a location-based social network named xrosspath (read hear). Globme, a service created by a Taiwan-based company, is almost similar to the offerings of xrosspath.

Globme Front Page

Each Globme’s member will have a profile page, which display their photo, list of contacts (friends), Google Map, posted events displayed in timeline format, and list of recent updates (event posted and other comments on their postings). In your profile page, there’s a button for others to add you as friends (see below sample of a profile page).

Globme Profile Page

Similar to xrosspath, users add events at Globme by providing details like description of the event and when & where the event took place. Once you create an event post, you can add photos relevant to the event and you & others can comment on the events. The site also have a ranking system, where a person is ranked based on the number of other users commenting on his/her event posting.

Add Event at Globme

These logged events are viewable by other users and are used for users to discover one another. To make new friends, you find events close to you (and you can define the search radius from where you are).

Discover Events Near You

Currently, this Taiwan-based social network is in Beta 0.1 stage (a few steps in front of xrosspath, which is still in Preview stage) with a handful rough edges to be smoothened.

There are some similarities between Globme and xrosspath. Both sites use logged events to facilitate social networking and both also require users to log their events, in terms of where and when.

One notable difference is the way the social networking approach. Globme uses map-based approach, where user search for ‘events’ near to where they are. From these events, users can discover friends. xrosspath uses its ‘geekish’ xrossfinity and display them in family-tree format (and you can see with whom you’ve crossed path with).

On a more subtle aspect, xrosspath users log their life events and use these events to discover whose path their paths intertwined with. With these discoveries, social networking take place. For Globme, users log their events for other to search them out and also allows other users to comment on their events (the more people comment on their events, they will climb up the Popular Users ranking).

As mentioned in my xrosspath’s post, logging of events must be as simple as possible. For location-based social networks, in addition for providing micro blog entry of an event, users also need to enter time/location. This additional step may discourage usage, once the novelty wears off.

Location-based Social Network Globme Goes Beta originally appeared on GreyReview on June 27, 2008.

xrosspath is an interesting intersection of a personal journal and location-based social networking, which enables users to visualize their life path, in terms of space (where) and time (when).

Each social networking site uses different stimuli to catalyze the creation of social ties (these ties then lead to site’s stickiness). Facebook uses its ‘fun’ applications to foster social networking. Last.fm offers free music and log listeners’ music preferences; users then can find friends with similar music taste. For xrosspath, it’s social stimulus is xrosspoint.

xrosspath provides a platform for users to log their life events e.g. restaurants visited, social events, school attended, etc. Each logged life event is a xrosspoint on xrosspath. A xrosspoint represents a snap-shot of one’s life experience and is used to create ‘shared meanings’ among those who were there at that particular point in time. These shared meanings are used to facilitate social networking on xrosspath.

login page of xrosspath

Each xrosspoint is logged in a Timeline. Proximity of two xrosspoints are calculated and its value is called xrossfinity. The closer the two xrosspoints, the higher is the xrossfinity value, which then means the path of the two individuals’ crossed.

timeline of xrosspath

To add a xrosspoint to the Timeline, a user needs to enter ‘start date/time’ and ‘end date/time’ and then determine the location where the event took place. Time and physical location are two key components for xrosspath to work. Its Location Finder is integrated with Google Maps. The user is also required to describe the nature of the event. For example, “I proposed to my wife here” and “My favorite Italian food restaurant.”

xrosspoint entry page

Currently, xrosspath is still in preview stage. According to Kegan Gan, Chief Technology Geodude (really, that’s his job title), they should have a more solid product out in a few more months. It is unclear what other features and functionalities will be incorporated to the complete product, other than what already available now.

One of the key challenges for xrosspath is to entice users to log their life events (or xrosspoints). It needs to create a sort-of “Just Push Play” mechanism to motivate users to log as many snap-shots of their life path as possible. Successful accumulation of xrosspoints from its users will create social vibrancy on xrosspath ecosystem, which ultimately, determine its sustainability.

xrosspath, a Cyberjaya-based company, is joining a host of players in offering location-based social application. All the key players, namely Brightkite, Loopt and Whrrl offer different flavors of location-based social networks. The recent two acquisitions – Nokia bought Germany’s Plazes and Vodafone bought Denmark’s ZYB – seem to indicate the growth potential of location-based social networks.

Map Your Life Path with xrosspath originally appeared on GreyReview on June 26, 2008.