How I love a good debate:)!!
So, to start I want to thank my good buddy Guerson and Ksxenia for correcting me and stating that foursquare also includes zagat ratings.
Secondly, I am going to tackle this debate from a business model analysis as our professor suggested (thank you Enrique).
I think the biggest difference when analyzing the preference of foursquare and loopt is that they are both location apps but foursquare incorporates a gaming experience. Foursquare members go into battle as to which person goes to a certain place more often. Kind of how Guerson wants to dethrown our beloved professor Enrique as he wrote in his blog(http://guersonmeyer.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/about-foresquaress-and-its-business-model/#respond). Good luck with that...
Now taking this into account we come across demographic issues meaning that foursquare caters more to a younger crowd which may prove to be a success because younger people are more active than older people on the online community. This also stimulates people to register each time they go to a certain place to get more points and so on.
Now, why do I like loopt more? You all know that I am more inclined to privacy from my previous blog. Loopt is better for those who want to share there location but not advertise it to people they dont even know. Loopt is a location app that limits your exposure to friends, which is more attractive to people like Mr. privacy over here. Loopt also has Loopt pulse which is more of a dedicated app to receive reviews on millions of places with pics and other stuff. Now lets say, I want to meet a complete stranger and even hook up with them like some sort of blind date thing. Loopt has Loopt mix which links you to people you want to meet or people with the same interest.
Loopt is design for a different demographic (more adult) and it is more exclusive because you share more with people you know unless you choose not to and use loopt mix. Maybe I should not have compared loopt to foursquare because loopt is not a location/gaming app (yet) while 4square is. What I wanted to transmit was that if I were to get a location app it would be loopt for all the reason mentioned above.
Now, I am not that tech savvy but let introduce you to someone who is... Mr. Chris Voss. I think he can explain better how I feel about these location apps and why I might only choose to share my location with friends.... Please watch, its informative and kinda funny (mentions Tiger Woods having a location app)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBOdC_63xaI&feature=player_embedded#!
Again, you just share what you want to share to whom you want to share it. That's about it. So, of course we have to talk about privacy issues, but not to be afraid of.
ReplyDeleteI will try Loopt and let you know my insights, but as I said, I think I need the newest iPhone to have the complete experience.
Foursquare may be now more popular for younger people, but the same was for Facebook (University only at first) and now things have changed.
So, my guess is that younger people tend to pick up the new trends more easily...but let see...
My goal is not to contradict you, but just to give you another point of view on the subject. I have tried all this new technologies (social media,etc) and haven't had any security issue or other kind of problem (in the contrary). Maybe because I am just an open and transparent and I say and do online, what I would also say and do in person... If you don't like what you find about me online? then you would not like me in person... =)
As expected, i try to use loopt but it is currently only available for US...
ReplyDeleteso, i will continue with Foursquare.
"valid U.S. mobile numbers only. Loopt is not currently available outside of the U.S."
Interesting is that Facebook is joining the battle...so lets see what happens.