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Foursquare updates Android app with Ken Burns effect, boosted performance
Foursquare's rolling out a new Android app, adding in new motion effects and integrating some of this month's iOS tweaks. That first feature, best known in the video community as the "Ken Burns effect," animates location header images with panning and zoom. You can still scroll through the top five photos from each venue, but images up top won't stop moving until you head over to the full-screen gallery tool. Other cosmetic adjustments include a refreshed sidebar, complete with avatar, and an updated profile page that matches the iOS equivalent. In a blog post today, Foursquare also referenced faster load times, though we didn't notice much of a difference in a quick side-by-side test. Enhanced performance or not, the new version is clearly an improvement. It's available today on Google Play.
Foursquare 7 introduces a scannable redesign and smarter location recommendations for users
For people who live in big cities where there's simply too much for one person to take in by themselves, Foursquare can be a blessing. It can be a way to build a curated list of recommendations based on which places have brought joy to your friends, maybe find a good discount and, most importantly, become the mayor of the hippest bar in town. Foursquare has already released one update to coincide with the updated look of iOS 7, but today it's unveiled version 7.0 of its app featuring a complete redesign and new features. The most important addition to Foursquare 7.0 is the app's improved notification and recommendation system. When you check in at a new restaurant, the app will alert you to which dishes are the best reviewed on the menu. When you first arrive in a city or new neighborhood, if you have notifications turned on, the app will provide a list of places to try out based on your choices and those of your friends. If you're weary of turning on push notifications because of how annoying they can be, Foursquare understands. In an interview with TechCrunch, Foursquare's Vice President of Product Experience, Jon Steinbeck, explained the company has optimized its notifications by looking into what users actually respond to. This means you should expect more notifications when you're arriving at a location and fewer random suggestions. Notifications also use significantly less of your battery life than previous versions. Its new look helps users quickly scan through their recommendations, tips and specials with a simple finger swipe. You'll notice your check-in feed finally takes up your whole screen instead of being split with the maps or trending events that used to take up space on the screen. As a whole, it's a cleaner, less-cluttered and easier-to-navigate take on an already well-designed app. This is the most powerful version of Foursquare yet. If being a mayor of a hot new local dive bar is important to you, consider this upgrade a positive step toward building your power.
Foursquare redesign for iOS brings you more location info at a glance
Foursquare gave its iOS check-in app a makeover just a few months ago, but it's already back with a redesign that takes fuller advantage of Apple's platform. The version 7.0 app has a more compact layout that puts more information up front -- you'll see more of your friend feed and a carousel of tips. It also refreshes with each launch, so you're more likely to notice what's going on nearby. You won't necessarily have to open the app to see what's going on, though. In sync with the 7.0 refresh, Foursquare is rolling out its push recommendations to all Android and iOS users; you'll only have to visit a new town or a friend's favorite eatery to get advice. iPhone-toting travelers can grab the new client at the source link, while the expanded notifications will automatically appear on their own.
Facebook's one-click login coming to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 apps
Android and iOS users have long been using their Facebook account for single click logging in to apps, and soon Windows 8 and Windows Phone users will be able to do the same. While the feature's is still in its early stages (on WP8, it's still in beta) Microsoft has announced that Foursquare, Adobe (Revel, Photoshop Express) and iHeartRadio are the first to get in on the action. Similar to Facebook Login on other platforms, using it will make it easier to share content from within the app, and connect your account info without punching in the credentials yet again. Foursquare will post your check-ins, the Adobe apps will let you upload photos easily, and you can share the station you're listening to on iHeartRadio. Facebook users will probably want to keep an eye on their privacy settings to avoid oversharing, while holdouts from the social network can remain assured that Microsoft's own account system is still positioned as the primary way to log in on the platform.
Foursquare rolls out real-time recommendations for some
Foursquare has begun rolling out real-time recommendations to some iPhone users. The recommendations will share tips with users when they arrive at a certain location. For example, a user could show up at a restaurant and have the Foursquare app share the most popular thing on the menu or highlight a deal on appetizers. In a blog post announcing the news, Foursquare said: Real-time recommendations // When you arrive someplace, we can tell you something great there (like the best thing to order, or a money-saving special). With this release, we're turning real-time recommendations on for a small batch of people who use Foursquare on their iPhone (and expanding to more every day). It's been live for some people on Android for a bit, and we can't wait to put it in everyone's hands. In addition to real-time recommendations, the latest Foursquare update also adds a Right Now feature, which highlights what's happening in your area if you have some free time. The app also now offers "Friends at a glance," which shows you each friend's most recent check-in. Foursquare notes that it's rolling out these new services slowly, and only a "few thousand" will have access initially. Foursquare for iPhone is a free download.
