Originally posted on Examiner.com

Curious which restaurant on your block has the highest rating on Yelp? You could pull out your phone, open up your Yelp app, type in a restaurant name, hope you spelled it right, scroll through the results and repeat for each restaurant on the block. You could also switch the Yelp app to “Monocle” mode and point your phone at the various restaurants as you walk and have instant access to the ratings, public reviews and a quick link to the more details page of each all while seeing the visual of the restaurant through your iPhone’s camera lens.

The app, available on the iPhone, was the first augmented reality application available to the public. It uses the GPS signal from your phone to identify the businesses in your area and embeds Yelp profiles into your view, making comparing restaurants and other businesses easy and fun. The application will work anywhere in the US where you have service and can be an invaluable travel companion and helpful decision maker for the foodie in every one of us. The application is free and can be downloaded directly from the iTunes store.

For a quick video demo on how this app works, check out this video from thetrendwatch.com

originally posted on the Examiner.com

Foursquare is a free mobile application that allows you to virtually “check in” at restaurants, bars, stores and other locations in the Bay Area and beyond. As you check in, you compete with other application users for the mayor title (most check ins in a set period of time) and attempt to earn badges for over sharing, being a fashionista or other recognitions based on where, when and how often you check in. Like most social tools, it’s fun and ultimately about connecting with other people in your area. Although headquartered in New York, San Francisco has quickly become one of the cities using the application the most, leading to some serious competition amongst friends and foes alike.

The application is great for sharing your location with friends and colleagues but has also received some attention because sharing where you are also shares where you are not, leading to a handful of break-ins and questions about the security of using the application. This even resulted in a spin off site called Please Rob Me highlighting the possible risks of over sharing. Social tools like this are supposed to be fun but it’s also important to be careful. So while you’re trying to secure the a the Mayor position at your favorite late night eatery, follow a few easy tips to ensure you are being careful with the information you’re publishing.

Here are five tips for getting the most out of Foursquare without giving too much information away:

1. Make sure your Foursquare friends are actually your friends: Since you’re sharing information about your location, make sure you actually know the people you’re connecting with. This is a network you want to be a bit more mindful of than other networks when accepting random requests for friendship. Think about the information you share and if you want strangers to see it.
2. Only Sync with Twitter or Facebook if you’re comfortable with the whole world knowing where you are: Foursquare is a social network in itself and you can connect with the people you are comfortable sharing your location with but once you publish to Twitter and Facebook, your information is instantly public and search-able. You’re already sharing your information with your Foursquare friends so there is very little need to share beyond that.
3. Don’t check in at home or at your home office: Yes, you’ll be mayor but anyone can find your address and find out when you are not at home. It’s a burglars dream come true and easily avoidable by just not checking in there.
4. Change it up: Foursquare is about having fun and finding connections so go to different restaurants and stores throughout San Francisco and the bay are. When you check in, Foursquare will notify you of any specials that are available nearby. This may be a discount on a purchase or a free drink for checking in. It’s great for forcing you out of your routine and to check out new places.
5. Check out who else is checked in: It’s good to be wary of connecting with random people but this is an opportunity to meet new people with similar interests so when you check in, take a look at who else is hanging out where you are. It’s a great chance the meet someone new and strike up a conversation.

The application is available on most mobile devices so please check your mobile applications store for download instructions or visit http://foursquare.com/

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