Google makes Foursquare/Gowalla Check-in lookalike.

Google has finally hopped onto the check-in bandwagon, but with extra twists that make it more appealing than many of the other options.

Numerous other companies—Facebook, FourSquare, Gowalla, Yelp, BrightKite, Foodspotting etc.—also allow users to check in and share photos of the businesses they are patronizing, and people have already flocked to one (or more) of those services. Google is stepping up to the challenge, though, by making it painfully easy to check in through Latitude.

One of the main problems with check-in services is that they usually rely on the user to remember to check in whenever he or she enters a place—Google is addressing this by either letting users' phones automatically check in for them, or sending notifications to users to remind them to check in when the app detects that they have arrived somewhere.

Facebook's check-in service, also called Places, already lets businesses give discounts to users when they check in, so the idea isn't entirely novel. Still, Facebook implements it differently than Google probably would—the combo of Groupon-style "deal of the day" with location-based check-ins would at least differentiate Latitude from its competition

Find free products with H&M's Augmented Reality app for iPhone

GoldRun is an app that enables users to locate, interact with and take photos of GPS-linked virtual objects positioned in the real world, coupled with an adaptive and easy to use CMS. The app is designed to drive traffic to physical and online destinations, increase product sales, enhance brand engagement and bolster viral impact.

GoldRun users can take pictures alongside virtual objects and immediately post these photos to Facebook. By helping brands tap into this sharing impulse, the platform turns social networks into even more effective distribution channels as GoldRun users share images of themselves interacting with everything from scenes in blockbuster films, to iconic sports figures and the season’s must have fashion items.

GoldRun provides a more interactive and customizable approach to location-based advertising than check-in games like Foursquare and Gowalla. Campaigns, in addition to distributing special offers, include an option for users to create interesting photos (items in the H&M campaign, for instance, were positioned in a way in which they could be virtually “tried on”). Users share these photos through their Facebook profiles, which is more valuable for the brand than shared check-in information.

Given how eager brands have been to adopt location-based marketing through check-in apps, it’s not a surprise that many are eager to run campaigns on the GoldRun app. VP of Business Development Shailesh Rao calls it “V-Commerce. Rao says that more than 40 companies from various industries have approached the as of now self-funded startup about running a campaign. It will be interesting to see if consumers respond with equivalent enthusiasm.

Location-based game as a marketing tool in Sweden. Win a Mini!

11.000 people were active with this game during the campaign.
The complete results are shown in this video here.
I think it's a great way to put a product on the map.

Snow has melted? Go out and play location-based snowboarding!

Dutch design-led boardwear company Protest made this really funny viral. 8bit nostalgia.