For a couple of days now, I’ve been using the new iPhone app, [itunes link=”http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ditto/id418192657?mt=8&uo=4″ title=”Ditto” text=”Ditto”]. It’s a location-based social networking app similar to Foursquare and Gowalla where you check in to places that you visit. But unlike those two apps Ditto urges you to tell your friends what you are going to do or where are you planning to go next.
The point of this app is that by knowing what you’re friends are up to, you can organize a quick meet up to the nearest place where most of your friends are going to be. It could also be used to round up the common recommendations given by your friends based on their experiences to the place that you’re planning to visit. Your friends can also inform you if the place where you are going has recently shut down, enabling you to change your plans.The beauty of this feature is of course the fact that you’ll get notified once your friends have posted a comment to what you just posted using the app.
Ditto integrates well with Facebook and Twitter. This takes cares of building up your contact list on Ditto. Obviously, not all your friends on Twitter and Facebook maybe using Ditto so this gives them a chance to get the app and start using it.
On the technical side, the app has a nice user interface. Not too fancy and just about enough to make the app efficiently functional. The app’s main interface includes nice-looking buttons corresponding to the most common things that people usually do. These include At Home, Eat Out, Work, See Movie and more.
Just below these menu options is the app’s main timeline where you can see updates from your friends. At the lower part of the main screen are three options – friends, name of your location, and your profile. The Friends option display the activities of your friends, location shows what other Ditto users nearby are doing and of course your Ditto profile. Posting updates is also done quite easily. And you’ll also have the option of sharing your updates to your Facebook and Twitter account.
Overall, Ditto is a well designed iPhone app that could be quite useful especially if you have build up your network of friends who are using the app as well.
Ditto is available as a free download from the App Store.