Blog

Announcement: IdoCheckIn for Lotusphere2009


Tags :


This year over 8,000 Notes professionals are attending Lotusphere2009.  With all the social networking technology, from Twitter to Facebook to LinkedIn, you are still in the dark on the location of people and finding new contacts.

IdoCheckin (website launch this week) will allow everyone to better communicate and locate each other around Lotusphere and other events.

Remember the first time you went to a conference when you did not know anyone or could not find anyone?  Imagine you are one of those new people this year.  You wander around with no way to easily be in touch or locate another attendee.  You will be able to communicate and locate anyone that participates, even total strangers through IdoCheckin.

IdoCheckin allows you to broadcast your location via SMS or web browser where you are around Lotusphere and be able to see everyone that checks in at different areas.

I partnered with Martin at Brightkite (an incredible location service) to make this happen.  We knocked out a nice listing of key areas for this first year launch.  While I realize there are even more locations we can list, I created the majority of prime places, even ones like Jellyrolls.  I will blog the full listing of locations and more detailed instructions tomorrow.

So here is how it works:

  • you do NOT have to register with Brightite if you do not want to, but I would strongly suggest it
  • your phone number is NEVER exposed at any time.  You could always just use the web interfaces
  • if you choose not to register an account, you get almost all functions and assigned a jdoeXXX name until you set one
  • you will simply send a simply formatted SMS to their service and it "checks you in" at that location
  • you are able to see who is at locations through notifications (if registered) or on the public 'wall' through a browser.  I will cover the wall this week
  • if registered, it can also link your location to Twitter for your followers, as many of you often see me do.
  • standard text messaging (SMS) rates will apply based on your carrier and phone plan if using the SMS interface.  IdoCheckin has NO fees associated with it.
Look for more postings starting tomorrow outlining all the spots established around Lotusphere, more instructions and videos.