Foursquare 2.0 for iPhone now available, emphasizes To-Dos and Tips

Foursquare has announced a 2.0 update for the iPhone version of the app, with Blackberry and Android versions soon to follow (the company doesn't make a webOS version, but I'm sure those devs will update soon). The first thing you'll likely notice is that Tips and To-Dos are now separate menu items. According to their blog, "When we started foursquare, we dreamed it would be much more than check-ins. We really wanted to build tools that would help people collect and share their real-world experiences." The tips and to-dos are also more integrated throughout the app, providing (we hope) a more useful experience than just "checking in."

Indeed, as Mashable reminds us, after Facebook unveiled Places, the CEO of foursquare promised a new version of the app would be like "Instapaper for the real world." So, Places is designed to be a location-aware scrapbook or memories, and I guess foursquare is going to do the same thing, except with more practical advice from your friends and with to-dos, which will be location-aware (as opposed to most to-do lists and apps which are not always given any context). Tips also sport a counter, so you can see how popular they are.

One huge new item: foursquare now allows websites to add a to-do directly on a web page. This Instapaper-like service shows up immediately on your mobile device and provides useful information for a location. I can see how this will add tremendous value for anyone who manages a physical location, let alone the review and discovery sites like Eater and Racked who have already added them. The foursquare blog mentions some heavy hitters who are adding these buttons in the near future.

Tags: check-in, foursquare, iphone, location, location-based, mobile