A location-based and preference-based system and method for matching the attributes and/or characteristics profiles of persons, places and/or things with the expressed preferences of mobile users to alert and direct such users to any places having attributes matching the user's express preferences. The system also provides access to additional information such as guidebook entries and reviews to the mobile users for any matches. In particular, the system comprises a mobile device such as a GPS-capable PDA that stores the user's preferences and communicates with a server that contains or accesses the profiles of the persons, places or things to compare the profiles and preferences. Comparison of the user's preferences with the various profiles allows the user only to be informed of those persons, places and/or things that it is likely to be interested in. The system and method thus provides for a mobile real-time point of interest exchange network.