I think Foursquare is one application I will not let Facebook take "Hijack". It will also be interesting to see those FB friends who nagged me for using Foursquare, start using FB Places. One of the biggest complaints I received from Non-4sq's, is that my posts were always showing up on their FB feed. FOr this very reason I shut off auto-posting my 4sq to FB. Now FB starts virtually the same service... Pssshhhfff.
I actually think FB places has much more potential. I can already specify in my privacy preferences which groups I want to allow to see my places post. The badges and mayorships don't do much for me... As Dennis Crowley said, he is "embarrassed" by his own product's game mechanics. I'm interested if the new version with a more gamey version of ToDos and Tips will really motivate me... If you want more game mechanics, "MyTown" supersedes FourSquare. If Facebook want's to get into the location game space, it might be smarter for them to do an acquisition of someone like GoWalla, where they could get it at a cheaper price.
As for which do I use... I don't use either too much, but I'm leaning towards places. It's a location based status update and when I want people to know where I am, that's what I would use. When FB places, gets group selection on the fly for who could see that particular places post, I'd use it a lot more.
kmurph - 14 years ago
I prefer 4sq to FB Places because it gives you more options, where you can be 'off the grid' and can post selectively to FB or Twitter. FB needs to realize that leaving no option to hide that check information will quickly become spam-like and will make people not check in as often (and probably using 4sq as another option).
Susi - 14 years ago
I don't want to tell all off my FB friends where I am, pretty much ever. I like the anonymity you can have w/ 4sqr (ambiguous pic & name). I appreciate the tips, the specials and collecting silly badges. I actually use 4sqr to search for places nearby wherever I am, such the post office or Victoria's Secret when a tourist asked me where it was. I don't really care to know where everyone is and wouldn't want to dig through it on fb. And finally, there isn't a blackberry app!
At this early stage I still prefer Foursquare for a few reasons:
-FB Places auto-posts to your profile. There's no option to check in anonymously refrain from pushing out check-ins as there is in Foursquare. If everyone's Places check-ins were viewable on a separate tab but posting to your profile was optional, I'd be on board.
-I never thought I'd say this, but I want my mayorships and badges. That creates less motivation for me to check in with FB Places.
-Currently FB is missing a whole lot of locations (in the Phoenix area, at least) and sometimes I don't feel like taking the time to add a new location just so I can check in. Obviously this will improve once more people start using it; it was just a "first weekend" annoyance.
-Speaking of "adding new locations," FB may want to get some settings in place to prevent its 500 million users (many of whom may be less likely to respect "playing by the rules" in terms of adding new locations) from constantly checking in at places like "your mom's ass" or other such classy establishments all over the world. Hopefully the rest of us will be diligent about flagging things like that, but just a thought...
I think Foursquare is one application I will not let Facebook take "Hijack". It will also be interesting to see those FB friends who nagged me for using Foursquare, start using FB Places. One of the biggest complaints I received from Non-4sq's, is that my posts were always showing up on their FB feed. FOr this very reason I shut off auto-posting my 4sq to FB. Now FB starts virtually the same service... Pssshhhfff.
I actually think FB places has much more potential. I can already specify in my privacy preferences which groups I want to allow to see my places post. The badges and mayorships don't do much for me... As Dennis Crowley said, he is "embarrassed" by his own product's game mechanics. I'm interested if the new version with a more gamey version of ToDos and Tips will really motivate me... If you want more game mechanics, "MyTown" supersedes FourSquare. If Facebook want's to get into the location game space, it might be smarter for them to do an acquisition of someone like GoWalla, where they could get it at a cheaper price.
As for which do I use... I don't use either too much, but I'm leaning towards places. It's a location based status update and when I want people to know where I am, that's what I would use. When FB places, gets group selection on the fly for who could see that particular places post, I'd use it a lot more.
I prefer 4sq to FB Places because it gives you more options, where you can be 'off the grid' and can post selectively to FB or Twitter. FB needs to realize that leaving no option to hide that check information will quickly become spam-like and will make people not check in as often (and probably using 4sq as another option).
I don't want to tell all off my FB friends where I am, pretty much ever. I like the anonymity you can have w/ 4sqr (ambiguous pic & name). I appreciate the tips, the specials and collecting silly badges. I actually use 4sqr to search for places nearby wherever I am, such the post office or Victoria's Secret when a tourist asked me where it was. I don't really care to know where everyone is and wouldn't want to dig through it on fb. And finally, there isn't a blackberry app!
At this early stage I still prefer Foursquare for a few reasons:
-FB Places auto-posts to your profile. There's no option to check in anonymously refrain from pushing out check-ins as there is in Foursquare. If everyone's Places check-ins were viewable on a separate tab but posting to your profile was optional, I'd be on board.
-I never thought I'd say this, but I want my mayorships and badges. That creates less motivation for me to check in with FB Places.
-Currently FB is missing a whole lot of locations (in the Phoenix area, at least) and sometimes I don't feel like taking the time to add a new location just so I can check in. Obviously this will improve once more people start using it; it was just a "first weekend" annoyance.
-Speaking of "adding new locations," FB may want to get some settings in place to prevent its 500 million users (many of whom may be less likely to respect "playing by the rules" in terms of adding new locations) from constantly checking in at places like "your mom's ass" or other such classy establishments all over the world. Hopefully the rest of us will be diligent about flagging things like that, but just a thought...