People relationships have been evolving quite rapidly recently. If the e-mail has, despite its many flaws, changed the way people communicate, other disruptive new uses like online dating, social networking (professional: LinkedIn; friends on FaceBook; hobbies, etc.), instant messengers (allowing you to let people know whether you’re available or not and leave small notes to the attention of your contacts) have sort of opened new paths to getting to know new people, or helping you keep in touch with people you already know. In this perspective, here’s something new, both a device and a software.

Before we get going, many thanks to Steve D. (whom you’ll hear more about quite soon…) for telling me about this amazing innovation developed by the Smart Internet Technology research group – an Australian digital media think tank, and a researcher at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology named Christine Satchell.

The Swarm, that’s the name of a software (see picture on the right side of your screen), basically allows you to tell your contacts what you’re doing (eg. “In a meeting”; or “I’m driving, not so convenient to pick up the phone”), whether you’re available (“I’m sunbathing on the beach so call back tonight please”) and when you’ll be available (“Free on Saturday night”). You may also separate your professional and private contacts, interface easily the software with your regular digital address book, etc. The software is REALLY EASY to use, and will probably adapt perfectly to the new “finger-driven phones” trend set by Apple and its iPhone. If you don’t believe me and feel like judging by yourself, check out the interactive demo of Swarm over here.

Sources: Techno-Science.net, InternetActu, SmartMobs

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