The Wonder of Tech: Uberlife is the power of together

Social media sites such as Facebook, Google+ and Twitter allow us to keep in touch with people around the globe. But what happens when you want to actually see people, as in face-to-face?

A new site -- uberlife -- hopes to solve by connecting people in the real world. Whether you're looking to find out where the hottest Happy Hour is, or you're at a convention and want to find out where people are meeting, uberlife can lead the way.

"Wherever you go, you can gather friends and friends of friends using uberlife wherever you want to hang out. You can go for a drink, go for coffee, go shopping, go to a concert. Whenever you want company, uberlife is the place to search for friends to hang out with," explains Saha.

Uberlife has a gaming element to identify and reward social "Connectors" in a city. The site gives a member a point for being a Connector, which means setting up a hangout where at least two people gather. The idea is for a business, such as a restaurant or pub, to give discounts to uberlife Connectors to encourage hangouts to be held there.

Uberlife is planning to have local and global leader boards of Connectors so you can see who the Connectors are in your area and how they rank globally.

According to Saha, the most popular type of hangout so far has been concerts, followed by after-work drinks. The third largest type is at festivals and conventions. "People are coming from all over the world and already have a like-minded element so it's a great opportunity to meet other people." About half of the hangouts are spontaneous, while the other half are planned up to a week in advance.

Uberlife -- free to join -- is invitation-only. To sign up, you need to connect your Facebook or Twitter accounts and wait for the invitation. You can also download the iPhone app to see if there is a hangout near you. Showing up to a hangout and checking in with the app earns you a membership in uberlife. You can also join uberlife through an invitation from a current member, and each member can invite up to five others.

The uberlife iPhone app had been out in beta, but the full-fledged app launched this week and allows you to search for a hangout, check in, set up a hangout, post about a hangout and take pictures at hangouts for posting on the uberlife website. You can also search by #tags if you want to find a special-interest hangout. (Owners of other types of smartphones can visit uberlife's mobile site.)

Hangouts are open to all uberlife members, and there's no option for private hangouts. The idea is to connect with others and meet new people. "When a hangout is posted on Facebook or Twitter, the prefix is always 'Come join,' " says Saha. "The more the merrier."

Saha says the company is mindful of safety concerns. A member can't follow another uberlife member unless he shows up at a hangout and meets the person. There is no people search feature. You must show up at a hangout to see who is there.

If you're visiting London, Uberlife has a treasure trove of hangouts for you. Other cities in Europe, New York and San Francisco also have hangouts listed. The site is global and has had hangouts organized in Paris, Mumbai, Bangkok, Singapore, South Africa, Berlin, San Francisco and New York. "You can travel wherever you want and know that you can have a community of people to hang out with, to welcome you," says Saha.

If you're headed to the SXSW Festival from March 9-18 in Austin, Texas, be sure to stop by the uberlife booth and say "Hi". Also check for uberlife hangouts in the Austin area during the festival, as plenty of hangouts already have been posted.

Uberlife is expanding rapidly to new cities and is looking for people to be Ambassadors who will reach out to others to get the site established. "If you're new to a city, being an Ambassador is a great way to meet people," says Saha. "You don't have to introduce yourself. When people show up to a hangout, they already know who you are."

If you want to be one of the first Connectors to start an uberlife hangout in your city, contact uberlife at hello@uberlife.com and offer to be an Ambassador.

Carolyn Nicander Mohr is a Chester County resident and creator of the website, The Wonder of Tech. Contact her at wonderoftech@gmail.com.