Smartphone users can tell friends and the world about their surrounding space with apps such as Foursquare, Google Maps, Facebook, Instagram and Yelp. Jordan Frith, assistant professor of technical communication, explores their impact in Smartphones as Locative Media (Wiley Books). Frith looks at how these services have changed the way users navigate and engage with the world.

"The privacy concerns are very real. Companies know a lot about our location information," he says. "But, people find them to be useful."