Google Shopper hits iPhone, Google Latitude now with check-ins

Google has some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Google Shopper will be available for the iPhone. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a must-have tool for shopping on the go.

The bad news is that Google Latitude now allows users to check into places. How is this bad news? Ask Foursquare…

Google Latitude

Google Latitude will still allow real-time location sharing but the new features give more meaning to your location.

You can “check in” somewhere – say a restaurant and see its Place page to read reviews. Better still, you can see when someone checks in somewhere and look at its Place page – and if you like what you read, Google Maps Navigation will guide you there.

Three features help you with the check in – notifications remind you to check in as you arrive, or you can have Latitude check in automatically. Check outs are automatic, so your friends will know you’re no longer there.

Google Latitude with check-ins

Check into a place enough times and you can earn a status – “Regular”, “VIP” or “Guru”. If you’ve used Foursquare, you’ll notice that’s pretty much the same thing they do – let you check in somewhere, share your check-ins with friends and become the “Mayor” of a place you frequent.

Anyway, to use check-ins you need Android 1.6+ then update Google Maps from the Market and join Latitude. You can share check-ins with everyone, your friends or just keep them to yourself (Google is treading lightly on privacy matters since recent failures).

Google hasn’t been having much luck with social stuff and they seem to be trying everything, this for example. So, will Foursquare users among you switch to Google Latitude or not?

Google Shopper for iPhone

As for Google Shopper, it’s a simple and very useful tool – enter a search for a product (or use Voice Search) and shopper will instantly provide you with user reviews, let you compare prices for online retailers and even find stores that carry a product in near your location. You can also bookmark a product to consider later.

If you’re already in a store, looking at something, you can just scan its barcode or a book’s cover and Google Shopper will provide the same info (Google Goggles does a similar trick).

Google Shopper for iPhone

Google Shopper for iPhone is now available for the 3GS and the iPhone 4 (running iOS 4+), only in English in the US and UK. There’s has been an Android version for some time.

Source 1, Source 2