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A very surreal check-in at Japan's robot hotel
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-173137{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-173137, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-173137{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-173137").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Welcome to Henn-na Hotel. Here's what happens when you try to check into a hotel that's (mostly) run by robots.
Foursquare is bringing mayorships back for Swarm
When Foursquare split its app into two separate services, Swarm and Foursquare, some users were unhappy that their favorite gamification elements had been nuked. If you were checking in with Swarm, for instance, it was no longer possible to unlock badges and compete for mayorships with the entire community. Well, it seems Dennis Crowley's startup is finally relenting and giving the people what they want. The company says global mayorships with be added to Swarm "soon" and that henceforth, all check-ins will count towards them. While badges are still noticeably absent, Foursquare is rolling out 100 new stickers which users can add to their check-ins, photos and messages. Will it be enough to win back those that checked out after the Swarm-Foursquare split? Maybe not, but at least the company has recognised what made Foursquare such a hit in the first place.
Swarm inherits Foursquare's social roots, tells you where your friends are
In an effort to focus more on local search and finding you the best restaurants in your area, Foursquare recently announced that it would splinter off the social aspect of its app -- the part where you check in and find out where your friends are partying -- to an entirely separate one called Swarm. Today, that app is officially live in both the Apple App Store and Google Play. I had a chance to try it out for a few days, and while it looks very different from its progenitor with its bee-inspired design and bright-orange hue, many of the social features remain the same. All your Foursquare contacts are ported over, and you can check in to a location just as you would before. Similarly, you can view a list of your friends' recent check-ins, and you're able to heart or leave a comment on them as per usual.
NASA's Curiosity rover checks in on Foursquare, gives Mars its first mayor
Yes, seriously. NASA announced on Wednesday that its Curiosity rover had "checked in" on Mars via Foursquare. Marking the first check in from another world, the robotic rover will utilize the location-minded social network to share updates and pictures while visiting the Red Planet. While Curiosity will continue to explore the possibilities of Mars being able to sustain life, it would appear that the fourth planet from the sun just got a brand new mayor. Something tells us the universe's rarest badge is about to be bestowed.
Instagram 3.0 adds Photo Maps, infinite scrolling and speed improvements (video)
Wondering if that Facebook acquisition would slow down the pace of innovation at Instagram? Perhaps v3.0 will answer that. The famed photo sharing network -- now some 80 million users deep -- is detailing its latest user interface overhaul today, and geolocation is at the heart of it. Lining up with our own feelings on the benefits of geotagging and the usefulness of tagged photos from an archive / diary perspective, the newest edition of the app introduces a Photo Maps view. As the name implies, it overlays photos with a map underneath, giving people a far more visual look at what they were seeing at a given point on Earth (or Mars, assuming Curiosity hasn't reached its data limit this month). Beyond that, the app includes "multi-line caption editing, more streamlined photo uploading, speed improvements and infinite scroll," according to our pals at TechCrunch. Interestingly, the Twitter "Find Friends" feature has been yanked in the latest build due to Twitter shutting off its API to the company last month. If you're wondering about a master plan for Photo Maps, it's pretty simple; just as you'd tune into #nbcfail on Twitter to read the latest musings about the Summer Olympics, hovering over London in Instagram could give you a highly filtered look at what kind of photos are emerging from an event in real time. And really, who wouldn't want to see 807 sepia-infused 1:1 shots of Usain Bolt? Per usual, you'll find the demo vid after the break.%Gallery-162629%%Gallery-162631%
Foursquare PS Vita app hits US PlayStation Store, gives you another reason to consider 3G
Good news for all you socially connected (and hip) regulars of local retail establishments -- who have PS Vitas, of course. Sony's just announced that the free Foursquare app has officially landed at the PlayStation Store (US), and it can be yours for a paltry 4.5MBs of space on your precious proprietary memory card. The app works over WiFi, however, the fine print advises that users may want to use 3G for the best results to help alongside the Vita's GPS. Notably, the rear touchpad and cameras are listed as being compatible with the app, as well. We've poked around the app for a few minutes, and it does feel peppy compared to what we experienced with Facebook (while it was available, anyway) -- the only oddity that's arisen lies with the map functionality, which opens a Google Maps page within the Vita's browser rather than its Maps app. Now that we can watch Netflix over WiFi, and view our Flickr albums along with Tweeting and "Checking In" between our ModNation racing tours, how's about finally letting us get our Skype on? (P.S. We'd really like Facebook back in the store, too!)
Google Maps for Android gets updated, improves battery life for Latitude, location history users
Okay, this may not bring the most sweeping changes in the history of the Google Maps application, but who can say no to the promise of better battery life? The fresh update to the Android app, version 6.3 to be exact, brings along the customary bug fixes. And, for those of you using the Latitude and location history features, you should notice some improvements in the juice department -- because you need all the power you can get when stalking folks all over town. We know you're eager to get past VIP status and become the Guru at the local watering hole, so head on down to the source link and get the update to make it happen.
