Place Mail location-sensitive to-do list for cellphones

Pam Ludford, a Ph.D. candidate in computer science at the University of Minnesota, has developed a location-sensitive to-do list app for GPS-enabled cellphones as her thesis project, but she's not yet looking to market it. The app, called Place Mail, can send a reminder whenever you're near a particular location. So, for instance, if you're near the video store, it can remind you of a movie you wanted to rent. Ludford is now looking for participants for a trial period, after which she'll publish a paper on her research and finish her Ph.D.

[Via textually.org]

[teksno @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

well its running on a motorola phone on the iDen networks...ie Nextel. that basically means its a java based app...i wonder if shes interested in open sourcing it...doubtful. but this is still a very good idea...i was thinking about something like this a few months ago, and was wondering why no one (ie service providers) had somthing like this.

imagine combining this with a snart phone and possible google maps...theres a hack for you...

in fact this brings up a fairly good question.
FTA:"The phones use the Nextel service plan - because Nextel is the only provider that allows outside programmers such as Ludford to add software."

is sprint going to carry on that tradition?

[mathew smith @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

hmm... could be a smart marketing gimmic in the future... your all in one pda/phone reminding you that kcf as you walk close has a cupon for you... or reminding you that that movie you wanted to rent has come in... ohh the world of tomorrow...

[Dean Heistad @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

The new acronym could be called PMS.

Placemail Messaging Service.

[The "That's Hot" Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Computer science PhD students should be inventing new algothims not wasting time on drivel like this. While it's a nice product for people too stupid to remember they wanted to watch a movie, it's not science.

Pam, please transfer to the b-shcool, you are not a scientist.

[Rocket Punch @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

All this "break thru" technology mumbo jumbo!?!...
I just want my mobile phone's battery to last an entire week without charging!!!

Am I asking too much??

[fever @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Why should CompSci students invent new algorithms? Definitely more useless than this, since all those algorithms have already been invented, just not released. Way to rock the month-old (year-old) news, Engadget. (I'm still pissed about the 25-and-up clause. At least I didn't have to explain the phone...)

f

[The "That's Hot" Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

fever,

Because inventing (not "releasing" or "developing" or "implementing") is an academic pursuit.

Using someone else's technology to make a marketing tool isn't.

It's a good project for an MS student, I guess.

[Pam Ludford @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Pam Ludford here. Just want to point out that the story here on engadget hardly captures what all I will be doing to earn my dissertation. Rest assured, "That's Hot" Guy, that I will be doing *plenty* of computation and traditional computer science before my committee gives me a nod.

[The "That's Hot" Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Awesome that you're on here Pam. I totally take back what I said. I even read the article! I liked the "milk" multi-user example. (You can't get this stuff from the summary, people.)

Being the only one that ever picks up the damn milk in my house it would be great if a text message could make someone else to do it just once!

I am a bit more of an academic "purist" then most, but if you say your "primary interest is mostly academic", then who am I to disagree?

I'll have you know I've upped my meds and am feeling great, thank you.