Discover Local Hotspots Based On Gowalla With Goodfoot
Goodfoot ($0.99) by Paravel is a simple Gowalla companion for your iPhone. If you’re looking for a good spot to check out, then Goodfoot could be your best bet.
So here we have Goodfoot. He’s a yeti, but don’t fret! He’s not going to hurt you. Instead, he will help you out. Whether you’re in your hometown or traveling somewhere new, Goodfoot will show you the top spots around you on Gowalla based on check-ins. Noise such as apartment complexes, doctor’s offices, gas stations, and big-name brands will be filtered out, so you’re being show only the crème of the crop.
In Goodfoot, there are three different filters that will bring up different spots. You can choose Walk, Bike, or Drive. Each of these will bring up a different mix of spots, depending on what is around you. Having the option to choose walking, biking, or driving distance is definitely nice, though Walk probably won’t be of much use if there isn’t anything near.
When you want to check out a spot, just tap it to bring up how far it is. In addition to that, there’s the “Awesometer,” which will show you, on a scale of one to five, how awesome this place is. This is dependent on the amount of check-ins and people that have been there.
The app describes this meter as a way to determine how much of a “local hotspot” it is. If there are zero bars, it would be best to avoid it. If a place is frequently revisited by locals, then that’s your best choice.
When you find a place, you can open it up in Gowalla (if you have it installed) or even in Maps for directions. If any Gowalla users have left comments on a place, they will show up in the Highlights section below the Awesometer. It’s truly a Gowalla curated experience, which can be good or bad, mostly on where you live.
I like the simple design of Goodfoot though. It’s clean and minimal, and just gives you the information you need when searching for a place. If you live in or are traveling to a popular tourist spot (San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, etc), then this app can definitely be helpful. For other places, it depends on the Gowalla user base there.
I’d still recommend checking out this app, mostly if you’re in an area with plenty of Gowalla users. For $0.99, you’re paying to discover the best spots to check out. Finding your next favorite pub or burger joint that isn’t McDonald’s sounds worth it to me.
