I’ve been experimenting a bit with Foursquare, a social network with stimulates you to integrate your online and offline existence. It relies heavily on mobile and localization technology, inciting members to say where they are, to give tips about the locations they visit, to see where their friends hang out and what tips other people give about the place where one actually is.
One can also monitor the local tweets, and discover people sharing the same interests and who live, work or entertain themselves nearby. Foursquare also uses gaming tricks such as letting people level up (I can proudly announce that I’m the Mayor now of the most important square of my neighborhood – there was not much competition, I must admit).
Normally I’m far too much behind my computer, and Foursquare really inspired me to look around in my city (Antwerp, Belgium) checking out certain tips. I was amazed to read on Foursquare about a Starbucks in Central Station, and discovered that, well, that particular Starbucks did not open its doors yet.
Layar, the Mobile Augmented Reality Browser, lets you experience Foursquare in augmented reality. It would be nice if Foursquare would add also virtual environments in its set of covered cities. That, combined with the Touch Life app, would allow for even more mixed reality games and serious applications.
Some useful advice for using Foursquare can be found on Mashable.
Roland Legrand
