In this entry, I am going to introduce this other web 2.0 or social networking website,
Wholivesnearyou.
This website basically let you get connected with the girls or guys next door. Yes, the network is being clustered and generated based on your address and this website enables you to know who are the members of this website that are currently online. So if there is a guy of girl staying just across the streets that you are longing to know, this is the site for you.
Well, apart from the friend making mechanism, it also promotes interest group in your neighbourhood like cars, pets and so many more. Apart from a common forum for people to discuss about issues, there is also a marketplace for you to put your items for sale and this time, shipping will not be necessary as the buyers are most probably from your neighbourhood.
WhoLivesNearYou is an innovative start-up by 2 young Singaporeans, allowing you to search for supper buddies or fellow football fanatics within your neighbourhood. It’s the perfect local portal for today’s tech-savvy teens to make friends with people who are within walking distance. With cutesy icons that remind you of the drink, Qoo, it immediately entices you in to find out who lives near you.
Through a simple sign up with your postal code, the website pinpoints your dwelling, but reveals less specific information on your location to others. It’s a safety feature that keeps stalkers at bay, although some people get annoyed that their actual residence isn’t close to what is, in fact, revealed. One user used the space in his profile to clarify his exact location.
The website isn’t another Friendster rip-off as its database of users are divided based on postal codes, thus only revealing people “closest to you”, people 5 minutes away from you, and those within a 15-minute walk. So that female user in the “closest to you” segment could well be the auntie next door who loves karaoke or her cute daughter. Her profile, if it’s truthful, should shed some light on her identity.
There’s also a function to add photos, but you’ll only be able to see other users’ photos if you’ve uploaded your own. This allows you to put a face to the name, and when you finally see them, you may well go “Oh!” - although that exclamation is most probably one of disappointment.
The profile also lists your occupation (although many users’ just read “slacker”), age, gender, as well as smoking and drinking habits. You can proclaim if you’re a social or regular drinker and/or smoker, and probably to find company that indulge in the same habit. You can also find clubbing mates who stay nearby, which makes sharing a cab home much cheaper. Better yet, find someone who drives! You indicate it in your profile if you’ve got a car or a bike. So now you know who’s the idiot who always revs his motorcycle in the middle of the night.
Still, your best bet to actually knowing your neighbour is through the detailed “about yourself” section. However, it’s up to users to decide how much they want to reveal, and sometimes, they simply don’t fill that section up. To get more intimate with your neighbours, you can send messages to them. If you want to give a shout out to everyone in the vicinity, there’s always the “Coffeeshop” forum.
WhoLiveNearYou, co-created by
Mok Wen Kai, a former UrbanWire designer, has an interesting concept, different from other networking websites like Friendster and MySpace, and it’s a local site unique to Singapore residents.
UrbanWire likes the big red heart icon that appears in your profile if you are attached, making sure potential suitors know that you’re off limits. However, there doesn’t seem to be a way to add neighbours to your list of friends for easier communication, like mass messaging.
The site attracted 4,000 registrations within two days of its early July launch and currently has more than 50,000 subscribers, most between the ages of 18 and 30.
