Google Latitude

Checking in on Foursquare or other geo-location apps can get you more than mayorship — it can get you some pretty sweet deals if you know where to look. More and more businesses are offering up discounts for their mayors, frequent customers, and even passers-by, kicking back a little coin just for visiting. Find out how you can save money, get a great deal, and even make a little cash, just by using Foursquare, Loopt, or these other location-based apps.

• Foursquare — The current king of geo-location apps, participating Foursquare businesses can offer deals and discounts for mayors and frequent visitors, ranging from free frapps at Starbucks to 25 percent off at stores like Sports Authority.
• Loopt — Loopt has been known to offer an automatic 25 percent off purchases at Gap and deep discounts on Virgin America flights, and even show you available rewards near your current location. Now it's even integrating Groupon's Groupon Now deals into the app, so you can find great deals on the go.

See the rest of the list (there's quite a few) after the break.

Google just recently added check-ins and Google Maps integration to Latitude, and in an effort to compete against popular apps like Foursquare and SCVNGR, the company is now incorporating deals to its geo-location app.

Google's list of deals partners is extensive (launching with Macy's, RadioShack, American Eagle Outfitters, and many more), but rather than allowing anyone to take advantage of the significant deals up for grabs, Google is adding another layer on to its process: status.

Find out more about it after the break.

Google Latitude was introduced nearly two years ago, and after some initial worry, the service has evolved to become a helpful tool for sharing your locations with friends. Now, Google Latitude has been integrated with the latest version of Google Maps for Android to share the place where you are — not just your location on a map.

Google Latitude will still automatically find and share your location, but adding a specific place (and even photos) gives it context, similar to a Foursquare check-in. Settings for the new Google Latitude can be configured to automatically check you into certain locations when you arrive. And since Google Latitude tracks your location, it also knows when to check you out of a location, too — helpful for friends (or stalkers?) who may be trying to hunt you down.

For more on the new functionality (including privacy information), keep reading.

I recently realized that my days spent planning an evening out with friends seem to be fewer and far between. Our ability to stay in constant communication with each other via text, Twitter, Facebook, and more means there's no need to plan ahead. Instead I find myself saying, "Just text me when you get there," and creating our plan on the fly.

The latest addition to the ever-growing lists of constant-contact facilitators is Foursquare, recently profiled by The New York Times. Users of the social networking site can share their current location with friends in real time. The free service is designed for use on the go, and in addition to its web-based presence has BlackBerry and iPhone applications available for download. To read how Foursquare works and to share your thoughts, read more