The Early Adopter APIs For Foursquare
What catapulted Twitter and Facebook
into the Stratosphere? One innovative approach opened the doors to the
most successful social media experiments to date? An Application
Programming Interface or API
is what did the trick! And Foursquare, the popular location-based
social network has taken a page out of that playbook in an attempt to
scale faster than its competition.
An application programming interface (API) is an interface that a software program implements in order to allow other software to interact with it. In the case of Twitter, Facebook and now Foursquare, this interface allows third-party developers to build anything they desire on top of Foursquare's location-based social network.According the Pete Cashmore from Mashable in a recent CNN report, he noted the importance of APIs: "It been shown time and again that once ecosystems gain momentum (via APIs), potential competitors face an arduous task." By Foursquare protecting its flanks in the early adopter stage, it protects itself from market share encroachment. While it is not to say that Brightkite and other LBS networks aren't moving down this road, it appears at this juncture, that Foursquare may be moving at a faster clip.
On their Web site, Foursquare's has issued the following welcome to third party developers.
- "You can use the API to create new ways to check-in to foursquare or visualize the data generated by the Foursquare community. Our API is still a work in progress and we look forward to your feedback."
1- Android

Its features will appeal to the growing number of avid Foursquare users. Enhancements include "headache-free quick-check-in," "desktop shortcuts" and "integrated maps."

2- SocialGreat


3- Layar


One of the most unique features of this app is how venues are shown in the Reality View as an overlay over one's current surroundings (as seen through the mobile device’s camera). Different icons are applied depending on whether you or your friends have signed in at the venue, or if the venue is considered a favorite.

4- Mob Zombies


5- Peek Maps


6- FourTap / Oyster


7- Yipit


8- WordPress Plugin


9- ul.timate.info


10- Last Night's Check-Ins


So there you have Foursquare's early adopter roll-out list. With this launch, FS can start to scale exponentially similar to its fore-bearers (Twitter an Facebook) and in advance of some of its LBS competitors (see previous blog posting, "Top Ten Location-Based Mobile Social Networks"). However differing markedly from Twitter, FS is coming out the gate swinging for the bleachers from a monetization standpoint. It appears that it would rather establish its financial business model in the early years versus emulating Twitter's reliance on multiple rounds of funding.
In addition to wooing users and developers, FS is courting deals with local bars and restaurants (in all the cities where its located) and has launched "Foursquare for Businesses" as a platform for retailers to offer special deals to Foursquare users.
The only roadblock that FS might face is if the "unmonetized" hand that has been feeding it (namely Twitter) decides to go toe-to-toe with FS and introduce a competitive geolocation service themselves. While Twitter has already commenced that initiative (see previous blog, "Geotagged Tweets" Coming To A City Near You!"), it is presently unclear if the two systems will eventually become competitive or remain synergistic partners.
Take a moment to take our "TOP TEN Foursquare APIs Poll" and let us know which API you favor. Leave a comment if we omitted one of your favorites.
by Anonymous
Correction
a way of checking into Foursquare and alerting your followers you are now in transit on the London's famous rail system
That's not what fourtap does. It's for checking in to bars and other foursquare venues using an oyster card. It's not in any way linked to TfL. It does not announce you are on the tube (that would be tedious)