Don't Underestimate the Gowalla
I've run into a few very smart people in the tech scene who talk trash about the geo-networking startup Gowalla. They are deeply rooted in Foursquare and make fun of Gowalla's "kiddish" design and "pointless" item drops. I find these arguments extremely ignorant and, considering who made them, disappointing. One New York digital strategist said "Is there really a contest? Gowalla is silly."
I've always seen potential in the startup. So have Gary V., Jason Calacanis, Kevin Rose and some others who together just invested $8.4 million in Gowalla. While Foursquare does have a huge head start user-wise, Gowalla is growing fast. I personally see its well thought out design as friendlier for a mass audience. If the right incentives are activated around items the game could catch fire, virtual goods can be irrationally addicting.
There are a lot of other things to consider including APIs, but my point is: don't underestimate Gowalla and its silliness, it is most definitely a contender in the battle over our location. Or it could just be this:
