href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://mashable.com/2010/01/15/yelp-check-ins-iphone/&service=bit.ly">
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelpcheckin5.jpg">
href="http://mashable.com/tag/yelp">Yelp is drawing inspiration (in a manner of speaking) from Foursquare and Gowalla by
href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/01/15/yelp-iphone-app-4-check-ins/" target="_blank">adding check-in features to its iPhone app. Since there are over a million Yelp
href="http://mashable.com/category/iphone">iPhone app users, Yelp’s check-in service will be in more hands and pockets than Foursquare and Gowalla combined. Well, if they all upgrade, anyway.
And why wouldn’t they? Check-ins aren’t the only thing that have been added. User profiles are finally viewable, and Monocle — that’s
href="http://mashable.com/2009/08/27/yelp-augmented-reality/">Yelp’s augmented reality function — is in the update as well. You can actually see friends’ check-ins inside the Monocle view. Check-ins feature prominently in the app over all. We mean that literally; the “Check-ins” button is located in the middle of the new,
href="http://mashable.com/2009/08/27/facebook-3-iphone/">Facebook for iPhone-esque navigation screen.
The check-in functionality looks very similar to what you already get with
href="http://mashable.com/2009/12/25/foursquare-gowalla/">Foursquare and Gowalla. For example, push notifications let you know when friends check in somewhere, and you can track them within the app, too. You’ll be rewarded with at least one badge for becoming a “Regular” at a location. It’s pretty generous though; you only have to check in twice in a two-month period. The purpose (initially) is to make it clear to readers of your reviews that you really have spent some time at the place you’re reviewing. More badges could debut after the update launches.
Yelp is planning to bring this to
href="http://mashable.com/category/android">Android and other mobile operating systems, too, but the iPhone came first. We’ve downloaded the app and we’re playing with it right now; we’ll let you know our thoughts soon.
Will the ubiquity of Yelp users and reviews draw you away from Foursquare, Gowalla, or whatever other location service you’re using, or do you want that pure and focused location game experience that Yelp isn’t quite ready to roll out?
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelp0.jpg">
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelp1.jpg">
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelp3.jpg">
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelp4.jpg">
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelp5.jpg">
href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/yelp7.jpg">
Reviews:
href="http://www.blippr.com/apps/336868-Android" target="_blank">Android,
href="http://www.blippr.com/apps/494047-Foursquare" target="_blank">Foursquare,
href="http://www.blippr.com/apps/506146-Gowalla" target="_blank">Gowalla,
href="http://www.blippr.com/apps/336857-Yelp" target="_blank">Yelp
Tags:
href="http://mashable.com/tag/foursquare/">foursquare,
href="http://mashable.com/tag/gowalla/">gowalla,
href="http://mashable.com/tag/iphone/">iphone,
href="http://mashable.com/tag/web-20-startups/">Web 2.0 startups,
href="http://mashable.com/tag/yelp/">yelp
src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://mashable.com/2010/01/15/yelp-check-ins-iphone/" alt="" />
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