App Spotlight: Foursquare
Since the introduction of smartphones, such as Apple’s iPhone, the cell phone industry has grown by leaps and bounds. The devices that we once used to make phone calls now offer us much more. We are now able to check e-mail, upload pictures/video, stream music, watch movies, play games, update our Facebook statuses and tweet all from the comfort of our own home… or while on the go. All of this is possible thanks to mobile applications.
At Media Logic, we decided it would be a good idea to begin offering overviews of mobile apps that interest us. These apps may have marketing implications, or they may just be cool, fun apps that grabbed our attention.
For our first app review, we’ll be talking about Foursquare.
Foursquare is a geolocation-based application that allows you to “check in” to places you visit (e.g., restaurants, amusement parks, etc).Your whereabouts are then shared with your friends that follow you on Foursquare. You also have the option to allow the app to update both your Twitter and Facebook accounts, alerting your friends that you’ve checked in to a location. Once checked in, you’re then able to share your experiences with your friends. Did you have a great sandwich at the sub shop, or was the service sub-par at that new restaurant? Let them know!
When you check in, you also earn points, and unlock badges. If you check in enough at a certain place, you can even become the Mayor. Now you may be saying, “That’s great and all, but who cares?” Well, you’d be surprised. Businesses are starting to sign up, and offer free goodies to the mayor of the location. These free goodies can be anything from a free cup of coffee, a free meal, or anything else that business may offer. (Not all businesses offer freebies, but it’s starting to catch on!
It’s not hard to imagine that some businesses would like to offer rewards on Foursquare, but think that it might be cost prohibitive. A plausible solution would be for businesses to assist each other, not unlike sponsorship or underwriting in a quid pro quo to reap the positive net effect of participating in the community.
Haven’t tried out Foursquare yet? Head on over to http://www.foursquare.com and download the appropriate version for your phone. It’s currently available for: iPhone, Android, and WebOS platforms. A Blackberry version is in the works. Or, if you’d prefer, you can login to the mobile site: http://m.foursquare.com. Give it a try, and let us know what you think!
Heard of an app that you haven’t checked out yet, and want to know more about? Let us know, and maybe we’ll pick it for a future app review!
