Google enables checking-in with Latitude productFebruary 20, 2012 - 19:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Over the weekend Google has tweaked its location-sharing Latitude product to enable checking in, following the trend which has failed to make money for Foursquare or Facebook, The Register reported. The feature was rolled out with uncharacteristic humility from the Chocolate Factory, and slipped into an over-the-weekend update. It offers nothing in the way of rewards other than peer-recognition as points gained from checking into locations get posted onto a leader board. There's no mayoral status, crowns or other incentives, users have to content themselves with a star and the knowledge that they're unlikely to get ousted from the top position given no one else is using Latitude these days. Foursquare more or less invented the concept of checking into locations, and was aped by Facebook, which was quicker to notice that despite being cheap to run, the system didn't produce any revenue. Foursquare recently refocused on promoting events and businesses, having realised that its only existing revenue stream - selling t-shirts with its company logo on them - wasn't going to repay the $71m in VC cash it has spent. Google is a past master at making money where others struggle to turn a profit, but even the Mountain View magic wand will have a hard time making dosh out of users checking in to locations, which probably explains the low-profile launch. Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |