Foursquare for Android now greets newcomers, says what’s fresh for locals

Posted on 15/03/2013 by Jon Fingas

Foursquare gave more adventurous iOS users an updated Explore section at the start of the month that, among many other things, better highlighted either just-opened locations or the hottest places to be. It's the Android crowd's turn to check out new scenes: their updated Foursquare app will tell a traveler what sights and sounds are worth catching when visiting a new location, and better emphasizes what's new for anyone on familiar turf. If you're a tourist worried about fitting in like a local, or just want to check out a fresh location before it's ruined by popularity, hit the Google Play link at the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Foursquare Blog

Source: Google Play

Google’s Field Trip location-discovery app comes to iOS

Posted on 07/03/2013 by Sarah Silbert

Android users have had access to Google's Field Trip for several months now, but the location-discovery app is just making its way to iOS now. The service runs in the background on your smartphone, alerting you when you're near a historic spot or Zagat-recommended restaurant, for instance. In addition to helping you discover new POIs, the app can act as a tour guide with audio read-outs about nearby places, and you have the option of posting newfound locales to Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Click through to the source link to give the free download a whirl on your iPhone or iPod.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Apple, Google

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Via: 9to5Mac

Source: iTunes

Glympse announces voice-controlled location-sharing app for Ford SYNC

Posted on 07/01/2013 by Steve Dent

What's the point of hitting the road for glamorous destinations if you can't brag it up? To that end, Glympse is launching a new voice-activated location-sharing app that works with Ford SYNC-equipped vehicles. You'll need to install it on a compatible iOS or Android smartphone, then connect to your SYNC system via Bluetooth, provided you're one of the 5 million Ford drivers so equipped. From there, you'll be able to share your location with contacts by saying "send a Glympse," forewarning Grandma via Facebook or Twitter to put the pumpkin pie in the oven -- without needing to take your eyes off the road or make a call. Your contacts can even go online to see a moving map presentation of your Napa Valley wine tour while they're slaving in front of a screen -- so head sideways after the break for more info.

Continue reading Glympse announces voice-controlled location-sharing app for Ford SYNC

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Software

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Foursquare Explore for iOS rates places by check-in popularity, doesn’t see stars

Posted on 06/11/2012 by Jon Fingas

Gauging the quality of a restaurant or store through star ratings is often just slightly more reliable than picking blindfolded; one undercooked stir fry may tank the ratings for what's otherwise a stellar eatery. In that sense, Foursquare's revamped Explore for iOS users is a long-overdue replacement for an old concept. Rather than let the overly emotional guide our decisions, the update assigns ratings from a 10-point system based on how many people check in, how many are regulars and the number of tips or likes -- in short, the degree to which people actually like to visit. Imagine that. Foursquare hasn't said when Android and other platforms will see the Explore switchover, but it shouldn't be too long before everyone knows where the local hotspot is without a few exceptions spoiling the rule.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile

Foursquare Explore for iOS rates places by check-in popularity, doesn't see stars originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foursquare for Android updated for more social check-ins, shares club-hopping with the world

Posted on 24/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

There's a good reason Foursquare has an Overshare badge. Still, that hasn't stopped the location service from rolling out an update to Android users that simplifies broadcasting your position to the world. The Android check-in screen now matches that of the iOS app with a more streamlined appearance that more quickly shares updates with Facebook and Twitter; mentioning friends is easier as well. As long as your social circle doesn't mind knowing that you checked into three different dance clubs in one night, Foursquare's update awaits at the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Foursquare for Android updated for more social check-ins, shares club-hopping with the world originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foursquare brings nearby check-ins back to BlackBerry and iPhone, saves our pub crawls

Posted on 10/08/2012 by Jon Fingas

The Foursquare 5.0 revamp wasn't all good news for some of the location service's most loyal fans: the design quietly scrapped the option to only see check-ins from nearby friends. After much clamoring, Foursquare has found a way to tuck it back in, starting with BlackBerry and iPhone users. A pull or a tap now filters between check-ins worldwide and just those from friends gallivanting around town -- just in case you'd rather not see your international friends enjoying the weekend before you do. Android phone owners will have to take Foursquare's word that their update is "coming soon," but those who can get it today on other platforms will likely appreciate knowing exactly when it's time to join friends at that fourth consecutive bar.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

Foursquare brings nearby check-ins back to BlackBerry and iPhone, saves our pub crawls originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia wants to become the ‘where?’ company, Lumias to become sensor masters

Posted on 19/07/2012 by Jon Fingas

Nokia is still taking its lumps in earnings, but CEO Stephen Elop has an idea as to how the troubled phone giant can carve out its slice of the smartphone market: like a real estate agent, it's all about location, location, location. As he outlined in the company's fiscal results call, the aim is to make Nokia the "where?" company -- the go-to for location-based services, whether it's Drive, Transport or anything else that locks in on our whereabouts. Facebook and Google are the "who?" and "what?" companies, Elop says. He also imagines that his own firm "could be a leader" in sensors as a whole, tracking subtler cues like the owner's pulse rate. Whether or not Nokia puts itself in front through positioning, the executive gave a small tease of the future during the call -- the next wave of Lumia phones will have "more differentiation," and both Windows Phone 7.8 as well as Windows Phone 8 will make their way to budget Nokia hardware.

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia wants to become the 'where?' company, Lumias to become sensor masters originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video)

Posted on 09/07/2012 by Jon Fingas

Interior navigation is only just coming into its own, but IndoorAtlas has developed a technology that could make it just as natural as breathing -- or at least, firing up a smartphone's mapping software. Developed by a team at Finland's University of Oulu, the method relies on identifying the unique geomagnetic field of every location on Earth to get positioning through a mobile device. It's not just accurate, to less than 6.6 feet, but can work without help from wireless signals and at depths that would scare off mere mortal technologies: IndoorAtlas has already conducted tests in a mine 4,593 feet deep. Geomagnetic location-finding is already available through an Android API, with hints of more platforms in the future. It will still need some tender loving care from app developers before we're using our smartphones to navigate through the grocery store as well as IndoorAtlas does in a video after the break.

Continue reading IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS

IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flickr brings in Nokia map data for precise geotagged photos, Instagram shots just got eerily accurate

Posted on 29/06/2012 by Jon Fingas

Open Street Map has been helping Flickr display geotagged shots for some time. That crowdsourced map data has led to more than a few photos being located in a gray blob, however, which is why Yahoo just struck a deal to put Nokia maps into as many nooks and crevices of the world as possible. The addition will make sure that Instagram photo tour of Africa is often accurate down to the street corner, not to mention give a slightly Finland-tinged look to the maps themselves. Open Street Map isn't going away, but it's now being used only for those areas where regular coverage is spotty or non-existent. The images already apply to any existing and upcoming uploads -- there will be no question that self-portrait was taken in Tanzania.

Flickr brings in Nokia map data for precise geotagged photos, Instagram shots just got eerily accurate originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foursquare 5.0 hands-on

Posted on 07/06/2012 by Jon Fingas

Foursquare just posted its promised mobile app overhaul this morning, and it's a doozy: virtually everything in 5.0 has been given a fresh look or, in some cases, a complete rethink. The changes are, ideally, to goad us into using Foursquare to find places to visit, not just to check in after we're already past the front door. But is Foursquare pushing too hard? Will mayors want to resign in protest? We're digging in to find out.

Gallery: Foursquare 5.0 hands-on