The Verge - Foursquare works to become less dependent on its users, starting with Radar

Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley interviewed at Web 2.0 Summit 2011

2011-10-19T18:55:06Z

Dennis Crowley, Foursquare's CEO and co-founder, took the stage at Web 2.0 Summit 2011 yesterday and had a bit to say about the 10 million-user strong social service. While he spoke of competition from social networks (Facebook's Places) and others (Groupon and LivingSocial), his most interesting comments for Foursquare users regarded the company's vision of the service in the (not too distant) future. The quote that pretty much sums it up is that the Foursquare team wants to make "an app you don't have to use." Seems counter-intuitive, right? Well, the idea is that Foursquare is being limited because users have to remember to check in, something that's "asking a lot of people." Crowley thinks the new Radar update, which passively pings...

Foursquare's Radar tells you when friends, places are nearby

2011-10-14T08:09:01Z

iOS 5 may have been difficult to download, but it's worth the wait — especially for Foursquare users, who got an update today that could change how they interact with friends and places. In version 4.0 of its iOS app, Foursquare has added a real-time feature called Radar. Radar uses your location to tell you when you are near your checked-in buddies, something you've marked on your to-do list, or an item on a list that you've subscribed to. By notifying you of convenient opportunities to hang out, the hope is that next time you're out and about you'll choose meet up with a nearby friend. Since Radar allows Foursquare to move away from its reliance on manual user check-ins, the company sees this as a major step in the advancement of...