Foursquare's real-time recommendations now being pushed to iOS
This past summer, Foursquare announced a soft rollout of a new real-time recommendation feature for Android users. And now, it's headed to iOS. As part of a new software update, a "small batch" of users will begin to see the push notifications appear on their iPhones, suggesting places or items of interest, like a particularly nice cocktail at a specific bar or a favorite restaurant. The app's also been refreshed with a 'nearby' button that'll let users keep tabs on which friends are in their immediate vicinity, as well as their most recent check-ins. Don't despair if you're not one of the chosen few to experience the auto-recommendations, Foursquare plans to put that feature "in everyone's hands" soon.
iOS 7 app update roundup: it's a flat, flat, flat world
Even if you don't feel like coughing up the cash for either the iPhone 5c or iPhone 5s, those eligible for an update (that's if you own an iPhone 4 or up, or an iPad 2 onward) can at least console themselves with iOS 7, which debuts today. Gone is the skeuomorphic design of the Forstall era, and in its place is a flatter interface that promises an entirely new experience for iOS devotees. As such, developers everywhere have been scrambling to get their apps redesigned to match the new mobile OS out of Cupertino. While we can't possibly cover every update, we've compiled a quick list after the break of the more substantial app revamps that have come our way.
Foursquare's new push recommendations appear even when you don't check in
Sure, Foursquare is a nice option for recommendations from friends and those who have already explored your current locale. It appears, though, that the days of manually searching the app for nearby treasures will soon be a thing of the past. Today, Foursquare began a rollout to select Android users a "smarter" version of the service -- one that's proactive with its recommendations. That's right, folks, the app will ping you via push notification when you're near a friend's go-to sushi place or offer up cocktail suggestions based on the bar that you just cozied up to. Fret not, you can still check in like you're used to, but now Foursquare will offer up recommendations even if you don't. Battery drain shouldn't be a concern here as the company says a day's worth of advice should roughly translate to a 20-minute Angry Birds session. In the next few months, the feature will reach all Android users, with iOS to follow sometime after that. For now, if you're not one of the lucky thousand or so, you can peruse the backstory via the source link below.
Foursquare now available for Windows 8
Foursquare revealed its plans for a Windows 8 app two months ago, and it's making good on its promise by launching the software today. This first tablet-specific version of Foursquare offers the check-in and location discovery features we've seen in the company's mobile apps, but in a very photo-centric interface that takes advantage of the extra screen space. Both the map view and location pages also expose more detail at the top level, such as nearby hotspots and associated lists. If you want to check into sushi bars with your Surface, you can grab Foursquare's app through the source link.
Yelp update gives restaurant-goers full power to review from iPhones
In the past, users of the popular Yelp iPhone app could do just about anything on their devices that they could on the service's full website except one important thing -- leave full reviews. According to Ingrid Lunden at our sister site TechCrunch, here's how Eric Singley (VP of consumer and mobile products) responded in 2009 to a request from users to be able to leave reviews without having to resort to the desktop website: "We occasionally hear from other passionate Yelpers on why we haven't enabled review publishing from our mobile applications. There are several reasons why we do this...Well imagine what it would be like if reviews were done in SMS shorthand: 'OK so, IANAE, but AFAIC this place has THE best Cfood. It was gr8! ADBB' Um, yeah." Well, Yelp has apparently been seeing pressure from other apps that do allow users to leave detailed feedback -- apps like Foursquare, Groupon, Square and Facebook. The new update finally provides the capability, with a company spokesperson now saying that: "Having to wait until you get home to say what you think is a thing of the past – if you've had a wonderful experience, you want to shout about it there and then." Funny how competition can drive someone to change their mind, albeit slowly. Yelp has also made some significant moves recently, re-launching its "Nearby" feature that gives users suggestions about restaurants and other businesses nearby and purchasing OpenTable competitor SeatMe. Whether that's enough to nudge the business into the black is anyone's guess.
