Introduced last year, a smartphone application is giving ravers the communication abilities we’ve been dreaming of. No longer will whether or not you’re able to find your friend at the mainstage be decided by WiFi availability, unpredictable phone service, or a 10-foot tall Spongebob Totem. The app, FireChat, utilizes the mesh networking capabilities available via the WiFi and Bluetooth software found in iOS and Android devices to create a private network with which to host the user’s chat room.
The app has been used during protests in China, with privacy being the key. FireChat has also been popular at festivals, helping rave families communicate in environments without WiFi or cellular coverage. Making noise at SXSW in Austin earlier this year, FireChat seems destined to be the next big thing in social media.
For example, were you and a friend to be separated during a set at Paradiso this summer, you could use FireChat to let them know where you are, rather than abandoning your primo spot during Armin van Buuren. The potential uses for the private, secure communication that FireChat provides when the options we’re used to are unavailable are endless.
An important aspect of FireChat to remember is that it’s new. Out for just over a year, the app, and the technology driving the app, are both relatively fresh and still have plenty of room for improvement. The people at FireChat are fully aware of these shortcomings, which include low bandwidth, choppy underlying networks, and trouble working over longer distances. They’re currently working on new software and products to improve their off-the-grid messaging abilities, and we’re beyond excited to see what mesh networking and messaging could lead to.
Let us know what you think of FireChat’s potential, if you’ve used the app before, or plan to in the future! Comment below, on Facebook, or reply on Twitter!
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
