Rating: 

Verdict: If you want to remain on the crest of the social networking craze then this is a worthy download - just try not to get too concerned about your loss of privacy

Platform: Android

Pros: Slick interface and excellent overall performance; this is how Android apps should be coded

Cons: The appeal of this app depends very much on how you feel about broadcasting your location 24 hours a day

Version: 2010-05-11

Publisher: Foursquare

Price: Free

More Info: Foursquare site

There once was a time when people considered their privacy to be sacrosanct and would never think of brazenly broadcasting their thoughts and activities to complete strangers. With the advent of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter those days have long since past, and “location aware” portals like Foursquare are taking the concept one step further.

Instead of merely communicating your feelings, Foursquare actually tells people about your movements and whereabouts. Using a unique “check-in” service you can inform friends about where you are, which sounds a little creepy but actually has a lot of positive side-effects.

Finding people to connect with is easy because the app automatically searches your contacts list for people who are already registered with the service.

Friends can keep track of your location and should they notice you’ve suddenly checked in at a local bar or pub, they can pop down and meet up for a few swift halves. Foursquare is all about creating a sense of community for you and your friends and the fact that it makes something as mundane as visiting a supermarket enjoyable is a real achievement.

To make things even more interesting you can earn badges for visiting particular locations a certain number of times within a particular timescale. You can also compete with friends to become the “mayor” of a location – this basically means you’ve checked-in more than anyone else.

Foursquare is one of a new generation of Android apps which has been created specifically with the platform in mind rather than being ported lazily from the iPhone. As a result it looks fantastic, with a clean design and intuitive interface. It also performs admirably.

If you’re already a heavy Foursquare user then this is a must-have download but those of you who fail to see the appeal of constantly broadcasting your whereabouts to the world at large will naturally struggle to see the benefit.

We have to admit there’s something a little unnerving about telling people when you’re away from home – and thereby advertising that your house is empty and susceptible to robbery – but there’s a chance we’re being overly pessimistic. Foursquare is part of a location-based social networking phenomenon and is almost certainly here to stay, and it’s great to see that Android users are being catered for in such an exemplary fashion.