Gowalla Hits the App Catalog 29
It's here! Gowalla, the hotly anticipated location-based social app, has finally hit the App Catalog, joining the likes of Foursquare and BrightKite (check out Parafoil on webOS for that). Like Foursquare, Gowalla allows users can "check-in" to places and alert their friends via the app, Facebook and Twitter to where they are, and app logs all of your travels in a virtual passport. Instead of mayorships, badges and the somewhat competitive nature of Foursquare, Gowalla get virtual goods which can be dropped or picked up in various locations, stamps for places you've visited, pins, and a number of "trips" to complete.
The location space in mobile is rapidly heating up, with companies like Yelp, Facebook and Google getting into the game, and it's great to see these kinds of apps coming to webOS in such short order.
So, Foursquare users: now that you've got another choice, how many of you are going to make the switch?
Thanks to everyone that sent this in!
29 Comments
sweet!
I was on their website this morning and the site had a link to webOS. Nice to see it made its way into the catalog =)
How do you create a new location? Only thing I see holding back this app.
Yeah it looks like you can't create locations with the WebOS app.
They already pushed an update to the app this afternoon but it didn't let us add spots. I can't even add spots via their website...confused!
Also, if you install it and it gives you the "error - enable location services" notification, all you need to do is restart your phone and that'll be fixed.
You can add locations on your pre by visiting m.gowalla.com, login, go to the spots tab, scroll aaaaaall the way down and click "Create new Spot".
Having to do this makes the app kind of pointless, since you could use the browser for all of it, but the browser puts me in a place kilometers away from where my GPS from within the app puts me.
The app is pretty much well done, but I really want to add some new places since my city doesn't have too many...
Just wait until 1.0 of the Foursquare app hits in the next few days... :)
The graphics/interface seems to be a little nicer on Gowalla, but personally I do enjoy Foursquare "mayorship" and some of their other badges. Also there are some business that offer discounts if you "check-in" with the Foursquare app, which is an added bonus. So overall, I'd still opt with Foursquare at this time.
Why be constrained to one? (Then again, these are the only two social apps of this type I'm using...)
I've been using Foursquare since there was no Gowalla app yet, but my friends who use these sort of apps are on Gowalla. So I use both.
I earned those mayorships fair and square, I ain't givin' them up so easily! ;)
NON-RELATED: ...palm stocks up 2.52% from today's opening. It aint that big of a jump, but a little comes a long way =)
I already got a few friends on fb to sign up on 4SQ because I keep updating my check-ins, so I'm staying with them.
I use both on my iPhone now, and will probably continue to use both when I get my Pre in a couple days (ebay), but I much prefer Foursquare. I like the mayorships and badges much more than the pins and whatnot of Gowalla.
I was also a dodgeball user until it was disbanded after google bought it, and the same guys from that app/service are the ones who created Foursquare, so I like that about it.
Why would you want to post where you are for everyone to see? You're likely to end up on a site like this. pleaserobme-dot-com
Because that site is a joke. We use these programs because they make it easy to meet up with friends and the game/competition aspect is fun. Just because my friends can see that I am down at the pub doesn't mean some robber out there is going to be on my network and watching for me to leave. It also doesn't mean nobody else is home nor does it even say where "home" is to rob.
These games are doing what Google Latitude tried to do a year or two ago and allow you to voluntarily share your location with friends. Location-awareness is really the killer app of the mobile platform. You can find things nearby, keep up with friends, and when the inevitable ads show up to support services, they will at least be relevant and not for something a state away.
I'm with you Skylar! Even though those who do get into these type of apps say, "...its for my friends to know where I'm at so they can come chill," or "...people are not gonna log onto my spot all day for a chance to rob me," the likely hood for it to actually happen are greater. We already know of creepers who stalk little kids online via Myspace, Facebook, Stickam, etc...what makes mobile apps like this any different? Answer = it doesn't. Like all the other social problem we've ever faced concerning bullying, hazing, stalking, etc...only when $hit happens (i.e. Columbine, etc) is when people see the problem.
idk...thats just my two cents!
I agree and not only that... if you want to let your friends know where you are, why not just TELL them? You've got a frackin phone in your hand after all.
I don't know about you, but when I go somewhere, I don't call up every one of my friends to see if they are anywhere nearby.
Furthermore, the only way foursquare can get you robbed is if you are friends with the would-be robber or you connect your foursquare account with a public Twitter or Facebook account.
They really need to allow us to add spots. I would like to use this for a while and compare to Foursquare (which kinda sucks on WebOS) but half the places I go aren't defined yet.
Cool! Now I can keep up with all my friends and come home to find my house broken into. How great is that?
If your friends would rob you, then you need to get new friends. Or learn how to limit the publishing of data from these apps. By default, what you post ISN'T public.
I got a dog. No robbers here. What are storing in the house that everybody wants to rob you? If someone wants to rob you why would they wait on a social network? Easier just to wait outside. If your the target, your the target. It's 2010. Get a security system. Have a life, err wife, kids, neighbors.. (always nosey)... Or better yet, hide your valuables...
but.... If your so paranoid about being robbed by everyone of your friendsm then you probably already take some sort of measure to protect you property and it should be ok to post your where abouts.
besides... The guy @ 7-11 tips us off when you come out of your basement for Mountian Dew....
ok. Robert. With that hair-do, I hope you rate the salon .... Uhh... j/k
I would use this app if http://pleaserobme.com/ didn't scare me off from useing FourSquare.
not switching just going to have both.
Has anyone figured out how to add a new spot? Am I missing something really simple here?
pleaserobme.com is an excellent reason not to be blasting this information out to everyone.
Can we (WebOS people) not add photos to our check-ins or am I not seeing it anywhere?
I agree but I have some questions. And how to find accutane
As others have already posted, would like the ability to add a new location. The Foursquare app supports this and I would use Gowalla more often.