14 DAY TRIAL // Foursquare has been very popular with users wanting to show off the places they've been or check out where their friends like to hang out. But the location based service hasn't done much in providing functionality for users beyond the check in or to tap into the vast amount of data it's been amassing.
But it has been moving in that direction and the latest redesign of its website indicates that Foursquare is no longer content with being a simple mobile app, it wants to take on Yelp, Google Places and the likes.
"As foursquare has evolved, the focus has turned from simply 'checking in' to sharing our experiences and expertise, unlocking rewards and deals, and exploring the world around us," Foursquare wrote.
"And, though we spend a lot of time improving the app for your phone, we know that sometimes the best place to do those things is when you’re visiting the website from your computer," it said.
Hence the new Foursquare.com website. The first thing you'll notice when visiting the site is the huge map on the homepage. That's assuming, of course, that you've never visited the site at all before and not just used the mobile app.
If you share your location with the site, the map will center on where you are and will populate the area around you with places you may want to visit depending on the time and day.
If it's lunch time, there are going to be a lot of restaurants, if it's during the weekend, there are going to be places you'd want to see. The aim is to give you an idea of what to do at this very moment.
With the new emphasis on places, Foursquare is also revamping the place pages, with more importance given to photos and relevant info. Overall, Foursquare's hope is that you'll start visiting the site more often and that you'll start to see Foursquare as a place for recommendations as well.