It has been a big week for location-based applications. Earlier this week, we talked about the launch of Shopkick, a location-based application solely focused on shopping. On Thursday, Facebook launched Facebook Places. The idea being that Facebookers can “check in” at various locations, similar to check-ins on Foursquare. The biggest drawback for this Blackberry user is that Facebook Places is currently only available for iPhone users, with Droid & Blackberry applications promised “soon”.
To use Places, go to the Places tab on the iPhone application or touch.facebook.com. You’ll first be asked if Facebook is allowed to know your location. Once you click “allow,” you’ll enter the Places interface. From there, you can share your location with friends, find out where your friends are (if they’re using Places), and discover new places near you.
Being an avid Foursquare user, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I earn different Foursquare badges. It may sound silly, but the premise of Foursquare being not just a location-based application, but rather a “tagless” rewards program for frequent visitors is what I like and why I’ve embraced it. It’s less about letting everyone know where I am or what I’m doing, but rather enjoying the benefits from using the technology. Perfect example of this is The Gap. On Monday, shoppers checking in to any Gap store were to receive 25% off on their purchases. Had I known this, I may have run out to purchase the purple top I had my eye on (but shame on me for not having seen it on Mashable!). There was some mixed feedback on the execution of the promotion, but this is the first in what is to come for rewards received from location-based social media apps.
But what about Facebook Places? What is the benefit or reward for checking in to different locations? In my experience from having seen these checkins appearing in my Facebook newsfeed, I feel as though they are just as repetitive as someone’s status update of “Buying granola bars at Costco”. And then, there is always the privacy factor. On Facebook, I can’t control someone tagging me in their checkin (maybe I don’t want everyone knowing I’m at my second bakery of the day trying cupcakes!), but I can go in after the fact and untag myself in that checkin. Sounds tiring, but after a while, Facebook will likely have that all worked out.
Are you checking in? What is your favorite location-based network?
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