Geo-social networking, geo-location application, location-based social networking, call it what you want just don’t call it late for lunch at the most checked-in spot in your town.

Location-based applications allow you to explore your real town while putting your mark on your virtual one and lets you share your every move with everyone.

The big idea

GPS capabilities in your mobile device allow you to pinpoint your location in a given area as well as places of interest in your proximity. Including the map element into this form of networking allows you to connect to other users, places, or events happening nearby. Check-in while you’re hanging out at your favorite pizza joint and get some cool benefits in the process like discounts and notoriety. Whether it’s a killer burger or bad service, people should know about it.

Choose your flavor

As of today, there are a plethora of geo-social networking sites to choose from and declaring one as better than the rest just sort of depends on what you’re into and what device you’re using. Here are a couple just to get you started:

Foursquare

Foursquare is like the bar-hopping college kid of the geo-social networking sites. Geared more towards nightlife and having fun, users are dared to explore their town, earn points become King of the hill, rather, Mayor of the best taco stand, scratch that, Mayer of the most ‘ono lunch wagon selling the best local kine grinds in town.

Gowalla

Gowalla is kind of like a dedicated scrapbooker, she really likes pictures and following rules and she’ll do it all using the cutest cut-outs possible. Visit the website and you’ll find a “check-in” guide and it’s clear that Gowalla’s against “fake check-ins,” not that you’d ever do such a thing. Users are encouraged to snap pictures and include them with their messages. Be the most frequent visitor to a hot-spot and you’ll find yourself on the leader board.

Mytown

Mytown is like the snot-nosed kid in the sand box. He’s fun to play around with but he can get kind of annoying, fast. Mytown is basically a fun iPad/iPhone app from Booyah. Similar idea to all the rest of the geo-social networking sites, Mytown is a good time-waster and in no time flat you’ll find yourself living in a make believe world that you can share with all the other boys and girls in the sandbox.

Zoom Atlas

Zoomatlas is the cute, curious cousin to all the rest. Users can virtually go around posting notes all over the globe. You could leave a note at your childhood home and maybe, just maybe, your childhood crush/soul mate will find it and you can reunite after twenty years and fall madly in love and live happily ever after! Or, maybe you could just give a shout-out to all your classmates at your alma mater.