Woo-hoo!! thekruser.com made #1!

Yes, I know this is a relatively minor milestone, but one I take much pride in. I am one guy. Corporations spend thousands of dollars to get on the first page of Google and some still never make it. My thanks goes out to each and every one of you. Yes…if you are reading this, that means you! Without my readers and commenters, it would never have happened. I have spent a lot of time researching foursquare badges, and I have a few dedicated commenters who have helped me along the way. A special “thank you” goes out to everyone who has helped me in my endeavor. Be it through comments, links, pingbacks, or help with code, without your help this would never have been possible.

Thanks again to all of my readers and commenters. You guys ROCK!

thekruser.com Makes the #1 Slot on Google! is a post from: thekruser.com

Just when I was ready to hit the rack, my friend Nan: BlackBerry Power User let me know about the newest version of the foursquare for BlackBerry Beta. So…thanks, Nan, for letting me know about the newest update; THANKS NAN, NOW I HAVE TO WRITE A NEW POST! Ha ha ha! I am starting to see double at this point — I am rather tired (thank God for spell check) — but if I didn’t post at least something, I would feel like I am letting my readers down. so, without further adieu, this is what I noticed on first glance.

The first thing I noticed was a bit more detail in the design: better use of the real estate, nicer icons, etc. But most importantly, the timeline is now split by location. Before, at least from what I have noticed, the timeline was split by time only (Last 3 hours, Today, Yesterday, and so on). Now, I can see today’s check ins not only ny time, but by location (listed as “Friends in Other Cities”). I also notice gold-colored mayor-indicating crowns by the names that I do not recall seeing in previous versions.

The ‘Places’ tab now shows the category icons that have recently been implemented — a nice feature — but I am still a bit disappointed that the venue screen does not include an option to add/update tags/categories.

I also noticed a feature that may or may not have been present in previous versions: the ability to scan my address book for possible foursquare users. Not that it is all that useful to me — most of by business associates are not in to the “techie” movement. If it was there before, it would have been easy for me to miss. Either way, it is a nice feature.

On the ‘Check in’ screen, I noticed some changes as well. Now when I search for a venue, results include tag matches whereas before it only returned venue name matches. The results are sorted accordingly. A very nice touch. Now when I travel, I will be able to use this function in place of the dreaded Poynt service — nice idea, but a bit too “advertisy” for my taste. I also noticed that the venue screen includes mayor information, something I had not seen before. Hey, look at that! I am the mayor of thekruser’s Bar and Grill!

If anyone who works for foursquare happens to stumble upon this article, can we please do something about the lack of content in the menu? When I hit the menu key in most al BlackBerry apps, I am inundated with choices. With the foursquare app, it is basically Help, Refresh, Check-In, Log out…basics. Can we get a few more options? Why do I have to scroll to the top and then to the right, only to scroll down again to add a friend. There should be a menu option for that.

While we are on the subject, how about a way for us to add tags when we add a venue? With the fact that many badges rely upon tags, it is difficult to remember to add the tags once I get back home. Isn’t the idea to not have to update from home? I feel you would get much more accurate information if we were allowed to add tags from the field, thus eliminating the, “Damn, did that place have a photobooth? I can’t remember. Oh well, I still need my Photogenic badge, so I’ll just tag it as such anyway.”

Well, that is all for now. I am sure there are things I have missed, especially as applied to device/carrier specific changes. All I have is an 8900 on T-Mobile. If you noticed any other changes, please leave a comment below!

Foursquare for BlackBerry Beta Gets an Update is a post from: thekruser.com

I am the type of person who always wants to be on the cutting edge — to be “in the know” the instant it is possible. From social networking to RSS readers, I have either tried it or am currently using it.

In my work, I travel from time to time. Unfortunately, I am not in a business that allows me to travel for the purposes of tech-conference attendance, where the announcements of the newest, latest, greatest gadgets and technologies are routinely made. All I can hope for is to be on business somewhere at the same time one of these conferences is in progress. Last year, I was lucky enough to be in San Diego during CTIA. I did not get to see much of it, as the business I was in town for did not leave me much time per day to attend, but it was enough to fuel my desire to learn. Through interactions with friends in the tech world, I have devised a list of conferences I would one day like to attend.

So, without further adieu, here is my Conference Wish List. One day, I will be able to say I have been to all of these at least once, though it might take a few years.

1. CTIA. A wireless symposium where all things wireless come together. From cell phones to credit card machines to text message marketing, you will find more than enough stuff to do to keep you busy!
   

   The International CTIA WIRELESS® show represents a $1 trillion global marketplace that brings together wireless and converged communications, wireless broadband, applications, mobile web and data.

   For 25 years, International CTIA WIRELESS® has been THE premier marketplace for all things wireless. Don’t miss 2010—guaranteed to be another crucial and groundbreaking event for the industry. Join us for the next era of Mobile Life!

2. CES. A consumer electronics show where the newest technologies are announced, shown, and discussed.
   

   The International CES is produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronics products. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.

3. WES. Where to go to get all info BlackBerry.
   

   WES 2010 isn’t just another symposium; it’s the premier BlackBerry® event. And this year, it’s all about collaboration – between BlackBerry, our best partners, loyal users and most passionate enthusiasts.

   With an entirely new, forward-thinking agenda, we’ll explore and explain how this community is working together to increase the value of mobility in your business, by meeting your demands, exceeding your expectations, and making just about anything possible.

   WES is the place to:

   * Hear about the latest developments for the BlackBerry solution
   * See demonstrations of the BlackBerry solution at work
   * Meet BlackBerry experts who can answer questions and provide business or IT solutions
   * Train on the BlackBerry platform
   * Meet, greet and form new business relationships

   System administrators, developers, IT professionals, executives, carriers, dealers, resellers, ISVs, system integrators, customers and other members of the wireless world will be there. Will you?

4. DevCon. A BlackBerry developer’s dream. New processes, techniques, and best practices for BlackBerry development.
   

   The conference is a dedicated forum for the developer community to immerse itself in all aspect of creating consumer and business applications for the BlackBerry platform.
   What you’ll take home:

   * The inside scoop on developing for the BlackBerry platform and the very latest in software, hardware and tools from RIM and its partners
   * Invaluable information directly from RIM experts who will personally share their expertise
   * First-hand experiences from developers who have successfully created, integrated and managed wireless applications
   * Best practices from industry leaders to shortcut development cycles and drive new applications to market

5. SXSW. A music, film, and tech conference that covers topics from every walk of life.
   

   SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.

6. WordCamp. All things WordPress. The community comes together to improve, update, and expand WordPress — arguably the most predominant and best blogging and publishing software on the internet.
   

   WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users like you. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other. WordCamps are open to WordPress.com and WordPress.org users alike.

Well, now you know what types of conferences I would like to attend one day. Are there any that I do not know about that are similar to the ones listed? If so, please leave a comment. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.

My Conference Wish List is a post from: thekruser.com