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Testing Times Square: 'What is Foursquare?'

by Switched Staff on June 30, 2010 at 05:10 PM

Foursquare check in

Quite frequently we hit the streets of New York City to ask random passersby if they can identify the latest gadget, app or Web site, but we don't think we've ever seen our subjects as stymied as they were when trying to identify Foursquare. Most simply shrugged their shoulders, and one poor person even thought we were giving them a math quiz. In the end, we were only able to find one urbanite who was able to tell us that Foursquare was a location-based social networking application. (You know, "checking in" to different locations?) Although, even then, he seemed to think that it was better for identifying targets for robbery than actually connecting with people.

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Tags: features, FourSquare, location-based, mososo, onthestreets, socialnetworking, Switched Video, switchedonthestreets, SwitchedVideo, top, web

Comments

MobiKeithJul 1st 2010 12:10PM

Neutral

Dont show this to the VC that just provided 4Square w a $20M infusion.

Kinda reminds me of when Jay Leno hits the streets and asks random people questions like, Where is the Brooklyn Bridge, or Who is the President of the United States?

Kinda embarassing.

An international visitor the other day didnt want to tell me she was from Switzerland because she assumed I didn't know where Switzerland is. ( I think it's part of Asia! )

Its pretty clear that while Facebook and Twitter are mainstream, LBS apps are still only in the hands of the geek community.

My Facebook friends love that they know my daily travels, but have no idea what 4Square is. And these people spend most of the day on/in Facebook.

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JenniferJul 11th 2010 2:37PM

Neutral

Switzerland is in Northern Europe!

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JudyJul 11th 2010 5:02PM

Low Ranked

No one can say that these yankees from New York are the sharpest of people. They went to the wrong place and asked questions above their yankee mind fog mental abilities.

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SusieJul 7th 2010 9:08PM

Highest Ranked

Many years ago I used to play a game of ball call four squares. It was a great game.

You take chalk and make a big square then divide it into quarters. With your hands you would hit the ball to another persons square. Took four people to play and each had their own square.

It could be a very fast game with the ball spinning.

I just loved it! Good memories of childhood friends and action game

Don't know if this is the right answer but that is what I know it as being.

Thank you,
Susie

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TaylorJul 11th 2010 2:49PM

Neutral

Thats the only Foursquare i know !!

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nevercook1Jul 11th 2010 3:14PM

Neutral

Susie,
I remember four square the same way you do. In fact I played that and tether ball with a girl named Susie. We were best friends in the 5th and 6th grades. I moved back to the midwest, we kept in touch for a while and for some reason in fizzled. I'm trying to find her again and was wondering if you happen to be her? It's worth a try.

Debbie

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kagome199912Jul 11th 2010 3:16PM

Neutral

We play foursquare in school ! It is a very fun game and you really have to be fast with your hands in it ! = -D

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BonnieJul 11th 2010 3:21PM

Neutral

Susie...I,too,remember playing the game...was great fun...right up there with tetherball. Are we "dating" ourselves ? Those were the good days !

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Ned SheatsJul 11th 2010 2:29PM

Low Ranked

Foursquare is a chirch founder in 1927 in Los Angeles with thousands of ministries world wide. Any other answer is incorrect.

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MsMikeJul 11th 2010 6:08PM

Neutral

Ned...Is a chirch the same thing as a church where people think God "lives"?

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KMCCLAJul 11th 2010 2:42PM

Neutral

Sorry to say I am like the one guy who said about the church denomination, which is Foursquare, or International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Then again that is where my thought first would go to, since that is where I used to go, and went to college.

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linemanronJul 11th 2010 2:52PM

Neutral

It's a snowboarding and skateboarding company! I hope they sue this new social networking site.

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charlie carrJul 11th 2010 3:40PM

Neutral

"four square and seven years ago"........ A. Lincoln

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AngelJul 11th 2010 3:04PM

Neutral

are you kidding me?? It is FOUR SCORE and seven years ago!! GO BACK TO SCHOOL!!

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shiningstar2006Jul 11th 2010 3:06PM

Neutral

When I was little we played foursquare at school which was bouncing a ball from square to square in a foursquare pattern so that's what I would have said. (I think someone else said that too in the video haha)

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RebeccaJul 11th 2010 5:49PM

Neutral

Yeah, that's what I would have said too. I used to love playing four square!!

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lonlashumJul 11th 2010 3:10PM

Low Ranked

WHO CARES. If it's in new york it has to be crooked or weird. How many people know about it is so silly. There are other places a lot nicer and not nearly as apt to get killed in than new york. What a stup id article. A lot of us are not living our lives based on what happens in new york or l a.

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YouTalkingAboutMeJul 11th 2010 6:42PM

Neutral

Crooked? Weird? Apt to get Killed? Well, I can remember when everyone was cheering on for New York to come back. Now, it seems everyone wants to believe we New Yorkers are a bunch of clueless, selfish idiots. I have been living in Atlanta for a few years and I can tell you clueless, selfish idiots are not indicative of New York. But, we native New Yorkers appreciate the support....NOT!!!! ( I got to stand up for my hometown.....so let the flaming BEGIN!!!)

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CargibJul 11th 2010 3:12PM

Neutral

Foursquare is the church program....quite popular across the U.S. for people who do not wish to have structure in their religion.

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charles.carr06Jul 11th 2010 3:36PM

Neutral

Angel in post 11....It's a JOKE. Get some levity going, for crying out loud !!

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