Last week saw me power-testing foursquare. Three weeks before I was playing around a little bit with Google Latitude. I have Gowalla and Plancast accounts. I might even join Loopt, Whrrl, Brightkite, Burbn, MyTown, whatever .... But for now - I am off the grid!
Although I had joined foursquare in August, 2009, I never actually used it. Last summer there wasn't even a possibility to add Zurich as a hometown - mainly the reason why I showed up in Oslo on my first day.
After struggling with Google Latitude end of May for a few days
- it's not an App on my iPhone (not Google's decision, admittedly), it's between cumbersome and impossible to invite contacts, I have to use iGoogle on my computer (the last time I used "iGoogle" was back in 2006) -
I gave foursquare a serious try to know what everybody is talking about these days: 11 "nights" out. 74 checkins. 8 things done. 36 places discovered and the mayor of 6 places are the result.
My thoughts:
- This stuff is addictive! It's a time-killer to be honest. Even without earning badges, becoming mayor here and there, and check who might have already been in a place, I felt the urge to check in repeatedly during the day and during the night. I know my addictions, I don't need an additional one ;) Thumbs down.
- Where is the value-add? Actually, I did not discover new places last week. I discovered new people instead. Which is a good thing at first sight! But looking closer I realized that most of the people I "discovered" I had discovered earlier on via professional networks, via reading their publications, or in the real world. Do I really want to connect to strangers on the road? I have to think that business case through for some time to come to a conclusion. Still thinking.
- I power-used foursquare only. Google Latitude a little bit. This is one and a half out of x services. How should I seriously connect to all my contacts using the other platforms at the same time? Ok, there are consolidation services like FourWhere bringing different checkins together. But using such a service isn't the real thing. It might be ok for aggregating, finding, and analyzing. Not for participating and publishing. As long as there is no real consolidation: Thumbs down.
- There is no regional mobile price plan for Switzerland, there is not even such a plan for or within the European Union. Crossing borders frequently and avoiding horrendous data roaming charges degrades a smartphone in 2010 to what it was 15 years ago: A mobile phone with significant roaming charges. As long as Europe does not wake up: Thumbs down.
MG Siegler was here already 3 months ago: "At first, I was using all of the services I had on my phone to check-in when I arrived at a place in Austin. This included: Foursquare, Gowalla, Loopt, Whrrl, Brightkite, Burbn, MyTown, CauseWorld, Hot Potato, Plancast, and (at certain places) Foodspotting. Even with great AT&T service, this would take a solid 10 minutes or more to check-in to all of them. And it took even longer when I'd have to pause to explain to my friends what the hell I was doing on my phone all that time."
My decision: I'll stay off the grid. Nevertheless, feel free to contact me on whatever network you use. I might even check in again sometime here and there. For now I will continue tracking my location with Google Latitude for me, myself, and I. Find me there!
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