Foursquare Makes My City a Playground

Foursquare on my iPhone has finally helped me care about social networking. Yes, I have a Facebook account, and I do Twitter now and then. But, to be honest, I have never really been hooked on social networks like some of my friends. Maybe it is just a result of my sense of pragmatism, but all of those other networks just don't seem very useful. Foursquare, on the other hand, is both useful and fun. Also, with Foursquare, I can be a bit competitive which is what keeps me coming back.

What is Foursquare?

To put it simply, Foursquare is full-contact Twitter on steroids. More specifically, Foursquare is a location-aware application for the iPhone and Android phones (a Blackberry app is coming) that allows friends and neighbors to rate, review, recommend, and rant about their city. When using the application, tips and tricks are swapped, reviews are shared, and points are earned.

If your phone is of the less-intelligent variety (they can't all be smartphones), there is a mobile website that has the basic functionality; this requires a decent web browser and Internet access. Even if your phone lacks Internet access, you can use text messaging for basic Foursquare play. Essentially, if your phone can contact the outside world, you can be playing Foursquare with friends and earning badges - more on that later.

How Does Foursquare work?

Imagine you are out and about with a friend, and you have the Foursquare app. You see a local restaurant that looks interesting, so you stop buy and you use the Foursquare app to "check-in". Once you "check-in", a few things are going to happen. First, you will earn five points for for checking-in and a bonus point for bringing a friend (if this had been a second "check-in" of the night, you could have earned another two points). Next, after "checking-in," you learn that another friend, Steve, is already here eating nachos at the bar - he "checked-in" on his Google Android Phone. Also, another Foursquare player that has been there before has left a note about a special on your favorite beverage during hockey games. You go in, meet Steve, and watch the the NHL game. All of this activity is updated on Foursquare and Twitter or Facebook if you want.

Steve, it turns out, is the Mayor of this place. A Mayor is Foursquare's title for the person who has tagged and visited a place more than anyone else. Because he is the Mayor, he gets a free drink special (not all places have a Mayor, and not all establishments have a Mayor special, but the list is growing). You also notice that, because of the seven points you earned with this stop, you have also earned a new Foursquare badge. As it turns out, the reason Steve keeps coming to this restaurant is because the nachos are absolutely fantastic. You leave a tip in Foursquare about the nachos and add them to the mandatory "to do" list for this part of town. In the meantime, your love of nachos has been noted, and a local Mexican grill has been recommended to you through Foursquare. You, your friend, and Steve decide to go to the Mexican Grill after then game.

You see, Foursquare is like full-contact Twitter on steroids.

How Do I Get Foursquare?

Foursquare is only available on the Apple iPhone and Android (Blackberry support is on the way). Both applications are free and require a Foursquare account to be opened. Users can use the mobile website or SMS messaging if they don't have a smartphone. To get the fullest Foursquare experience, it is handy to have a Facebook, Twitter, or Yelp account. Also, a few friends help the experience, but if you don't have any friends, Foursquare is bound to help you with that.