1) Usage on foursquare is up 40% since the beginning of the year.
2) We've always seen the checkin as just the beginning of what we want to accomplish. With the launch of explore and specials 2.0 we've started to get more of our vision out into the world. You can expect more of this sort of thing from us over the course of 2011.
-harryh, engineering lead @ foursquare.
ps: Want to be a part of it? We're hiring! https://foursquare.com/jobs/
If you think you're qualified for a position even if you don't meet the requirements of said position, the onus is on you to prove it.
However, if you pointed out reasons a, b, and c that you are qualified, and were still declined (at least for an interview) purely because of lack of CS degree then yeah, they're stupid. I'm wondering if you just took a look at the jobs page, saw the CS degree requirement, at let some "bad place to work!" alarm bell ring without any further investigation.
I'd be more interested in a comparison of engagement (checkins per account per month) over time. The first metric can hide declining engagement if there are sufficiently many latecomers who haven't burnt out yet.
So I guess your challenge is to make check-in's as natural and encouraging as giving way to the ladies at busy restaurants.
Now, "just get over it and stop worrying about what other people think" definitely solves my personal problem of how not to be embarrassed, but it doesn't solve Foursquare's problem of convincing users to "just get over it" and "you shouldn't care what other people think". You are definitely right about that challenge. Just thought I'd share an anecdote :)
I have always felt checkins can be used for various interesting services. viz a user checks-in a pub and he is suggested nearby pubs and offers, a tourist following a series of check-ins suggested by foursquare for exploring a place etc etc.
Badges are cool and all but people sticking just to earn badges is going to be temporary. Badges in Cityville, Farmville etc work well because they ride on top of gameplay and facebook - not much incentives in foursquare.
specials 2.0 = chasing groupon
Foursquare's vision appears to be looking backward. Dennis Crowley's been thinking about this space for 10 years?
It's great to predict the future by inventing it, but there's plenty of money to be made in improving existing technology.
Deals are booming now. Groupon and LS are huge and do manage to provide me with value. I think Groupon's upcoming mobile offering is brilliant. The likes of foursquare can use this model successfully as well.
Meeting new people is always a tough one, but it is what people want. Give someine a way to make new friends through your service in real life in a safe way and you'll strike gold.
Interaction coordination is probably the most interesting thing I can think of. Imagine communities organizing events by using foursquare. You get invites. You check in. You pay for the event from your phone. You monitor long distance races by the participants' checkins. You participate in live events virtually by having your name flash on a giant screen. At a town fair you are randomly assigned a person and if you find them within a time limit and check in together you get a prize. A giant game of assasin based on checkins.
The checkin itself is just a tool. Playing with a hammer is fun at first but unless you have something to nail it will get boring.
Good metaphor!
Too bad the sarcasm in the first sentence is lost on you.
To be fair, most replies in HN are arguments than "thought continuation"