Following up on some significant updates for Windows Phone and Android, The Foursquare location-based check-in app for BlackBerry has been bumped up to version 3.0. The biggest changes are around user interface, with some new graphical category tabs, new layout for tips, and lots of other small tweaks. There’s also a new discovery engine to help you find new places you’ll like based on previous check-ins. Although Foursquare has had their own local specials system in place to get businesses to launch promotions, the BlackBerry app now shows local deals from other sources too, like LivingSocial, the Yellow Pages, Gilt City, BuyWithMe, and zozi. What, no Groupon? BlackBerry Messenger integration is coming soon (demo here), so your status will show where you’re hanging out, as well as being able to send places to friends on BBM. Badges will also be integrated in BBM profiles.
At its core, Foursquare is an app that lets you share where you are by checking in to particular spots. Depending on how often you check in and where you go, you get a certain number of points, which places you on a leaderboard among your friends. The actual game element is pretty basic for now, but there are rewards like mayorships (and possibly special privileges) as well as some signature badges you can earn for bragging rights. Privacy tends to be a big concern when it comes to social networks like this, but you’ve got full control over who sees what.
I’m pretty active on Foursquare, even though BlackBerry supports Facebook places and Gowalla. Foursquare basically set the stage for this whole brand of application, so that’s certainly part of my choice. Google Latitude is nice to have as a real-time tracking for those close, trusted friends, but Foursquare is nice for folks I only know casually. Interested in trying it out? Hit up this download link from your BlackBerry.
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