Share your life and share the place

Why sharing the place? This is one of the issues that raise people’s hackles, specially that people that overprotect their privacy. Although there are some sensible reasons to fear it, there are some advantages of sharing location. First off, it talks about you. Sharing your fan pages, status or interest is a way to show the others who you are. Sharing where you are chases the same goal. Second, it’s a way of rating a place. The more visits a place gets, the more popular it becomes. What’s more, you can even review the place. That’s a reference for new visitors. Finally, it has become a game. The success of most of the location-based social networks lies on the badges system. As you check-in places, you unlock badges that make you earn points, deals or special status. A real-life game.

Foursquare

Let’s start with the most popular: Foursquare, a location-based social network. It’s probably the first that integrated the badge system. Badges are like achievements: first time you check-in you unlock the “Newbie” badge, if you check-in the gym everyday you will the “Gym Rat” badge, if you share your check-ins all the time you will unlock “Socialite” badge, etc. There are up to 35 badges to unlock. What’s more, you can get the “mayorship” of a place if you are the one that checks-in most there. Some places make special discounts and deals for its mayors. Finally, you will earn points for check-ins and unlocking badges. You can also add friends or import them from Twitter and Facebook. Actually you can share you check-ins, badges, and other status through these social networks. You can view the nearby or trendy places, comments posted by users, and how have they rated it, the same way that they can read and view yours. Foursquare has become the standard, with all the ensuing good and bad consequences.

Geosocials

Geosocials works quite similar to Foursquare but it gives more importance to the game. Actually, this is a new concept of game based on social network and location. It makes the whole world becoming a board (although you will play most nearby your location). What you have to do is to collect diamonds and treasures that people dropped in the street. You can drop some as well (you get 25 by default, but this increases as you collect diamonds from other people). No matter where you’re, in a bus, at school, work… you can drop and collect treasures wherever. Try to drop it in interesting and beautiful places to challenge your friends. You can see on the map other GeoSocials users. Check their profile out and add them as friends if you want to. Send them a message if you just want to say something to them. This way you can socialize while playing. There’s a dashboard where you can track how many diamonds, treasures or locations you have. Check your position on the online leaderboards. It isn’t crazy for us to think that somewhen in the near future, any chain of shops will promote itself thanks to Geosocials or any other Geosocials-like game.

FollowMe

This app is a bit different, although equally useful. FollowMe uses the GPS to track your routes. You can check-in places and add photos and comments. Once you’ve complete the route, you can share it with your friends. It’s useful because it allows you both to recommend your friends specific routes and places, and let them know what you’re doing in your day-to-day or holidays. You can share your routes via e-mail or post it in Facebook. Full integration with Google Earth. It’s interesting that when we have just started to play around places, there’s someone who starts to talk about playing with routes. Will be mixing routes and times the next step?

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While you enjoy any of the aforementioned apps, don’t forget that our awesome Facebook contest, AndroidZoom Cartoons, is still going. This week we’ve androidified Captain Tsubasa / Flash Kicker, that series from the 90s based on soccer, friendship and never ending shots in the time lost of the extra time. You’re on time to propose witty comments and like your favorites.

Happy location-sharing apps discovery!