AwareSpot.com - Personalized Alert Distribution System

There are loads of email and mobile alert systems out there that can bring us up-to-the-minute information about a variety of topics. It is far from uncommon to come across a web-based automated alert messaging system that lets subscribers know about traffic jams, criminals, and natural disasters. A new alert system, AwareSpot, takes it one step further and lets any entity (such as a local police station) or individual create a “list” (a personalized alert) to which users can subscribe to receive instant messages on their mobile devices when an alert is issued. Lists can be public or private; the latter indicating that users need to be invited to join the list. Subscribers can specify an exact location and time that they want to receive alerts. The hypothetical example that the AwareSpot site gives is the LAPD issuing traffic alerts for the entire city of Los Angeles. Depending on where and when commuters have chosen to receive alerts, they may or may not receive a message on their phone. For example, if someone has only chosen to receive an alert in Pacific Palisades between the hours of 10am and 2pm, they will only get a message in regards to traffic for that particular location during those particular hours. To create a list, you need to sign up for AwareSpot (it’s free).

AwareSpot is a FREE location based alert system. It works by sending relevant text messages to your mobile phone. It can be used by public service, government, community organizations, interest groups, or just for fun!

AwareSpot could be a decent alternative to standard text-messaging alert systems in that it is more easily personalized, and anyone can create a list. It could be equally useful for large companies and public bodies as it could for families, and it is free of charge outside of normal text messaging costs incurred.

AwareSpot encourages its users to search for distribution lists by looking through their local newspapers to find lists that are being advertised by organizations like the state police, weather stations, etc, but it remains unclear how exactly AwareSpot plans to get the word out about its service to these organizations. Does AwareSpot plan on having another method for users to search for lists that is based from their phone instead of requiring them to pick through newspapers?