Foursquare adds NFC support for Android 4.0, wants to touch base
We knew the folk at Foursquare had been trying NFC out for a while, and Symbian's had it since November, but now tap check-ins are available for Android 4.0. Okay, so that means it's pretty much limited to Galaxy Nexus owners at the minute, but the chosen few can now share their Venue, Lists, Me pages, initiate friend requests and, of course, check-in at the touch of a phone. Foursquare claims it'll save vital seconds when checking in, but we're just glad there's another way to use Android Beam.The update's available now, so if you're snacking on an Ice Cream Sandwich, head on down to the source link and get your download on.
Yahoo buys TV companion app developer IntoNow and its database of sounds
Earlier this year IntoNow launched its iPhone app that could identify what TV show you were watching by the audio Shazam-style and then share it with others over Facebook or Twitter, pull in additional information, or add the DVD to your Netflix queue. Now, Yahoo has purchased the company and according to the press release (after the break) wants to integrate its SoundPrint tech with its existing services including the Connected TV platform. As NewTeeVee suggests, this could tie-in nicely with its existing plans to use audio watermarks to identify advertisements and display additional info on screen or work with a companion app, both of which it demonstrated at CES. That database of sounds reportedly stretches back over five years and is continually being updated, which could give a major lift to Yahoo over other smart TV platforms that goes far beyond just check-ins and badges.
Google expands NFC check-ins, clutters more restaurant windows
Google's love affair with NFC continues to blossom, and QR codes are starting to feel like a neglected stepchild. After a successful trial run in Portland, the once-upon-a-search company is expanding its NFC check-in program to four new cities, slapping RFID "Recommended on Google" stickers on windows in Las Vegas; Madison, Wisconsin; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Austin, Texas. The company wants to be the best in the location-based service market, and NFC is its crane kick. While Foursquare and Facebook users are forced to do silly things like track down the right business in an endless list of nearby results or try and focus their cellphone's camera on a dimly lit QR code, you could simply be swiping over a sticker, scoring discounts and moving on. Provided, of course, you happen to have one of the few NFC-equipped phones on the market (such as the Nexus S), live in one of Google's five testbed cities and really want your friends to know you hit Planet Wings for lunch -- again. Full PR after the break.
Google Latitude, now with 100 percent more check-in deals
A couple of months back, Google brought check-ins to Latitude, its location-sharing service, through Google Maps 5.1 for Android. Naturally, iPhone users only recently received the same functionality, but some would argue they should be grateful to be included at all. (Kidding. Sort of.) Now, Latitude's inching closer to direct competition with Foursquare and Groupon by offering check-in deals at retailers like RadioShack, American Eagle, Quiznos, and Finish Line. Google is currently namechecking over a dozen nationwide partners, and that list will surely grow as the bandwagon approaches Mach 5. Curious as to how this all works? Check in at RadioShack, for example, and you might receive ten percent off an in-store purchase. Offers are tied to check-in frequency, building on Latitude's three-tiered status system; higher status means better deals. If you'd rather peek nearby offers before you decide to leave the house, head to Google's official check in page in the source link below.
Poll: How social is your TV watching?
Twitter and Facebook are common enough that even your grandmother probably knows what they are by now and studies have confirmed that watching TV with laptop, tablet or phone nearby is an increasingly common experience. Over the last year or so startups like GetGlue, Tunerfish, Miso, Philo and IntoNow have all tried to make checking in and other social media standbys a part of TV, while Boxee has arguably lead the way in social video sharing on connected TV platforms. So if you've added TV checkins to the Foursquare, Farmville and other data you're bombarding followers and friends with or just see them as another thing to filter out of your timeline, let us know how it's going below. %Poll-61890%
inPulse Bluetooth smartwatch gets Facebook Places check-in app for Android (video)
Ever since Allerta released an SDK for its well-hyped inPulse smartwatch, it was only a matter of time before we start seeing more practical applications that take this Bluetooth peripheral beyond the BlackBerry ecosystem. For instance, the latest example comes from the inPulse's very own Lead Designer Eric Migicovsky, who happens to be a fan of Facebook Places and possibly an Android convert. Rather than having to pull out his Nexus One for every check-in, Migicovsky can now use his simple app on his inPulse to grab a list of nearby locations off the phone, and then check in with just a click of a button. Pretty neat, eh? For those interested, you can grab the project code off inPulse's website and get programming.
