Foursquare SXSW’s Breakout Mobile App
Foursquare hit the streets running at this weekend’s SXSW. It not only allows your mobile to connect to Twitter (and therefore your followers), but it ads a few things that Twitter doesn’t have. Namely the ability to (actually) find your Twitter friends when in the same place at the same time, in real life.
Instead of ambiguous “I’m at Nino’s Pizza” or “I’m over by the fountain at Seaworld” directions, how about a map?
Foursquare was built by the guys who made Dodgeball, that now-dead Google app that became quite the underground hit. Basically, Foursquare works with Google Maps and Twitter, together.
First, you tell the app where you are (text/SMS to 50500) and then post shouts based on your location and what you’re doing. Looking for friends or places to meet is easy (thanks to Google Maps, which auto-centers on where you 50500′d). All of the friends near you (who’re using Foursquare) can be seen on the map too.
The other half of Foursquare is the “game.” Every time you check in, you earn points. Interesting check-ins (like check-ins with details) gives you badges. Points eventually ad up to extra features that unlock as you use the app.
It’s a fresh and innovative approach to Twitter-finding, for sure. I suspect that it’s users will be limited in number (since it’s appeal is rather narrow), but cult-like zealots in their fanaticism for it.
