LOOPT For IPHONE 3G

(From Cynopsis)

Now that the IPHONE 3G is in the hands of an estimated 1 million users in the U.S., the war begins to see which social networking application will win the day and become the favorite for the platform.

The device's portability, ease of use and GPS capabilities position the iPhone to become a platform for linking communities together in ways that a PC cannot.

LOOPT may have a leg up on the competition out of the gate.

Besides showing where fellow users are on a map, the location-based social networking application is enlisting content from local recommendation site YELP such as bar and restaurant reviews.

A new feature called LOOPT LINK builds in integrations with web-based social networks, allowing users to share information with other social networks.

Rather than trying to replace FACEBOOK, Loopt is working to be the mobile touch point connecting users from existing communities.

As long as the site's security tools prove to be effective (allowing users to toggle off location sharing at will), LOOPT may really be onto something.