http://www.w3.org/TR/mwabp/

1. Use Cookies Sparingly
2. Use Appropriate Client-Side Storage Technologies for Local Data
3. Replicate Local Data
4. Do not Execute Unescaped or Untrusted JSON data
5. Ensure the User is Informed About Use of Personal and Device Information
6. Enable Automatic Sign-in
7. Use Transfer Compression
8. Minimize Application and Data Size
9. Avoid Redirects
10. Optimize Network Requests
11. Minimize External Resources
12. Aggregate Static Images into a Single Composite Resource (Sprites)
13. Include Background Images Inline in CSS Style Sheets
14. Cache Resources By Fingerprinting Resource References
15. Cache AJAX Data
16. Do not Send Cookie Information Unnecessarily
17. Keep DOM Size Reasonable
18. Optimize For Application Start-up Time
19. Minimize Perceived Latency
20. Design for Multiple Interaction Methods
21. Preserve Focus on Dynamic Page Updates
22. Use Fragment IDs to Drive Application View
23. Make Telephone Numbers “Click-to-Call”
24. Ensure Paragraph Text Flows
25. Ensure Consistency Of State Between Devices
26. Consider Mobile Specific Technologies for Initiating Web Applications
27. Use Meta Viewport Element To Identify Desired Screen Size
28. Prefer Server-side Detection Where Possible
29. Use Client-side Detection When Necessary
30. Use Device Classification to Simplify Content Adaptation
31. Support a non-JavaScript Variant if Appropriate
32. Offer Users a Choice of Interfaces
33. Consider Use Of Canvas Element or SVG For Dynamic Graphics
34. Inform the User About Automatic Network Access
35. Provide Sufficient Means to Control Automatic Network Access

http://www.w3.org/TR/mwabp/

I think the important thing to pick-up on here is that the W3C are making proposals for ‘location aware devices’ to expose their location data (latitude/longitude and civic, or rather, real world addresses) to web applications. It gives an insight into where we may be heading with regards to increasing locality awareness and accuracy in the coming years.

Of course this will eventually have to filter down to our various adserver providers, but it’s well worth thinking now about how you’d manage your inventory as and when this technology becomes available. As GPS data will be used in the future it raises the issues of how we group/segment this latitude/longitude data together to build compelling products for our respective companies and how agencies plan to leverage this data in future.

Edit: But it’s not just actual location that is being discussed here. The proposals will also take into consideration the elevation (above sea-level), direction of movement and speed of the device. Which opens up all manner of new possibilities.

Already we see greater granularity of GeoIP based buys in the UK with a distinct focus on the regions, imaging if lat/lon data becomes the norm? As and when these proposed standards find their way on to devices and applications we need to think about what impact that will have on the daily machinations of your AdOps and Inventory Management teams.

http://www.w3.org/2009/11/03-geolocation-minutes.html