Payless Shoe Source offers a nationwide foursquare special for first-timers
Posted by Chris Thompson in Specials on September 3, 2010
I’ve had a hard time convincing my wife to sign up for foursquare, but this might be the deal that actually makes it happen. Payless Shoe Source is now offering $5 off a $25 purchase for your first checkin at any of their stores.
Like many of the recent specials, this deal includes a coupon code directly in the text to help prevent cashier confusion, but this coupon code goes one step further: it can be used on payless.com as well.
Search for Payless on foursquare to find a store offering the deal in your area.
Australia’s Coke Machine Fairy is on foursquare
Posted by Chris Thompson in Business, Fun on September 2, 2010
Coke machines throughout Sydney will soon be dispensing more than Cokes — and they’ll be getting a little help from a special fairy. This September the Coke Machine Fairy will be checking in at special Coke machines and awarding a prize to the first user to find a special bottle.
Users who friend the Coke Machine Fairy will get notifications when she checks in at a machine that’s been loaded with a special bottle. The first person to get to the machine, press the marked button and retrieve the bottle then needs to shout on foursquare that they’ve retrieved the bottle. The Fairy will arrive to award their prize.
There are 10 prizes available through the promotion, including gift certificates, concert tickets, flight vouchers, chauffeur services, a helicopter ride and a private movie screening.
They’ve added Coke machines around the city as foursquare venues, complete with their own special so you’ll know which ones will be participating.
This sounds like a fun promotion reminiscent of the Barbie and Jimmy Choo chases that have recently been run using foursquare. Apparently Australian fairies are a little larger than those in the US, though, since Coke here was able to get one inside the machine:
/Thanks to Joel Baldwin for the tip!
Vlingo for Android adds voice checkins
Posted by Chris Thompson in Mobile Apps on September 2, 2010
Vlingo today announced that their voice recognition app for Android phones now integrates with foursquare. Users can check in, find their friends and shout just by using their voice.
Vlingo understands the following commands:
- Check in to locations
- Check in Hong Kong Express
- Check into Logan Airport
- Locate friends
- Where are my friends?
- Who’s nearby
- Send shout outs
- Shout headed to Fenway for the Sox game
- foursquare shout at Starbucks grabbing a latte
You can also shout to foursquare while simultaneously updating your Facebook and Twitter statuses by saying “update social status.”
“Location and social networking have become an integral part of consumers’ everyday lives—so having a strategic alliance with foursquare to provide users with a simple, easy way to connect with their friends is a natural fit for Vlingo,” said Hadley Harris, VP of Marketing at Vlingo.
Do you think Vlingo’s foursquare integration will make it easier to check in?
This video from Vlingo shows the service in action:
Foursquare lights up Broadway…figuratively this time
Posted by Chris Thompson in Business on September 1, 2010
On Saturday night, foursquare literally lit up Broadway. Today they’re doing it in a more figurative way. Variety reports that several of Broadway’s most popular theaters are now offering discounts to foursquare users.
Several theaters working with Broadway marketing firm Situation Interactive are launching foursquare specials for their visitors. They’re hoping to capitalize on the viral nature of foursquare checkins that are posted to Twitter and Facebook.
The shows planning to participate are “Mamma Mia,” “Billy Elliot,” “The Addams Family,” “Next to Normal,” “Lion King,” and “Mary Poppins.” The two Disney productions were the first to launch their specials. Users can check in to receive 20% off a purchase of $25 or more at the souvenir stands for “Lion King” or “Mary Poppins.”
What do you think of these new Broadway specials?
Get out into the great outdoors for foursquare’s latest badge
Posted by Chris Thompson in Fun on August 31, 2010
Foursquare badges are starting to look even more like the Boy Scout badges I remember. Earlier today we saw one that was reminiscent of the Swimming merit badge and now we have one that immediately reminds me of the Camping merit badge. It’s called Great Outdoors and started appearing this afternoon.
The unlock text reads:
Welcome to the Great Outdoors! Behold Mother Nature’s true beauty. Now if only she’d throw a double rainbow up in this piece.
Of course, when I earned the Camping merit badge, they didn’t mention anything about the infamous double rainbow video, but I think the concept is basically the same.
Stand by for gratuitous use of said double rainbow video:
/Thanks to Byron Brewer for the tip!
Swimmies badge makes a comeback
Posted by Chris Thompson in Fun on August 31, 2010
The Swimmies badge, once a limited-time SXSW badge, has made a comeback. New unlocks started appearing today with new text that suggests you can earn the badge with five checkins “near the water:”
Hey now! That’s your 5th check-in near the water. Let’s hope this isn’t followed-up by unlocking our “Unlucky Shark Attack” badge.
