Simply Awesome!

• Posted by CSully March 14, 2011
• Recommended for Road Warriors, Foodies, Gamers, Outdoors Enthusiasts or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

I'm currently using Gowalla and FourSquare to check in at every place I go. They both have their own twist on the check-in game. With the exception of a couple of things, Gowalla rules!

First off, Gowalla has the best looking interface I think I have ever seen on the iPhone. The graphics are top-notch and the custom "stamps" that are created for companies are breath-taking. I love the concept of "item" and have become obsessed with finding as many of these little stinkers as I can.

Exceptions: 1) The check-in area for locations has a very narrow field, so I find it hard to check in at certain spots (even when I am standing dead center. 2) Not enough people using it yet. Everyone is over at FourSquare. Hopefully that changes.

Great fun!

• Posted by jensunny October 05, 2010
• Recommended for Road Warriors, Foodies, Gamers, Parents, Students, Outdoors Enthusiasts, Shopaholics, Career People, Social Butterflies, Budget Hawks, Sports Fans or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

Go out, check in! Great when out and about. See what's around you, create new spots and check in to find swag. Gorgeous graphics and easy to use UI. Use it daily.

Gowalla

• Posted by doniree August 16, 2010
• Recommended for Social Butterflies or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

I don't love this one as much as Foursquare or Whrrl, but one thing I've heard about this one that beats 4sq is the ability to post a photo when you check in. Whrrl does feature this option to post a photo as well.

Third time not a charm - Why I'm staying in the Foursquare camp.

• Posted by gravesy July 27, 2010
• Recommended for Students, Social Butterflies or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

I really want to like Gowalla, I do. But the interface is just not as intuitive/sticky for me. It's also missing the "Tips" feature that Foursquare has, which I frequently use to get a sense of the place or in trying to discover new places to try. The other thing i find particularly not-awesome, is Gowalla has sent me notifications of friends checking in, in DC (for example)... when I'm in San Francisco. Sure, I do like being able to see where my friends are in other parts of the country, but I don't need a notification about it.

That all said, social networking applications are only as good as their communities. If all of my friends were using Gowalla, I'd probably make more of an effort to check in + use it more. But, I don't see that happening, so Foursquare it is.

Gowalla

• Posted by lydia2 July 27, 2010
• Recommended for Tech/Social Networking Junkies

Wet at Drai's W Hollywood
Adam just checked-in @ Wet at Drai's W Hollywood

I like apps like these mostly because they also post to Facebook. Here is my friends Adam's facebook status (I think he uses FourSquare) What's great about this is that I don't know Drai's at all and it's close to my house. Adam always posts the coolest places. He uses Yelp, Foursquare, and Gowalla.
While I like Gowalla, I think the main purpose of an app like this is to integrate with Facebook and possibly Yelp (so you can read reviews) The other functionality this app offers seems unnecessary, though I do like the passport feature. Maybe they could make it more international so that I could post my favorite places in Barcelona to Facebook. It doesn't always have to be in real-time. It just has to be useful. Although, I do wish I was in Barcelona right now!

You Were My First...

• Posted by jessicadally May 19, 2010
• Recommended for Social Butterflies

Gowalla was my first check in app and at first I enjoyed it. Find weird little things. Leave things behind for others. Alright, that works. But now I just don't like it as much.

Most of the locations seem to be misplaced in my neighborhood. The items function just seems cheesy and what it has in extra bling over Foursquare it loses in complexity that makes it annoying.

In the end every social app becomes victim to popularity. We go where our friends are. Sorry Gowalla but you're just not working for me.

One of my favorites.

• Posted by Ironcrowned March 27, 2010

I use this app all the time. I also use foursquare and Whrrl 3. By far, Gowalla beats them. The interface is great and virtual goods was a great idea. Sometimes my gf and I go around town JUST to find new places to either check-in to or to create spots at our favorite shops. Download this app!

I want to love you, but.....

• Posted by rachely March 19, 2010
• Recommended for Shopaholics, Social Butterflies or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

I really want to like Gowalla, I'm trying really really hard. The developers are Austin, Texas locals (my home town) and I want to give the hometown team some play. However, I just can't get into Gowalla. SXSW 2010 has been an ultimate face off between location-based apps Foursquare and Gowalla and while Gowalla may have won the prize in the Web Awards, I think Foursquare remains the unspoken winner. First, I don't get the idea of virtual good..I never have. I don't feel incentivized by finding imaginary water bottles and cameras and leaving them behind for others. Secondly, the feel and look of Gowalla just smacks of cheesiness. And finally the app seems to work somewhat slow in comparison to Foursquare. The ideas of tours within the app are nice, I haven't yet used one, but I'm so exhausted with Gowalla I may never get to try.

No thanks

• Posted by nannyf January 17, 2010

Tried it but deleted. Didn't get the point as most users are overseas. Not enough interaction with other users for me I'm afraid

The Best

• Posted by FabianMG January 16, 2010
• Recommended for Shopaholics, Social Butterflies or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

I use Gowalla and Foursquare. Gowalla is better.

Cool

• Posted by moose85 January 14, 2010
• Recommended for News Junkies, Students, Music Fans, Social Butterflies, Sports Fans or Tech/Social Networking Junkies

This app is addicting!

Alright

• Posted by marksbren January 07, 2010
• Recommended for Gamers

I like the concept, but I have not been sufficiently motivated to check into places. However, layering these virtual goods onto physical locations has MANY other interesting uses. Great idea.

better than foursquare

• Posted by robertharm December 30, 2009

I tried foursquare before but like Gowalla much more due to following reasons:
- spot creating not just in supported cities and not based on address (read Gowalla destroys Foursquare when travelling: http://bit.ly/83j8b2)
- much more user-friendly interface
- collect virtual items

Unfortunately there is not yet an API for Gowalla, but one is expected to be released in 2010.