If You Aren't Hip Yet

So if you aren't hip to foursquare yet here is your chance. Foursquare is essentially like twitter meets yelp in the form of a game.

"The Basics"

You "checkin" wherever you go using an app on your phone or, if you are on a broke ass phone plan like I am, a SMS text. This lets everyone who is your friend on foursquare (or Twitter or Facebook) that you are at such and such place. I'm sure it you are a twitter user you have noticed an influx of foursquare checkins.

"The Points" or "The Real Reason I'm Into This Shit"

So each checkin you get a certain number of points which at this point in time don't translate to anything but are soon to be redeemable for something (new service, they are still growing, give em a break). In addition there are these things called "badges" that are kind of like XBOX achievement points that you get for going certain places and doing certain things such as getting a douchebag badge for going to douchey places. Lastly what makes foursquare pretty awesome is the Mayor feature. Whoever checks in the most at a certain place becomes the Mayor, and it actually has its perks. A bunch of places around town offer specials for their Mayor like free coffee, cheap drinks and free french fries.

WARNING: Foursquare is super addictive and if you don't want another social media vice don't fuck with it.