Foodspotting. It’s a community, it’s a website, it’s an app. But unlike many other communities based on rating and reviewing restaurants, Foodspotting is all about the dishes. Instead of reading and writing reviews, you can share photos of specific foods you can recommend and see what’s around you, where ever you go.

On January 15th, the San Francisco-based startup is turning one! To celebrate, they’ve dubbed that day World Foodspotting Day! To celebrate, they’re working with Meetup.com to encourage Foodspotters (and just lovers of food in general) to gather, mingle, and take photos of their food together.

Here in Philadelphia, Chef Levin of Adsum Restaurant is helping Foodspotters celebrate with a few Foodspotting brunch specials on Saturday, January 15th. We’ll be treated to chicken and waffles, a fig sorbet-based cocktail and a fried egg dish (curious as to the yet-unknown details of this one). Regretfully, I don’t think he caught my request to have some inspiration drawn from his Four Loko Dinner.

Thanks go out to Alexis of Teaspoons & Petals for rallying us together!
For more info, check out the Meetup.com page.

Foodspotting Day @ Adsum: January 15th
700 S. 5th Street (at Bainbridge)
Philadelphia, PA 19147

We hear about Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly every single year. And every single year I conveniently forget all of the city’s best restaurants, shops, services and events before I get a chance to check them out. Fortunately, there is in fact an app for that… you know, we here at Geekadelphia should really compile a list of things where there isn’t an app.

With this convenient app, you’ll be able to browse five years worth of winners in a myriad of categories: restaurants & food, nightlife & bars, entertainment & fun, shopping, beauty, spas & health and personal services. Compile a list of saved favorites in-app or simply read up on what Philly Mag has to say about these places and why they add to the greatness of our fair city.

Geo-location is all the rage, and it’s super fun to pull up nearby locations that have been recognized for their sheer awesomeness. Don’t worry, there’s no checkins, leader boards, badges, a clutter of bad or pointless reviews.

Completely lost gift ideas this year? Fill a digital stocking full of apps and grab this one while it’s on [holiday] sale for just $0.99.

Are you a dipper? Are you a squeezer? Either way, I’m entirely aware that you love ketchup, no matter your consumption method. If you don’t, well, that’s just entirely un-American and you should be ashamed of yourself. Be proud in the fact that your countrymen however, are continuing to innovate. This time, it’s on the level of design.

Design sure does spark some controversy and heated debates on the Internet. Consider what happens whenever anyone decides to redesign their logo or undergo a rebrand. It can get brutal, it can get ugly. Product design isn’t without it’s controversy either. This time however, complaints should be effectively put to rest. Heinz, arguably the only brand of ketchup that should ever be used, has reinvented the ketchup packet.

First announced almost a year ago, the Dip & Squeeze is a redesigned packet lets you use your ketchup with ruthless efficiency. Gone are the days of awkwardly squeezing packet after packet of the red tomato goodness onto porous napkins at your favorite fast food restaurant. Forget that empty longing feeling you get when you desperately wish you could take those pathetic tiny paper condiment cups on-the-go with you. The Dip & Squeeze is here.

Unfortunately, by the time you’re reading this, you’ve just missed The Heinz Ketchup Road Trip. We had the chance to check it out however, and we’re confidently convinced that the future is here. And this time it revealed itself to be in the form of innovative product design containing three times the amount of ketchup found in a regular now-old school packet. Headed to Dallas this weekend? Find @DipandSqueeze there.

Check out some photos of the fun, below.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

The future is finally here. First theorized and demonstrated famous inventor, Nikola Tesla in the early 20th Century, wireless energy transfer finally has a practical, commercial application operating under a universal standard, “Qi” (pronounced chee).

Utilizing inductive charging, a sub-section of wireless energy transfer, Energizer has launched the first charger based on a new universal standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (Yes, there’s an actual consortium surrounding wireless power technology). The premise behind the conveniently-named Inductive Charger is as simple as the standard. Charge your low power (<5w) devices cord-free by simply setting it on the surface power station pad, which is connected to your AC wall outlet.

