Localmind 2.0 Is First Smartphone App to Enable Instant Interaction with Local Area Experts from Your Mobile Device

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Localmind, the mobile application that instantly connects you to local experts and what's happening on the ground anywhere in the world right now, today announced that it has released Version 2.0 of its flagship smartphone app, which allows users to tap into the local knowledge we carry in our heads about places and activities we love.  

With the new release, users interact on demand with local-area experts to discover more meaningful information about what is happening in their neighborhood or around the globe – from the wait at a restaurant to what set is playing at the U2 concert in Copenhagen.

The Localmind app, which already enabled users to send questions to people who were currently "checked in" at a location that instant, now gives them the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of identified experts and receive real-time answers from people who have frequented those areas and venues – even if they are not currently at the location. Additionally, now users can easily browse other user profiles to compare levels of expertise and identify people they may want to meet.

"Localmind connects you with the best person to help with your specific need – whether it's discovering things to do in a city you're planning to visit or finding out what's happening now at a trendy night spot just down the street," said Lenny Rachitsky, co-founder and CEO of Localmind. "We're very excited about this new release. Now users can finally tap into an exceptional pool of unlimited expertise beyond their friend networks and actively learn about places and events from people who've experienced them firsthand."

The Localmind expertise network is built on an active knowledgebase that comes from "going places" and "doing things" rather than simply declaring "likes" or "interests."  The company's sophisticated suite of algorithms enables the app to learn about which places and topics users are most knowledgeable and tracks their reputation in the community. An expert system recognizes people for the knowledge they bring to the network, giving them more incentive to answer questions and deepen the collective knowledgebase.

"We got behind Localmind last year because, unlike some apps, it offers real utility in a space poised for exponential growth," said Eric Zimits, lead investor from Granite Ventures in San Francisco.  "Localmind is more of a tool than a game, but still provides an element of fun by connecting people to whatever they want to know about a place from experts that actually know what they are talking about. The company is well positioned to capture a share of the market for mobile app downloads, which IDC predicts will reach 183 billion by 2015."

"Localmind is at the epicenter of the social-local-mobile convergence," said Greg Sterling, senior analyst at Opus Research. "And Localmind 2.0 makes solid progress toward realizing the great potential of local Q&A and social search."

Localmind – which can be downloaded for free to iPhone, iPad, Android, or via the web – has attracted more than 70,000 users since launching in early 2011 and raising a seed round of funding in July of last year. It is available in the iTunes App Store or at www.localmind.com/download. A video tutorial is also available at vimeo.com/20825954.

ABOUT LOCALMIND

Localmind developed the first location-based app that provides immediate access to experts on places and real-time updates about anything, anywhere. Founded in January 2011, Localmind's app has been featured at SXSW and GigaOM's Mobilize LaunchPad. To date, Localmind has raised $650,000 from Granite Ventures, iNovia Capital, Real Ventures, Year One Labs and individual angel investors. Over 60,000 downloads to date. For more information, visit www.localmind.com.

SOURCE Localmind