Narrato for iPhone is a full-featured journal app
Narrato (US$3.99) is a handy and feature-rich journal app for the iPhone. Not only can you use Narrato to record your thoughts, feelings and photos, but it also connects to many social media tools so you can populate the resulting "lifestream" with your comings-and-goings easily. In more of a passive mood? Find your best tweets or status updates and bring them into Narrato with a tap. Here's my look at Narrato. Looks I'll just say it. Narrato is kind of cutesy. There's a decorative fill at the base of your stream and individual posts are topped with an abstract image that can't be customized. There are little animations, too, like hopping icons here and there. None of this detracts from the experience, of course, but some might wish for a little less eye candy. It's also extremely legible and will look great on iOS 7. The whisper-thin font looks great both as an entry heading and as body text. Now, let's talk about use. Use The main screen is Day-By-Day entry. You'll find four buttons across the bottom: one for text entry, one for photographs, an emoticon option and location. Tap the speech bubble to create a text entry. The compose field appears with a keyboard. Here's what's pretty clever. You can alter an entry's date by tapping the keyboard icon at the top of the screen. It "flips" over and replaces the keyboard with a date selector. Tap it again to switch back. I like that. When you're done, hit the checkmark in the upper right-hand corner and your entry has been created. %Gallery-195931% Adding a photo is just as simple. Tap the camera button and snap away. Once you've accepted your shot, you can add a caption. Emoticons and location work much the same way. Tap their respective buttons and make your selection from the resulting edit screen. The smiley faces are, well, kind of cute and the app's location data is provided by Foursquare. Narrato also provides journals. You can make as many as you like, which is nice. Create one that's unique to a certain trip or other experience. Here you can assign a unique image to represent each journal, which provides at-a-glance reference to what is where. Each journal has the same entry options: text, photo, emoticon and location. The app's other marquee feature is the Lifestream. It lets you pull your Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare updates into Narrato. What's nice is that you can assign the current date to any item imported from your life stream, even if its creation date is different. Conclusion Narrato does its job well. Entries are easy to create and browse. The app works on a yearly subscription model, which will run you $3.99 every 12 months. If you like recording your adventures with an iPhone, give Narrato a spin.
Yelp iPhone app now lets you post reviews from within, support coming soon to Android
Here's something that may surprise you: yesterday, Yelp users couldn't actually post reviews from within the company's iPhone app. Wild, right? Today's update, however, changes that, bringing it more in line with rival Foursquare. The revised iOS app, which should be hitting the App Store momentarily, will bring the feature to all users across 22 countries, and we're told that the new button for reviews will appear where the "Tips" button has sat in the past. Interestingly, Yelp intends to still hold some power over what you write -- if your "review" is deemed too brief, it could end up as a tip; thankfully, users can always go back later, add a bit more detail and have it ported over to the review side. Just remember: you can totally get sued for posting negative reviews. Womp, womp.
Foursquare gives Superusers web links to map editing tools
Foursquare switched to editable OpenStreetMap data for its check-in services over a year ago, but many of its users wouldn't know it when there hasn't been a way to tweak maps through place pages. As of today, Foursquare is encouraging a little more interaction: Superusers (frequent contributors) in Australia, Brazil, Germany and the UK can now click a web link to edit a location in OpenStreetMap. Those who aren't keen on signing up for OSM can still leave a note with their proposed changes. There's no mention of plans to expand access to regular users, but the firm expects additional rollouts to Superusers in areas where map data is less than trustworthy.
Foursquare hits Nokia's GPS-less Asha 501, gets bearings with connection data
Nokia Lumia WP8 owners have it pretty good on Foursquare thanks to AR and other exclusive features -- but that doesn't mean lower-end device owners are being shirked. The app is now available on the Asha 501, something Nokia and Foursquare promised when it hit the Series 40 smartphone and its huge user base. Despite the Asha's lack of a GPS, owners of the sub-$100 device will get all of Foursquare's main features -- like check-ins, mayorships and badges -- since the app can use a network connection to figure out where you are. It'll likely arrive on other Asha devices soon as well, so if you're looking to rule your local haunt as mayor, better grab it fast.
