Have you ever wished that you could pay someone to run an errand for you on your terms? Zaarly does just that. Described by TechCrunch as a reverse Craigslist, Zaarly allows users to name a price for something they want someone else to do for them. Whether it be bring a coffee to the library, or enter data into excel; Zaarly creates a marketplace where all desired tasks can be fulfilled.

Zaarly hopes to expand its user base through the integration of its application programming interface (API). The API will allow other sites to host Zaarly buttons that enable users to request a task relevant to the site. Afterwards, Zaarly users can see and fulfill the tasks. By way of this this integration, Zaarly plans to expose new users to the application, monetize content, and create functionality beyond the native app.

While the service seems like a modern fix to an ancient problem, it is also a move that runs parallel to a growing trend in the industry — using digital technology to drive real-world actions. In short, Zaarly is just one of several examples of technology bringing us closer together. With the proliferation of real-time, locally-based mobile app companies and startups, it has become apparent that people are more concerned with connecting with their surroundings rather than extending their social graph simply for the sake of doing so.

A precursor to Zaarly is Mechanical Turk by Amazon, which allows users to complete microtasks for small sums of money; although it is not location based, it offers a solution to tasks that cannot be completed by a computer program. Another similar application to Zaarly is Foursquare, which uses location-based technology to connect people in real-time to their surroundings. With that connection available, businesses, which benefit from the exposure Foursquare check-ins provide, are able to offer customers discount for the check-ins themselves. Similarly, Yelp, the localized search website that gives users the ability to search for businesses in a given area and find relevant reviews and suggestions, crowdsources user reviews to shape the visibility of businesses around the quality of their products and services. Another application that utilizes location based technology is Uber, which allows users to receive car service at a click of a button within Uber’s mobile app.

Collectively, these technologies enable users to take advantage of the resources that may be hidden around them by making such resources readily accessible. These services are perfect for modern society’s need for instant gratification and specialization. Furthermore, in comparison to concepts like Facebook and LinkedIn, which facilitate connections with as many people as possible, applications like Craigslist and Zaarly target the people and businesses that surround you based on skill sets that they have to offer. By organizing based upon region, Zaarly ensures that the people willing to fulfill tasks and those who post them are in close proximity to each other. The user just needs to state how much they are willing to pay for a service and post it on the Zaarly timeline. After that all that is left is to wait until someone agrees to fulfill the service for the price listed.

With the applications discussed above it is evident that technology is facilitating the interaction between people around the world based on location. Ultimately, with technology always affecting our lives, the question is how connected will people become. Will location based applications continue to be the trend in the future or will people go back to wanting more privacy in terms of where they go and who they interact with day to day?