Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for location-based visualization of geo-reference content are provided. Apparatus may include logic for causing a display of a map having at least one tag displayed therewith, and logic for causing the display of a set of content objects in response to selection of the tag, the set of content objects associated with the tag and the geographical location of the map. The content objects may be displayed in a viewing window adjacent the map and selectable by a user. The content objects may be filtered by a user, e.g., indicating that a content object is incorrectly tagged or geo-referenced. The apparatus may dynamically update the content based on user interaction. The set of tags and content objects displayed may vary based on a particular zoom level and associated tags may be displayed in response to selection of a tag and/or a content object.

Abstract: Apparatus for an asynchronous search platform is provided in which a user may submit a request for information via a mobile device and receives a response from a researcher. In one example, the apparatus includes a server operable to receive a user-generated request from a mobile device, communicate the request to a researcher (i.e., a person) for formulating a response to the request, and communicate the response to the mobile device. Each received request is sent to a researcher that attempts to generate a response to the request for sending to the user's mobile device. The researcher may further access user information for generating the response. The process operates asynchronously where, for example, a user's request is queued until an actual person, i.e., a researcher, is available to serve the request by obtaining the information requested. The quality and relevancy of information obtained may be improved over automated systems that rely solely on computers to serve such requests.

Abstract: A centralized location system includes a location update application programming interface (API) to receive varying types of location inputs for a user from at least one location-providing application. A memory stores a location of the user and the location inputs, wherein the location update API periodically updates in the memory the location inputs when location updates are received from the at least one location-providing application. A location export API, upon request from a location-based service application, processes the location inputs to estimate a location of the user, which location estimate replaces the stored location in memory and is sent to the location-based service application. A user interface enables the user to specify a location granularity for at least one of the at least one location-providing application and the location-based service application.