Foursquare arrives for Nokia S40s, mayoral population explodes worldwide (update)
Foursquare is looking to make at least 1.5 billion new mayors. The app that gamified being out and about announced that starting today, it's available for Nokia S40 phones. While we haven't seen an Asha in North America in some time, the model line's dominance in emerging markets is nothing to sneeze at. The check-in service also announced its app will be preloaded on "a bunch of new Asha devices" when they're released "in a few months." We've contacted Nokia and Foursquare because the S40 line rolls deep, and will update this post when we find out if the app requires GPS to work -- Nokia's Nearby doesn't. To test it out for yourself, the source links are a click away. Update: Nokia confirmed to us that Foursquare does not require GPS to work with S40. We're still waiting on a list of those new Asha devices.
Foursquare checks into Windows 8 with its first native tablet app
For Windows 8 tablet users, becoming the mayor of your favorite fro-yo place (everybody's gotta have a dream) is about get easier. Just a few weeks after announcing a tablet UI customized for Android, Foursquare took to the stage at Build today to announce its first native tablet app, designed specifically for Windows 8. While an app for Windows Phone 8 already exists, tablet users had been left in the cold without software optimized for their devices. So far, Foursquare hasn't specified an exact release date for the app, but we'll keep you posted as we learn more.
Foursquare for Android and iOS now lets you check friends in, with permission
If you regularly hang out with Foursquare aficionados, you've likely seen conversations grind to a halt as everyone dutifully checks in at the same restaurant. A fresh update to Foursquare's Android and iOS apps could get those friends talking again by letting one of them check in the rest. Whoever arrives first just has to tag their contacts, who'll be counted as if they'd gone through the check-in themselves. Thankfully, Foursquare tries to eliminate the privacy disasters that could stem from its new feature -- the app won't check anyone in without permission, and users can delete unwanted check-ins on the spot. Those comfortable with Foursquare's safeguards can grab the new app through the source links.
Magellan SmartGPS review: further proof your phone is the only navigator you need
When speaking with executives from the Google Maps team earlier this year at I/O, I was reminded that Maps wasn't even a product in 2004. In less than a decade, one of Google's bright ideas has completely and unabashedly transformed the entire routing industry. (Avid readers will no doubt recall this graph, depicting real moves in the stock market moments after Google Maps Navigation was first introduced.) That development, coupled with the explosion in smartphone adoption across emerged markets, has left players like Magellan in quite the predicament. It wasn't that long ago that dedicated PNDs (personal navigation devices) were the gift to get for the holiday season. And indeed, many units from Garmin in particular delighted me plenty over the years. But the reality today is that PND makers have found themselves redundant. A few have resorted to innovating on the software side and nailing down partnerships with automakers and fleet-management firms in order to keep revenue rolling in, while Magellan has opted to create a new piece of hardware. That hardware, of course, is the SmartGPS. Rather than being a standalone PND suitable for mounting on one's dash or window, the device works best when used in concert with an accompanying iPhone or Android app (sorry, Windows Phone and BlackBerry users). In essence, the company is hoping that by creating a product that extends the functionality of your smartphone, you'll be inclined to hand over $250. After a week of road tripping through the US southwest, however, I'm inclined to believe differently.%Gallery-190765%
Foursquare Time Machine retraces your check-ins in a stream of light
Habitual Foursquare users don't have much context for their check-ins -- it's easy for them to track their favorite haunts, but not their long-term trends. The just-launched Foursquare Time Machine could help draw those missing connections, however. Sign in and it creates a map-based timeline of each and every check-in, color-coded by its nature. While the superficial result is a very pretty light cluster, it's surprisingly functional underneath: members can see their exact check-in times, their favorite days of the week and their most active periods. Naturally, there's also an option to share the stats with others. Time Machine is already popular enough that it's struggling to cope with the early demand, but the functioning site should be worth visiting for the (eventual) trip down memory lane.
Foursquare brings a native tablet UI to Android, while iOS waits
While iOS has continued to tout its lead in native tablet apps over other platforms, there are a few cases where it lags and now Foursquare is one of them. A new update to the Android app features a new map browsing experience for tablets and large screen phones, plus improvements to the Explore feature. On the other hand, iPad users still have to deal with a stretched out version of the iPhone app for their check ins and discovery, although a fresh update there tweaks search suggestions and spellcheck in Explore. This isn't the first go round for a tablet optimized Foursquare experience on Android as the Sony Tablet S had its own app, although that was built by a third party and not fully featured.