Google Latitude joins check-in game with Maps 5.1 for Android
We're honestly surprised it took this long, but Google is finally employing a social hook that so many of its peers (Foursquare, Facebook, Yelp, and so on) have long embraced: the location-based check-in. Coming to Google Latitude with today's Maps 5.1 for Android, the company hopes to set itself apart from the competition with features like check-in notifications (disabled by default), automatic check-ins for your most frequent establishments (case-by-case activation), and "check out" that detects when you leave a location. So what's the incentive to use the service? Not much at this point -- no badges, no sharing through third-party services like Twitter (Latitude-only at the moment), no support for simultaneous check-in with other services, no special vendor discounts (Google told us there's nothing to announce yet), and no ability to create a venue like your apartment (Places only). What it does right is a tiered system of special statuses based on check-in frequency -- you can become a regular, VIP, or Guru (Google says it's not definite yet on how many check-ins each status bump will require). iOS Latitude users will be able to see where their Android friends check in, but at this point the option to pimp your specific location is for Google's platform only. If you're a fan of Latitude already, this is probably a no-brainer, but for everyone else, don't expect mayoral coffee discounts just yet. %Gallery-115487%
Bing 2.0 brings better Facebook integration and the impressive Streetside to iPhone (video)
Microsoft just released -- or should we say, Apple just approved -- version 2.0 of the Bing search app for iOS devices. In addition to several other new features including integrated Facebook Likes on search results (really!?) and in-app checkins to Facebook and Foursquare, Bing now comes packing Streetside, something that first blew us away as Street Slide when it was still in the labs at Microsoft Research. Unlike Google's Streetview that requires a lot of forward- and back-clicking and turning in order to get a feel for a location, Streetslide provides a more comprehensive view of the shops and businesses in an area by letting you strafe down the sidewalk while zooming in and out of the buildings located on each side of the street. We took it for a brief spin (literally) and came away impressed. You won't find Streetside implemented for all locations yet (for example, San Francisco's Make-out Room was found on Streetside but the Slanted Door restaurant wasn't) but they do seem to have large swaths of major cities covered based on our brief testing of Chicago, Seattle, New York, and San Francisco. Sorry, nothing yet in London and Amsterdam but maybe you'll have better success searching your own neighborhoods. See the full list of what's new after the break in addition to a Streetside demo from Bing's architect Blaise Aguera y Arcas -- unfortunately, we're not seeing the impressive Panaroma feature he mentions in this release. Update: We've been told that Facebook Likes, like Panaroma, like totally didn't make it into the app release. It's a web search results feature only for the time being.
Facebook Places location check-in with Foursquare, Yelp, and Gowalla support arrives on iPhone
If you're the type who's addicted to Foursquare and Gowalla location check-ins then we expect that you're also using Facebook as the quintessential user of social media. Now iPhone users can get a similar fix in a single app with the new Facebook 3.2 update just released on the iTunes App Store. In addition to offering bug fixes and background photo and video uploads, the biggest change is the addition of Facebook Places, a Foursquare- and Gowalla-like method of sharing your location with friends. Fortunately, unlike many of Facebook's features, Places defaults to sharing your location, complete with maps and comments, with friends only, not the world. You can always open it up to the world if you want and even opt-in to a "People Here Now" feature that shows other nearby Facebook users, "friend" or not. You can also tag friends who are with you at the time of check-in. Direct integration with Gowalla, Yelp, and Foursquare is possible with a new Places API for developers. Gowalla's already pitching syndicated check-ins to Facebook (but not the other way around, at least initially) while Foursquare promises to integrate its game mechanics and merchant rewards. Yelp, meanwhile, plans to pull friends' check-ins into Yelp reviews. So how does it work? Well, Walt Mossberg took the app for a spin already and says that in general, it works pretty well. While he feels that the privacy controls (not exactly Facebook's strong suit) are surprisingly "decent," there's no way to opt out of Facebook pages operated by businesses who can incorporate your check-ins into their pages. At the moment, Places is limited to the US only and only when using the iPhone Facebook app -- Android and Blackberry users in The States can navigate over to touch.facebook.com in their browser for an HTML 5 version if they want to play along. Facebook plans to bring Places to other countries and mobile platforms "soon." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
In the line for passes at BlizzCon
I think we were just plain unlucky-- right at 5pm, we hit the big rush for BlizzCon passes, as the line started way outside the convention center, and slowly moved inside to the checkin area. But there was lots to see, including the WoW Radio guys doing their thing, the All Access pass (the guy I took the picture of was very suspicious of why I was so interested in a picture of Arthas at BlizzCon), and the official BlizzCon Staff t-shirt (featuring, yes, an item called the BlizzCon Staff).All that and more in the gallery below. Who knew something as boring as picking up a pass could be so exciting somewhat interesting?%Gallery-5482%
