The iPhone background is the new Wallet Photo

The more I show my iPhone wallpaper to show inquisitive people what my girlfriend looks like, the more I’m realizing that the iPhone is like the new “wallet photo.” Technology is ever evolving and changing the way we socialize. While I’m not talking about tech nostalgia per se, but it does get me thinking about how certain things have changed the way we interact.

Going Out: In the trailer for the movie “Hot Tub Time Machine,” the kid is asking out a girl and asks how can she get in touch with them. He goes through all of his methods: text, email, cell phone. She finally says, “Come Find Me.” His reply would be the same as mine: “That sounds hard.” Even going back to when I was in college, we had cell phones but we still struggled to get in touch with the people that were out – texting was still relatively new. Now, I have Foursquare telling me where all my friends, acquaintances, and everyone in between are. Throw in Twitter, and I don’t actually have to actually engage with anyone to go out with them. Some people may find that weird, but the planned serendipity is nice- allowing me to just “wing” a night together and still end up hanging out with friends and having a lot of fun.

Apartment Hunting: Seriously, can you imagine looking for apartments without Craigslist? I can’t. It’s a one-stop shop. Sure, it’s the same as classifieds – except it brought it to the masses. Now, if an apartment is going to be rented, there will be an advertisement in Craigslist. It’s made it so easy to move that I couldn’t even tell you how people did it before.

Directions I was in Canada recently for a movie shoot (I know, I live such a fun life) and I didn’t sign up for the Canadian Data plan, so my iPhone was simply a cell phone. I felt lost. What did people do before GPS-enabled phones? I wouldn’t be able to do half the things I do in New York without my Google Maps. It’s crazy to think that people used to live that way…that I used to live that way…but that just goes to show how technology changes behavior.

There are so many other ways that technology has changed my behavior. I would love to hear some of yours. Leave a comment below so we can discuss.

How Foursquare and Mega Bus almost got me in the Des Moines Register

When I finally got around to my voice mail, I figured it would be from an issue that I already took care of. Instead, I hear this:

“Um…this is kind of a random request but….”

On the other end was a reporter for the Des Moines Register. She was doing an article on Mega Bus – the discount bus service that I often take around the NY metro area. You see, I recently became the mayor of the Mega Bus on Foursquare and she found my name, did a little investigative journalism, and ended up tracking me down.

I didn’t get a chance to be interviewed – I took much too long to return the call – but I thought it was a revealing story about how our broadcast culture is changing things. A reporter half the country away needed help. She needed someone with experience using a business that was coming to the local community. A google/twitter search later, and she found me. This was not possible a few years ago…

As Twitter gets their archives pushed into the Library of Congress, we are starting to gather millions upon millions of data points that will reveal something about human behavior. My migratory patterns – where I check in on Foursquare – are revealing about who I am, what I do, and many behaviors associated with it. Taking that to a macro level, you can’t help but ponder what sociologists, anthropologists, and other -gists will be able to glean from that information. I think it’s pretty exciting.

On a related note, today is Foursquare Day (4 squared = 16. So 4/16 is Foursquare Day). My girlfriend Alana and I are hosting a Foursquare Day party at Faegan’s in Syracuse NY. If you’re in the area, I would love it if you can join. The Eventbrite link is here: George and Alana’s Foursquare Party.