Tag Archives: location-based

Twitter is testing a timeline box for nearby events, too

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Twitter is testing a trending box for live events, too

Remember how Twitter is quietly testing timeline boxes that show trending TV shows? That's not a one-off experiment: TechCrunch has also discovered a similar test for live events happening nearby. Instead of focusing on a person or series, the new box highlights a representative event tweet and offers a shortcut to more tweets associated with that event's hashtag. As before, Twitter isn't directly confirming the existence of its latest trial run; it will only say that it practices "innovation through experimentation." Given the widened scope of the company's testing, however, there's a real chance that these context-sensitive cards could soon become ubiquitous.

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Source: TechCrunch

Foursquare gives Superusers web links to map editing tools

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Foursquare gives power users direct map editing links

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.

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Via: Foursquare Blog

Source: Foursquare

Foursquare for Android and iOS now lets you check friends in, with permission

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Foursquare for Android and iOS now lets you check friends in, thankfully 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.

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Via: Foursquare Blog

Source: App Store, Google Play

Report: Twitter to launch location-based ads later this year

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Twitter has been steadily ramping up its ad efforts this year, first bringing promoted tweets to mobile devices and more recently opening up ad buying to all US users. Now, according to Ad Age, the social network is preparing to introduce promoted tweets based on your location. In addition to displaying nearby retailers, this feature could showcase deals and promotions at stores in your area. Twitter already display's different advertisers' tweets based on general metro areas, but drilling down into specific geo-coordinates will naturally deliver more relevant adverts. Facebook, meanwhile, has been serving up content based on a user's ZIP code since 2011; so a little catch-up is definitely in order. Twitter's targeted ads will supposedly launch at the end of the year, just in time for that all-important retail rush.

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Source: Ad Age

Foursquare Time Machine retraces your check-ins in a stream of light

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Foursquare Time Machine retraces your checkins in a field 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.

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Via: Foursquare Blog

Source: Foursquare Time Machine

Foursquare on Android and iOS gets search filters for the extra picky

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Foursquare on Android and iOS gets search filters for the extrapicky

Foursquare knows that there's a lot more to a night on the town than a good search keyword. Accordingly, it just updated its Android and iOS apps with location search filters that narrow the results based on familiarity and price. At times, the terms can get very specific: if you want to try an expensive Korean barbecue that only your friends have visited so far, you can. While there isn't much more to the update than that, those prone to cravings (or just curiosity) should get their fill at the source links.

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Via: Foursquare

Source: App Store, Google Play

Glympse posts its free location sharing SDK in Android, iOS and web flavors

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Glympse in a Mini

Glympse has been gradually spreading the reach of its location sharing platform, but mostly through special deals like those with BMW and Ford. It's time to fling the doors open: the company has posted a public version of its Lite software development kit. Android, IOS and web app creators can now weave the core of Glympse's real-time position broadcasting features into their work at any time, whether it's to track a car's journey or find a friend around the corner. Developers don't have to pay a dime if they count fewer than 300,000 active Glympse users every month, which could give curious programmers a strong incentive to try the SDK first and ask questions later.

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Source: Glympse

Twitter reportedly working on location-based discovery tool

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Twitter reportedly working on locationbased discovery tool

The next big Twitter feature? Finding out what your neighbor's talking about, 140 characters at a time, of course. According to All Things D, the service is working on exactly that, a location-based feature that was reportedly developed at a hack week held by the company earlier this month. Twitter, predictably, isn't commenting on the reportedly upcoming feature, but D has says that this information is coming from "multiple sources." No word on how close they all are to one another.

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Source: All Things D

Foursquare 6.0 for iOS shifts the focus to exploration with a new home screen

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Foursquare 60 for iOS swings attention to searches and local highlights

Those who've had the redesigned Foursquare for Android are familiar with the app's greater priority on exploring local haunts; it's the iOS' users' turn now that Foursquare 6.0 is here. The update puts the Explore search box and map right on the main page, helping socialites quickly find out what's going on nearby. The remake also splits up activity, emphasizing closer check-ins and what's hot in one space while keeping recommendations and more distant goings-on in another section. Foursquare's refresh isn't a complete revolution, but it puts the app's two main platforms on the same page -- and shows how check-ins have become just one part of a larger whole.

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Via: Foursquare Blog

Source: App Store

Apple updates Find My Friends with new UI, more in-depth location controls

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Apple's Find My Friends app updated with more indepth

We haven't seen many changes to Apple's location-based Find My Friends app since it debuted on iOS 5 more than a year ago. Cupertino must have realized it's time for an update; the company just overhauled the feature to include a new UI and more accurate location-based alerts. The app will now let you define the distance from a location for receiving notifications -- so you can get a ping when a friend arrives at the campus library rather than the dorms, for instance. The redesigned app also simplifies the notification process to fit on one page, with options to receive alerts when your friends arrive at or leave a specific place, along with settings for notifying others based on your location. The update is available now for users running iOS 6.1 or later.

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Find My Friends