Wherever you go your Smartphone is also going with you. And most of the Smartphone are having built in GPS device. Though it doesn’t have one still it can get the location from A-GPS by cross referencing cell signal. In other words your Smartphone is smart enough to figure out where it is in this globe.
Is there any way to utilize the fact that “Your Smartphone know where it is” to get some useful information. Of course there is a way and it’s Foursquare.
Foursquare is a mobile application which you can use to update the information about your check-in to different venues. At the same time you can use the information you’re other friends entered about the different venues by going social. You can use the browser to update your location yes, but it’s more fun with a Smartphone.
Getting Started with Foursquare
- Foursquare mobile application is supporting all the major platforms. Download and install the suitable application from here.
- In the initial run you can log in to foursquare using Facebook login.
- Once you log in it will take you to main screen.
- During the initialization it will ask you to enter your basic data and add your friends to foursquare. Proceed with those.
- OK! Now you are ready to use foursquare. All you have to do is whenever you visit a venue update foursquare and share it with your friends. Some mobile applications support auto check in as well.
- In the friends section you will be able to see friend’s activities.
- Explore section is letting you to get valuable information shared by your friends about the nearby venues.
- In me section you can see your profile.
Special Tips
- You can update a message when you check in and share it on your Twitter and Facebook accounts.
- You can search for places and save them in you To-Do list.
- When you check-in it will automatically show the venues nearby.
- If your venue is not there you can add that to foursquare database.
- More you check-in to different places you will get different badges.
- If you have the most number of check-In for a specific venue you will be the Mayor there.
- You can add tips and images about venues.
- You can unlock special offers in selected venues.
Importance of Foursquare
The main interesting thing about Foursquare is it goes social and its fun. When you check in to a venue all your friends can see it. If you share a check-in on twitter or facebook, your friend there also can see it. Once you checked-in foursquare will show you if there is an already checked-in friend.
In the explore tab you can find places nearby. It’s not only places, you can see the images shared by your friends along with tips and comments. After visiting the place you also can update images and tips about the place. You can easily link a venue with a navigation application to find your way.
In explore tab you can see a section call special. There you can see venues you can get special offers based on different achievements on Foursquare. There you can see another section as top pick where you can find most saved places among your foursquare friends. When you go to a section you can see a map icon. By clicking on that you can get a full map of venues around you.
Wrapping Up
As I mentioned earlier you can use foursquare to find useful information based on your location. This comes in handy when you want to find the nearest coffee shop. Foursquare could find you not only the coffee shop but good tips about that with few images.
At the same time you also can contribute to the foursquare database by checking-in to different places updating tips and images. Everything goes social and you can have lots of fun with this small piece of mobile application for sure.
Tags: #Android #iPhone #Smartphone #Social Networks