Regular readers will know my love for all things location. In particular, these check-in location-based services fascinate me, mainly because I see them as a bridge between social networks as we’ve known it, and actual social interaction in the real world. Foursquare has been my app of choice over the past year (it launched almost exactly a year ago at SXSW). But the latest version of Gowalla has me thinking about switching sides. At the very least, I’ll be using both at all times now.
Gowalla version 2.0 for the iPhone just hit the App Store today. With it, you’ll notice a few different things. First and foremost, the overall look has been updated from a sort of Army green, to a more subtle light green that is much easier on the eyes. More significantly, the toolbar has been reworked so that now social activity is front and center when you load the app, while your own activity is the last tab. Both of these changes are things I’ve complained about since day one with Gowalla, so they’re certainly welcome. But that’s not why I’m excited for the app. I’m excited because it takes the idea of the check-in and extends it.
Specifically, you can now add pictures and comments to check-ins in Gowalla. This makes for a much richer social experience both using the app and the website (the data goes over there as well). As founder and CEO Josh Williams describes in the video below, there were a lot of people who wanted to talk about the social activity on Gowalla, but previously they had to text message or email their friends to say something like “hey I saw you check-in at the restaurant, want some company?” Now, that type of dialogue can take place all within the app.
Now, others have tried to add additional layers to check-ins in the past. Why I think it works with Gowalla 2.0 is because they keep it simple. The application is extremely handsome (since the beginning, everyone is quick to note how good the designers are working for the team) and intuitive. There are only a few basic things you can do, and all are obvious from the main screen. You can either check-in at a venue, comment on your friends’ check-ins (with the new chat bubble in the stream), look at the spots around you, see trips (pre-planned venue excursions), or look at your own activity.
Previously, with Gowalla, I thought the focus was too much on their virtual items. Those are now tucked away in your Passport (your profile). They’re still important, and will be increasingly so for Gowalla’s revenue model (trading virtual goods for real-world items), but they’re not in your face, confusing users.
All that said, there are two downsides still to the service. First, the social activity stream includes everybody that your friends with. With Foursquare, the people currently in the same city as you are highlighted; Gowalla doesn’t do that. I suspect that will be very annoying to my friends not going to Austin this week for SXSW. Their stream will be a constant reminder that they’re not there — and they likely could care less about my check-ins, since they can’t possibly come and meet me.
The second downside is that Gowalla’s API remains read-only. That means while other services can pull out Gowalla’s data, they can’t put anything back in. That means there will be no Gowalla apps besides the ones they make (at least for now). Williams explained the rationale behind this as Gowalla wants to stay in control of the user experience (a rather Apple-like argument). That makes some sense, since there are all these virtual goods that will be flying around, and it will be hard to make sure every third-party app is implementing them correctly. Also, Gowalla is much more strict about its location-based check-ins then say, Foursquare. They’re so strict, in fact, that it’s been an issue in the past (and in some cases, still is), with people not being able to check-in places they’re actually at because the GPS is wonky. At the same time, this helps a lot with gaming the system, and that will be increasingly important as Gowalla strikes deals with partners based around check-ins.
Listen to Williams talk more about the new app, as well as his thoughts on AT&T’s network, some SXSW specials, rivals, and yes, even the news that Facebook is apparently looking at federating some of Gowalla’s (and Foursquare’s) data for its own location offering. He also notes that with the new release, Gowalla is expanding the idea of checking-in to be more of a bucket of elements now, including images and comments. Interesting. (Sorry in advance that I shot the video vertically on my iPhone — gotta stop doing that.)
You can find Gowalla 2.0 in the App Store here. It’s a free download.
so, so exciting.
I would love to try out Gowalla but the web interface is absolutely horrendous on my Blackberry. They need to create a Blackberry app and soon.
talked with williams a bit about that today – they’re thinking about how best to approach that. he noted how bb would soon get a webkit browser. that could be step one.
Get a new phone.
Finally, making the service more socially engaging! Good move Gowalla, you just one-upped (or is that two-upped) Foursquare!
Love this :)
The photo checking/sharing really makes this my go to app over 4sq. Great work.
It is exciting.
I love Gowalla. it lets people stalk other people
FourSquare only keeps your stream to your city on the iPhone. The Android version puts everyone in the same stream.
This could get interesting.
It will be very interesting to see what Facebook federation does to Foursquare and Gowalla. Will it help them or hurt them? Regardless, wish I had the ability to attend SXSW and SXSWi. Should be some pretty cool things going on this year.
Is it just me, or did anyone else notice TC seemed to have missed the new foursquare iPhone app came online today? Maybe they wrote something, but I haven’t seen it in my RSS feed…
Looks like they rushed this release… The title of the app on my homescreen is “Gowalla ß”
No new bonus item drop in weeks! Gowalla doesn’t respond to user complaints.
http://getsatisfaction.com/gowalla/topics/empty_pack_20_check_ins_13_days_zero_bonus_items
Someone from gowalla responded a day after that was posted.
I hear they don’t have good customer service That’s not how a company should be ran.
The Padrino
http://www.thepadrino.com
Foursquare sucks by comparison. MG, are you so addicted that you cannot see the truth?
You write that you “might switch sides” and two sentences later decide that you’ll use both?
Go MG Tool!
I think http://www.warrantech.com should buy me lunch today for getting my check in at their office as the screen shot :-)
The only thing I can’t figure out in this video… Is that shirt.
this is really interesting
Hrmm, I cannot see how to add a photo at all.
I’ve come home after being out and that’s when I edit things so that everything is correct… placing the pointer on the google map is easier for example.
But how do you add a photo? completely baffled.
Wolfie!
Yes Wolfie. I can’t see that either. I am currently using FourSquare and Whrrl. Just started test driving Gowalla. I can’t find an FAQ on the Gowalla site.
Whrrl is a spoiler for adding photos. When I saw the camera icon on my first check-in, I was happy but it looked like I could only take a photo on the spot, it would not let me add a photo from my photo library like Whrrl does. I’d always prefer to choose a photo.
My first check-in is a created venue. (None of the 3 services had it, so I created it 3 times – Koloa Post Office)
By the way, did you notice that I linked to you here: http://lindashermangordon.posterous.com/jeffpulver-dont-forget-whrrl-i-agree-foursqua
Just saw this email. I see that their help interface is on “Get Satisfaction”
Thank you for adding Koloa Post Office to Gowalla. You can view your spot online here:
http://gowalla.com/spots/788404
Please double check your spot for typos and to ensure it was created in the right place. You may nudge the placement of the spot a bit if you need to. If you created this spot in error, you may delete it unless another person has already checked in.
You have now created 1 spots. Thank you for going out with Gowalla!
Team Gowalla
–
Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/gowalla
Post your feedback:
http://getsatisfaction.com/gowalla
===
BTW my link mentioned above is to the author of this TechCrunch article, MG Siegler, not to Wolfie.
I have now used the photo function in Gowalla and it is not bad at all. Click on the camera. Take a photo. You now have the choice to “reshoot” “preview” or “use”. That’s plenty of functionality.
Regarding being able to comment on my friend’s photos or give them a “like” – so far I have only attempted to test on Wolfie’s barber shop photo. I could comment on his check-in but not on his photo. Whrrl let’s me comment on or “like” my friends’ photo. Is this because Wolfie is in Australia and I am currently in Kauai? Keeping my eyes open for friends’ photos in the USA to test.