
Foursquare: Why It May Be the Next Twitter - JournalistHack
http://mashable.com/2009/07/25/foursquare-app/
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newy
I like Foursquare - it's fun. But I see problems. For one, I can't see how
it'll break out of its niche crowd. One of Twitter's is that it's simple and
universally accessible, on the web or on the go with any device. Most of the
folks I know outside tech circles wouldn't bother with a game. This presents a
chicken/egg problem as the less of my friends are on there, the less inclined
I feel to keep using it.

I like the direction they're taking it with getting local businesses involved.
There's value in a frequent flyer points system for restaurants, etc. But
simply 'checking in' without express ties to transactions probably won't cut
it. Further, trying to extract fees from small restaurants and businesses is
an expensive feat.

Hope they prove me wrong!

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jmtulloss
Foursquare looks pretty awesome. If only they had an app for the Pre!

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apgwoz
I'm sure they willif the pre's marketshare makes it worthwhile to do so. I
just wish they had it for my Sony erircsson i810

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hipsterelitist
Because it did so well when it was still Dodgeball.

Just make a better client and have it feel like a game instead of 'just
another social network.' Brilliant.

Edit: And if I recall correctly, Dodgeball predated Twitter, which might be
something to mull over in the context of their argument.

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bkudria
Fan of the service, I think it has potential.

But once it become actually influential (free drinks!) how will they protect
against spam? What's to stop me checking in a hundred times at a venue (or
alternating 2, so I don't have to "re-check in") and becoming the mayor?

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raghus
OT, but you know you've arrived when someone else is supposed to be "the next
you"

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semiquaver
Now all they have to do is monetize before they become "the next myspace."

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byrneseyeview
Myspace monetized pretty well, actually: profitable when they were bought out,
and then really profitable thanks to the Google ad deal.

In fact, I'd bet that there was only a brief period during which more than a
tiny minority of people expected them to make more money than they eventually
made.

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sailormoon
While these "why ___ may be the next ____" articles might make startup CEOs
feel good, I've never seen much correlation with actual success.

I don't think this game looks compelling at all. Twitter is a communication
and promotion tool, this is a location-based game; it's completely different.
I think Mashable is out of touch. I'm so confident this app will never be a
mainstream success I'd probably bet actual money on it. I'm not saying no
location based games will be popular - I think they will be amazingly so, but
this is not it.

And why does this company persist in calling their apps after irrelevant ball
games? First dodgeball, now foursquare. Annoying.

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ryanwaggoner
Bah! Humbug!

Seriously, this crotchety rant is the best you could come up with? You
apparently have never played this game and your critique offers nothing
whatsoever in the way of substance, either for your dismissal of the game in
question, nor for your characterization of Mashable as out of touch.
Seriously, there's not a single actual point in there anywhere. You could be
100% correct on both counts, but as it stands, your comment adds nothing to
the discussion.

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sailormoon
What kind of "actual point" would you have preferred to see?

Of course I haven't played this game. I don't need to to say that this puff
piece is misguided, just like I don't need to play Mafia Wars on Facebook to
be able to emphatically tell you that that's not going to be the next Twitter,
either - although that would, if anything, be more likely.

Look, I don't mean to be negative, but I think this kind of app only appeals
to a certain type of person and does not have the mass appeal to spread beyond
that niche. Mashable is in that niche, so they don't see that not all that
many outside it find much value in devoting real time and effort to becoming
the virtual "mayor" of a coffee shop.

