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29/11/2010 by
5139 views

Whatser: A New Social Location Based Service

Two weeks ago Whatser 1.0 was officially launched. A new location based service which is supposed to help us discover new locations. Whatser 1.0 is currently only available on the iPhone. It suggests you where to go, based on places you and your friends like.

By adding favorite place to your collection, for example restaurants, museums, bars and shops, you make sure that this list of favorite spots is accessible to you and your friends.

You can follow the collections of friends or other users and collections of official content partners. Additionally Whatser  suggests spots based on what is included in your own collection and the collections of the people you follow.

Whatser have made sure that when launching the application the users can connect from all of their existing social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Gowalla and Foursquare. This is an essential move since the success of Whatser totally lies in the hands of the users and if the app works properly. 

Whatser has combined these two aspects, by asking the users to give feedback on the app and come up with ideas and suggestions. In other words, making the users the ambassadors of Whatser.   

Another key to success is a well defined business model. Whatser has developed a branded tag to a location. So when a location, for example a bar, is selling a Heineken beer, Heineken can tag that location.

When a user searches for Heineken, Whatser will give suggestions on the nearest store, bar, restaurant or club where Heineken is sold. The bar recommended by your friends is at the top of the list.

Furthermore, companies can create their own collection of spots. Heineken would be able to create such a collection of the coolest bars, clubs and restaurants in the world. As a user you can become a friend of Heineken and then they will have all these places to your disposal. ” 

Of course Foursquare and Facebook Places are already major players on the market and Whatser has a long way to go, but I do see practical benefits. Going on holiday or visiting cities can become much more interesting.

ViralBlog read about Whatser on Frankwatching.