Gowalla is a location-based social network that uses game mechanics as a motivator to go places, do things and meet friends.

Players use a GPS-enable smartphone to check in at places of interest, share their location with friends, and leave comments about what they are doing. I downloaded Gowalla a few days ago and started using it tonight. IT’S SO FUN!!!!

Here’s what you do:

Go to a location, say Starbucks on Locke. You open Gowalla on your phone. The phone knows that you are at Starbucks and asks if you want to “Check In”, meaning you went there. You say yes and you get points. You can see the spots your friends go and follow there outings and comments. If a location is not listed you can list it and become the founder of it.

It’s like if Twitter, Lonely Planet and Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego had a baby.

It works best if more people join and play. If you are a Hamiltonian and have a GPS phone I want you on it. I want to be your friend and see where you shop and eat. And I want to know about those places. Why? Cause I love food, shopping and doing fun things in Hamilton. Sometimes it’s hard to find new restaurants or local shopping destinations. We can help each other.

Come join the fun. Hamilton GO-Gowalla!

About the Author: chris
These are the musings about a business brainchild contained within a creative confectionery of a mind. His blog entries often look at how making friends and building your brand online is a lot like making it on the playground.

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