Are Location Check Ins Coming in the Mango Update?

[Nelson Ocampo]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-bringing-checkins-windows-phone-fall?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+wmexperts+(wpcentral)' target='_blank'>http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-...rts+(wpcentral)</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"One thing we tried to push at MIX11, despite all the awesome news, was all that info was for developers, not consumers (though we tried to show why it mattered). The point being that Microsoft still has tricks up their sleeves for Mango/7.5 that we have yet to see and we're sure there will be plenty."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//wpt/auto/1303876906.usr117767.png" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>The tweet above suggests that @KADacey was testing a feature similar to Foursquare's check-ins.&nbsp; If you're unfamiliar with check-ins, it is basically a way for users to communicate their location to their friends in real time by checking in to specific places.&nbsp;</p><p>Don't bother going to Twitter to look for this tweet though.&nbsp; It's apparently been deleted.&nbsp; So I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this feature was probably not something that Microsoft wanted the public knowing about yet.</p><p>While we do know a few things that will be coming in the Mango update, the things we learned at MIX11 were aimed at the developer community.&nbsp; Perhaps this is just one tidbit of what we can expect when Microsoft announces Mango features targeted at consumers.</p>

[Fritzly]

Personally I never understood people obsession with broadcasting where they are and what they are doing any given moment; probably this is the reason why I avoid FB and similar programs.

Regardless MS should focus its resources toward adding very much needed features to the OS; some quick example:

Tasks
Categories
A decent, working, usable "Calendar": Week view, an usable Month view etc.
The option to sync with a desktop!!!!
Etc. Etc.

Without getting in the debate about how updates are made available to users the simple fact that the next update called "mango" will not be available before "sometimes before the end of the year" is, at least for me, unacceptable. I am almost ready to go to Ebay and buy a HTC HD2, actually buy again a HD2; I had it and I really miss its functionalities. I will surely miss the graphic interface of my WP7 device but.... I need functionality more than aesthetic.

[Nelson Ocampo]

I understand what you mean.

I recall not too long ago seeing the beginnings of friends posting on Facebook when they checked in at places. For the longest time, I didn't know it was tied to Foursquare. I just thought that all these people were taking the time to post updates to their location manually.

I still don't really understand the "why" this feature is so attractive to many. But it apparently is.