Right now, Energizer offers a sleeve for the iPhone 3G/3GS and BlackBerry Curve 8900 door-replacement that allow compatibility with the Inductive Charger. There’s a whole slew of devices being developed for the Qi standard (mobile phones, cameras, MP3 players). As a person with a severe gadget problem, I’m looking forward to reducing the fuss and clutter of wires and cables.

More information: www.energizer.com/inductive.

PS, check out this silly video featuring Hans, an omniscient floating talking head praising the advancements of future-is-now technology, such as this impressive Qi charger from Energizer.

Disclosure: Geekadelphia was not compensated for the content that appears in this post.
We were sent a free sample of the product, the Energizer Qi inductive Charger.

At this point it’s pretty clear that location-based services aren’t going anywhere. Foursquare is huge in the city of Philadelphia, and thanks to visitPA there’s incentive statewide. Folks like Tommy Up of PYT will surely attest to the fact that it’s definitely been a great value for businesses like his. The state even recognizes this:

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming enthusiasm for our partnership with Foursquare,” said Mickey Rowley, Deputy Secretary for Tourism, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, “What was initially just one piece of our summer tourism campaign has become fodder for a case study in the mobile evolution of tourism and travel. It has transformed Pennsylvania into a game board for Foursquare fanatics.”

Feel like this is a game you’ve fallen behind on? Well, you’re slacking even worse than I was when it came to writing this post. However, you’re in luck. VisitPA’s partnership with Foursquare is continuing indefinitely.

Our friends over at Red Tettemer, whose fantastic work you might remember from VisitPhilly‘s With Love campaign, took tourism to a whole new level for visitPA. Those three badges (Shooflyer, 4 Score & 7 and Retail Polka) can be unlocked by visiting locations that stretch between every corner of the state. (Spoiler alert: it’s actually pretty feasible to unlock all of them in Philly.)

Linus Graybill, a senior developer at Red Tettemer built this wonderful data app utilizing Foursquare’s API and 100% all-natural unicorn blood. As of writing this, visitPA has over 15,000 followers on Foursquare checking into the 176 participating venues. The top of which are unsurprisingly Center City and Old City locations, with the addition of our favorite mega-colossal urban renewal project/super-plaza: The Piazza at Schmidt’s.

Red Tettemer has a live chart and graph on their website that details the numbers, from followers to participating venues. This screenshot above doesn’t do it justice.

Want to see those numbers? Check out Red Tettemer’s VisitPA Foursquare stats from its launch in May through to the end of the summer. Win.

Ever come up with a completely brilliant idea to cook up some salmon and create a glaze for it by reducing a sweet salsa made from a local craft beer? Ever feel compelled to try every fantastic BBQ place in the city or are you perpetually on the hunt for the best rendition of your favorite dish? Do you find yourself compelled to RSVP “Yes” to attend an event that isn’t even a gathering – physical or virtual, rather it’s simply a delicious burger of the week?

I know that I’m not the only proponent of good food and drink in the city. All the nerds throwing back complicated cocktails and fancy hors d’oeuvres at the regular Yelp Elite events would wholeheartedly agree.

And while those of us are still waging the war for justification/validation on food geekery or being a beer snob, you can do something to further tighten the ties between food and tech. Have you heard of shareURmeal? By taking a picture of any meal, no matter what it may be, a sponsor will donate $1 to United Way’s LIVE UNITED: Food for Thought initiative. Yes, it’s an easy, low effort, high-impact way to help fight hunger on the local level. Spend somebody else’s money and do something worthwhile.

So, while you’re cross-posting the fabulous dinner you just made between Facebook and Twitter, don’t forget about shareURmeal. Posts can be made by way of email, MMS-to-email, the website or through a handy iPhone app [iTunes link]. You can submit anonymously or you can even register to prove you have no shame for those KFC Double Downs you’ve been eradicating through ingestion. This all sounds pretty geeky, I know.