It looks like this badge will be available worldwide, so it should be a fun one for everyone to try to unlock.
/Spotted via Matters of Grey’s Foursquare Badge List
Foursquare for iPhone v1.9.2 arrives with SSL support
Posted by Chris Thompson in Buzz on August 31, 2010
An update to the foursquare iPhone app is now available in the app store. v1.9.2 brings “SSL support” and “API updates.”
Adding SSL support solves a potential security issue that has existed since foursquare’s first app: passwords were sent in clear text without any encryption. If a hacker had access to any routers between you and foursquare, or if you were connected to public WiFi where someone was intercepting HTTP requests, your password could potentially have been compromised.
With SSL, passwords are sent over HTTPS in encrypted format, so they’re only readable by the end server.
This is a common problem that affects a number of products, including foursquare rival Gowalla. They say they’ll be releasing a new client soon that fixes the issue.
Although this problem has existed since last year, no one had called any attention to it until Martin Kou noticed it and blogged about it on August 22. The story hit Slashdot and other tech news sites. That evening foursquare responded with a post on their blog saying an update would be available shortly.
It’s not clear exactly what the “API Updates” include. There are no visible changes to the app.
You should update the app as soon as possible to prevent any possibly security issues.
UPDATE: The Android app has been updated with SSL support, as well. A WebOS update will be available tomorrow later this week (see Geoff’s comment below) and a BlackBerry update next week.
University of Oregon uses foursquare to introduce students to campus
Posted by Chris Thompson in Fun on August 31, 2010
The University of Oregon has come up with a novel use of foursquare to introduce students to campus during Welcome Week. As part of the “Grand Tour,” the Oregon Duck has left tips around campus that will highlight some features of campus that students may not know about, like this one at Johnson Hall:
If you’ve seen the movie Animal House, you’ve seen the interior of UO President Lariviere’s office! This 1978 comedy classic was filmed on the UO Campus.
Students who friend the Oregon Duck and check in at all 10 locations with tips on Friday, September 24 can show their checkin history to redeem a real-life InDUCKted badge. The badge is good for 20% on Oregon Ducks sportswear at the Duck Store.
This is a fun, inexpensive way for colleges to use foursquare that shows off some of the interesting capabilities of the tips platform.
MTV and foursquare reward users for getting an STD test
Posted by Chris Thompson in Buzz on August 31, 2010
Foursquare and MTV are pairing up to launch a new badge that rewards users for getting an STD test during the month of September, according to the Associated Press. Users who unlock the badge are eligible to win a trip for two to NY to see a taping of MTV’s 10 on Top, a show that counts down the most talked about young celebrities of the moment.
Every year there are more than 19 million cases of STDs in the US. By age 25, one in two sexually active people will contract an STD. Many show no signs or symptoms, so the only way to properly diagnose them is with an STD test. Many STDs are treatable and even curable. You can find your nearest STD testing center here or by texting your zip code to GYTNOW (498669).
MTV’s GYT (Get Yourself Talking, Get Yourself Tested) project aims to get young people communicating with their partners, friends and health care providers openly and to encourage them to get tested and treated in an effort to lower the incidence of STDs. It’s presented by MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Planned Parenthood.
It’s unclear exactly how you unlock the badge, but hopefully there will be a special shout involved to make sure no one inadvertently unlocks it and makes it a public part of their foursquare profile. MTV promises to post more information about the badge and sweepstakes tomorrow.
What do you think of badges like this that help inspire social consciousness?
UPDATE: Mashable reports that the badge will be unlocked by shouting GYT after checking in at a testing center.
/Spotted via Yahoo’s Starting Points Blog
College uses foursquare specials to guide students to alcohol-free venues
Posted by Chris Thompson in Specials on August 30, 2010
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is using foursquare specials in a unique way: they’re helping to encourage students to visit nearby venues that are alcohol-free. They’ve partnered with local businesses to offer foursquare specials just for UNO students.
“The new project is designed to encourage students to explore social options with friends that don’t include alcohol,” said Nate Bock, staff member at the UNO Counseling Center and director of UkNOw Choices, UNO’s comprehensive program to reduce high risk drinking.
A dedicated UNO4sq website helps to introduce students to foursquare and highlight the partner venues. It launched today with eight participating merchants around Omaha, several of which are very close to campus. They are:
- Aromas Coffeehouse
- Crane Coffee
- eCreamery
- Film Streams
- Jones Bros. Cupcakes
- Juice Stop
- Orsi’s Pizza and Bakery
- Scooter’s Coffeehouse
There are lots of ways colleges can use foursquare, but this one is unique and fulfills a very specific objective. It will be interesting to see if these specials are able to attract students away from more drinking-centered establishments.
/Thanks to @Cariador (who devised the project) for the tip!
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