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Earn Discounts and Deals With These Location-Based Apps

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:11:23 PDT

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.

Loopt Gets Grabby With "Touched by TSA" Giveaway

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:47:44 PST

Traveling somewhere this holiday? If you're choosing to fly, you should head out a little earlier than usual - security lines are expected to be long, especially with the impending "National Opt-Out Day" on Nov. 24, which asks that fliers refuse the (sometimes revealing, but always controversial) full body scan and instead request a pat-down from a friendly TSA agent.

Why should you opt out? For one, you could win something. Find out more about the fun and lighthearted giveaway after the break.

Loopt Connects With Facebook Places, Gets One Unified Map

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:00:51 PDT

You can use Loopt Star to check in and receive awesome rewards, but the original Loopt has partnered up with Facebook Places to make it easier than ever to see where your friends are now. With the latest version of Loopt, you can check in to both Loopt and Facebook Places from one app. If you choose to "connect to Facebook" within the Loopt app, your posts and location updates will automatically populate on Facebook Places, including any comments or messages you or your friends post on your wall.

What's more, you'll see your current locations on Loopt's interactive map, friend history, and even Friend Alerts, which tell you when your BFF has checked in within 10 miles of you. The update is free, and is available in the iTunes store now.

Foursquare Getting Friendly Check-in Competition From Loopt

GeekSugar — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:45:24 PDT

You may be obsessed with achieving "Mayor" status at your favorite places on Foursquare, but a new Loopt check-in app may just have you vying to be a "Boss" (and getting a little kickback while you're at it).

Just like Foursquare, Loopt Star (free) allows you to use location-based technology to check in at your favorite places all around your city, earn points and status (like "Boss," or "Honorary Barista" of your neighborhood Starbucks), but also lets you get some rewards for frequently checking in at certain locations. Find out what some of them are after the break.

Do Location-Based Apps Make You Worry About Home Security?

GeekSugar — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:00:12 PST

Earlier this week, I wrote about a prediction that homeowners' insurance rates might rise because of location-based services like Foursquare, Loopt, and even Twitter. In brief, some are worried that check-ins and posts about your whereabouts (i.e., not at home) might entice would-be burglars who know your house is empty.

To be honest, I'm not too concerned about this, though maybe I should be. I'm not a compulsive Foursquare user, but I do use the service from time to time. What about you? Do you worry about your home's safety because of your social media activity?

Dowload of the Day: A Newly-Updated Loopt App

GeekSugar — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:00:52 PST

Loopt allows you to see where your friends are at any given moment. On one hand, it could encourage a little bit of stalking, but on the other, as a Loopt user you can control how much information your friends see - and if you don't want them to know where you are, don't post an update.

That said, I'm into Loopt's latest update to its iPhone application. It allows you to enter a tip for any place, whether you're checked in to the location or not. Have a favorite dish at a restaurant? Is there a secret menu item everyone should know about? Is your hairdresser the best at her salon? Just use the "Leave a Public Tip" option on the location's page to tell your friends (and everyone else) exactly what you think.

Have you found a cool download-worthy treasure you'd like to share with the rest of us? Create a PopSugar Account or log in to your account. Then join the Download of the Day group where you can submit your favorite downloads and widgets. And you never know, it could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Get Your Race on With the Loopt Holiday Scavenger Crawl

GeekSugar — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:30:39 PST

If you like the Verizon Blackberry Curve Challenge that made its way across the nation last year, then you're probably going to love the Loopt Holiday Scavenger Crawl. Why? Well for one, it's less "challenge" filled and involves more booze. And who can turn down fun and drinks after all that holiday shopping you've been doing!?

The makers of Loopt and Loopt Mix are offering a way to escape all the madness of the holidays and have some fun with your newfound friends by using Loopt on your mobile. The Holiday Scavenger Crawl uses the Loopt app to guide you through all the hot spots in the area during an event, a la The Amazing Race. Beat the clock to get some sweet prizes, and mix and mingle with other Loopt users in town during the afterparty. This event has already made its way though NYC and LA, so if you're lucky enough to be in SF on Jan. 2, download the Loopt app for your iPhone or Blackberry for free and head on out!

Does Foursquare Equal Overshare?

GeekSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:30:10 PDT

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. The service is based on check-ins: when you arrive at a location (a restaurant, store, bus stop, wherever), you "check in," disclosing your location to friends. Check-ins earn you points; a series of check-ins at certain places (three places with a photo booth or 50 unique venues, for example) earn you coveted merit badges. Add tips and to-do lists with any location, and read other Foursquare users' tips and lists when checking into a new place. This isn't a new concept - Foursquare founders built the idea from Dodgeball, a now-defunct service that used SMS messaging to alert friends of your whereabouts. And services like Latitude and Loopt provide similar location-based services. Foursquare launched in March and is now available in 35 cities from New York to Vancouver to London. Do you use Foursquare? Do you think it encourages oversharing, or is it a helpful way to keep tabs on friends?

Connect With More People With Loopt Mix

GeekSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:05:00 PDT

I like using Loopt because it connects me to my other Loopt buddies in a snap. Plus, it shows me their reviews and favorites so I know what bar to hit up on my next girls' night out, or where to go for the best cup of coffee in the city. I loved the Loopt update from a few months ago, which made the easy to use app even slicker, but now with their next venture, it will be even easier to meet new people and expand your social circle.

Called Loopt Mix, this app focuses on connecting with the people around you. It gives you more ways to mix and mingle with features like in-app chatting, profile browsing, free messaging, and status updates so you get to know new faces and meet up with cool peeps that share your interests. The app is free, so next time you're worried about why your boyfriend won't do Loopt, dump the dud and find a new partner in crime with the help of Loopt Mix.

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Tech Dating 101: Is It Shady That He Won't Do Loopt?

GeekSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:03:13 PDT

Today's Tech Dating 101 centers around location-based services like Loopt and Google Latitude. As cool as these services are, some people are a little creeped out by having people know where they are at all times - even though, of course, you choose to share your location and can choose who you're friends with.

It seems like it would be a great idea for couples - you'd always know where the other one is. It sounds convenient and safe.

However, not everyone is comfortable sending his or her location out and feeling "tracked" - not even when the only person who'd be updated is your significant other.

But if one person in the relationship wants to use Loopt, but the other person doesn't - is there reason to be suspicious?

To see what I think, just

read more. If your boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't want to do Loopt, it's probably not a red flag. Even if you're comfortable with technology - as I am - you may just not want to participate. I feel this way, personally; my boyfriend loves Loopt and Latitude, but I can't bring myself to do it. Of course, I reject everyone's Loopt invitations because I do like people finding out where I am the old-fashioned way. When I tell them directly. I'm not untrustworthy, and I wouldn't think that anyone who didn't want to do Loopt was, either. What do you think?