LoKation-based music...

Been having a bit of a play with a new iPhone app released in March built around the premise of location-based media sharing. It's called LoKast (hence the attempted pun).

The idea is that when you have the app open, any media actively shared by other LoKast users within a 300-ft radius is available on your iPhone. Media, at the moment, includes music from their iPhone library, photos, videos, and contacts.

As well as media shared by other users, selected providers can make items available over wi-fi in specific locations, for LoKasters who want it.

The great things are:

- LoKast uses its own NearVerse network optimisation incorporating Bluetooth as well as 3G or Wi-fi, so it works underground and in areas where there's no mobile phone service.

- There's no 'spying' as people can only see media if you intentionally make it available.

- For music, especially, if you like something you hear, there's an option to buy the full song from iTunes within the LoKast app, or add a 30s clip to your own LoKast media for other users to discover.

At the moment, it only works if you have LoKast open, so you can't do anything else at the same time and chances are you'll miss things unless you know they're there or happen across them by accident. This could change, however, if the expected iPhone 'multi-tasking' functionality is incorporated and the app takes off.

We have some ideas... but are waiting to see how the user-base develops as at the moment, all we've been able to find is music from The Ruse, and some profile shots of three random people who've uploaded photos...

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