You may not have even heard of Highlight yet. The app has only been around a month or two, but it has exploded on the geek scene. I heard about it from the usual suspects like , and added it to my iPhone. I didn't really understand it still, but I feel like I have some sort of obligation to be on the bleeding edge of the next wave so I can inform others about it.
Highlight integrates with your Facebook social network, and taps into the location-based features of the iPhone. Essentially, if there is anyone else nearby who uses Highlight who is in any way connected to you--either a friend, or , or someone who has something in common with you such as you both "Like" the --Highlight alerts you and gives you an opportunity to connect in real life.
I live in the Houston area, which-- and myself notwithstanding--is not exactly a bastion of tech geeks. Needless to say, adding Highlight to my iPhone here in the Houston area was fairly anti-climactic. Nothing happened because nobody else I'm even remotely connected to socially lives anywhere near me, and even those who do haven't jumped on the Highlight bandwagon.
When I traveled to San Francisco for the RSA Security Conference a few weeks ago, though, suddenly Highlight sprang to life and started letting me know that other Highlight users I might know were nearby--and presumably also notified them of my presence. Apparently, Highlight use is also pretty strong among the geeks and nerds attending SXSW.
The problem is--I don't really know any of the people Highlight alerted me about. They are all "friends of friends" in Facebook. I received 17 Highlight notifications. They ranged from having one friend in common to one who has four Facebook friends in common with me, but I wasn't familiar with any of them.