Later today a new application will be launched in the AppStore – Jollyspot, which wants to position itself as a sort of social yelp. They do the magic by combining Google Maps with your favorite places and Facebook’s Social Graph. As a result, you should be able to quickly access places — i.e. restaurants, bars, hotels, cafes, shops and other sites — your friends like and are willing to recommend.
In an email we got from Jollyspot’s developers, they emphasize their idea is not to compete with services that offer check-ins and rewards. Rather, the goal is to get recommendations from people you trust or at least have some sort of connection via Facebook.
Part of their “official pitch” goes like this:
It’s about places you love. Whether spots are high-end or budget, Zagat-rated or hole-in-the-wall, we believe that they’re worth noting (and trying) because you or people in your network love them. It’s not about being premium, it’s about being relevant.
I kinda like it and can only hope more of my friends will like it too, eventually making restaurant and bar choices easier for me. 🙂