Every now and then I also writing about the latest social media sites and applications I like. Today’s post is another social media post in this category. A post about one of the newest trends in the smart phone world: Location-based social networking services.

If you have an iPhone or a smart phone that runs the Android software you are able to use the applications that enable you to check in and share information about these places you are visiting with your friends and wider social network.

This sharing of interesting places and events with my social network via these location-based social networking services is quickly becoming one of my favorite applications on my iPhone.

These are the applications I am using at the moment:

Foursquare
Foursquare is a location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and also a game. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website, foursquare logo Foursquare, Gowalla and Check.in: My choice of location based social networking servicestext messaging or a device-specific application. They are then awarded points and sometimes “badges.” More about Foursquare: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foursquare_(service)

Gowalla
Gowalla is another location-based social networking website. Users ‘check-in’ at Spots in their local vicinity, either through a dedicated mobile application or through the mobile website. As a reward users will sometimes receive items from check-ins. Items gowalla logo Foursquare, Gowalla and Check.in: My choice of location based social networking serviceshave developed to become a promotional tool for the game’s partners e.g. Incase. As of March 2010 there were approximately 150,000 active users. More about Gowalla: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gowalla

At the moment I am using both services because I really like the diversity of the two services. They are both currently really different from each other. It always seems to me that Foursquare has been programmed by mathematicians and Gowalla by graphic designers. But that is just my impression.

If you are interested in using either of these services my advice would be to sign up for both. Nwo you are asking: Two services? Why not stick to one and do twice the work? My answer would be: Why not? The future of these two services is not certain as this market is only just starting to emerge and I also found that my friends and my social network is split between these two services. They are free so why only go with one?

It is your choice of course but here is a the solution for you to not do check-ins twice when you want to share the same location with your friends on Foursquare and Gowalla.

checkin Foursquare, Gowalla and Check.in: My choice of location based social networking servicesCheck.In

Use the new service called check.in. This is how Techcrunch, one of the largest tech blogs describe it:
‘Check.in is an application that lets you check-in with multiple services at the same time. Or, as they put it, it’s “on check-in to rule them all.’ I have used check.in for several weeks now and can not recommend it highly enough.

This service makes location-based social networking so easy and convenient. So if you into these location-based social networking applications, then you need to get check.in. It will make your life a lot easier.