Top Location Based Services

Location based services or LBS, has become popular the last couple of years along with the smartphone explosion. Although people are still a bit apprehensive about using them due to privacy reasons, the benefit of location based services on marketing businesses can not be denied. LBS makes information, entertainment and other more practical services accessible using geo-location apps through mobile devices. Nowadays, social networking goes beyond shout-outs, people are also finding themselves checking in to places and sharing it with friends. Whether you are a large or small business owner or just a regular person, it’s always worth it to be in the know of the latest happenings in the tech world. We’ve come up with a brief review of the most happening location based services you can try out.

FourSquare – when it comes to checking in to places and sharing locations, one of the biggest names in the game is FourSquare. The service makes sharing a rewarding experience by awarding points and badges each time a user checks-in at different places. Users use their mobile devices with a FourSquare app; users can choose to have their updates posted in Facebook, Twitter or both. A user who frequents a specific venue more than anybody else gets to become “Mayor” of that location. It is a prime mover when it comes to networking and advertising establishments via word of mouth. The LBS giant started in a humble kitchen table in New York East Village with two friends Naveen Selvadurai and Dennis Crowley who started developing the first version of the web service in 2008. They website finally launched in SXSW in May 2009. Foursquare currently has over 5 million users worldwide and is available in iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Ovi, Palm and other devices.

Gowalla – this check-in service allows users to check in their local vicinity “Spots” using a mobile app or through their website. Similar to other location based services, Gowalla gives the user ability to check-in, share via social networks and also offers rewards in real-world from various food establishments, venues and retail stores. They also have a Trips section which allows users to share places they have been to, very useful inside info for travelers planning a trip across country. Gowalla app is available in Palm, iPhone, Blackberry and Android.

SCVNGR – this mobile app/service has a gaming approach to location-based networking. Users do not just simply check in and share via social networks, they also need to perform specific challenges to earn points which will unlock badges and more importantly real-world rewards like free coffee from their favorite café’s and lots and lots of discounts from participating merchants. Although SCVNGR’s membership is still relatively small, the potential for business and growth with Google backing and brand name merchants who are joining in. Currently, the service has 1,000 partner establishments and is available in Android and iPhone.

ShopKick – This LBS offers another twist making it a unique find in the sea of geo-location apps. ShopKick allows users to turn their favorite stores into an interactive experience via their smartphones. This is the ultimate shopaholic service/app, users get rewards simply for going into stores, browsing products and signing up more and more friends. Rewards points are called kickbucks which can be anything from iTunes gift cards, Facebook credits, movie tickets, gift cards from Best Buy, Target, Macy’s, American Eagle, Sports Authority, True Religion, Coach or even a Sony 3D HDTV.

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