While you’re off pitting your shutter speed and ability to cram noms into your gullet against each other, take note: for the first week in August (8/1 through 8/7) – I’ll be awarding the top 3 registered users redemption codes worth $25 on restaurant.com

Rules & Details:

1. Must be a registered user of shareURmeal.com (just makes things easier for scoring/contacting)
2. New/old users are on the same playing field, only submissions through Sunday, August 1st & Saturday, August 7th will be counted.
3. Winners will be contacted via email the week of Monday, August 9th. So, it’s important to use a valid email when creating your account.

Johnny Zito and Tony Trov

We had the chance briefly catch up with our friends Tony Trov and Johnny Zito, two Philadelphia comic book writers and indie film makers. You might recall their awesome work on Fiesta Day, the short film for our Fiesta Movement that we premiered with a free Prince of Persia screening.

They’ve just returned from SDCC 2010 and we had a chance to talk to them about their experience.

So, what are you guys currently working on in the wide-world of comic book writing?
JZ: Moon Girl Fights Crime is kicking ass and we just released Carnival De Robotique during Comic Con. Download the (FREE) Comixology app [iTunes store link] and Check them out!
TT: DC Comics is releasing LaMorte Sisters and Black Cherry Bombshells on their App later in the month. We also have another title in the works called D.O.G.S. of Mars. Stay tuned for more about that.

Every summer it seems like you guys have gone on yet another SoCal, SDCC adventure. How many times have you guys gone out at this point?
TT: This is the third year in a row we’ve taken the pilgrimage.
JZ: We’re always in a Comic Con state of mind.

How do you think 2010 compared to the first time you guys went?
TT: Every year is more ridiculous than the last. Anything can happen; don’t turn your back on Comic Con for a minute!
JZ: The geek community is emensely diverse and every year you can see a new niche being welcomed with open arms.

What was the newest/most exciting thing about SDCC this year?
TT: Scott Pilgrim was everywhere. It by far dominated the convention. Everyone was really hyped for the new film and the latest graphic novel.
JZ: The beautiful, young ladies dressed as Jackie O.

Read more after the jump!

(more…)

A new app and web platform just reinvented the TV-watching experience. Released early last month, PHILO is turning TV watching into an interactive experience like never before. Think of it this way, it’s Twitter + Foursquare + TV. Yes history buffs, it’s named in honor of the inventor of television itself, Philo T. Farnsworth.

Avid lovers of social media and television might already be accustomed tweeting/updating FB statuses to mention their favorite TV shows, especially on the airing night of new episodes. However now, thanks to PHILO you can unlock awards and score points for watching buzz-worthy shows. As any good, social app should have these days, there’s also options to post to Twitter and Facebook.

Just like Foursquare, users get awards for accomplishing set achievements, such as checking in the same TV show. Unfortunate for most, it appears as though timing won’t be allowing us to unlock the Swarm badge-equivalent on PHILO while watching Lost.

Unlock cool awards such as this one, “Freedom”

However, paying homage to our awesome city, as all three founders are Penn graduates, they’ve included a “Freedom” award, which can be unlocked by watching a secret combination of Philadelphia-related programming. I, personally, would enjoy the “Art Vandelay” award, which I can almost surely bet is unlocked by watching Seinfeld.

Whether it be sports, reality TV, or a beloved network primetime drama, people can discover new shows, check out what’s trending or simply engage in your fun, commentary-filled, group watching experience akin to “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

PHILO screenshots from the iPhone app

Getting started is dead simple, right now there’s a free iPhone app with Android and BlackBerry apps on the way. Find friends via scanning your address book, Twitter, Facebook and email contacts or do a look up using name or phone number. Enter your zip code and you can pull up the listings from local cable/dish providers, effectively serving as a handy channel guide as well. No smartphone? Not a problem, as you can still join the fun on their website.

Get PHILO onto your compatible iDevice from the iTunes App Store [FREE].

Learn more at PlayPhilo.com

Photo credit: Michael Ferry

I’d like to preface that I most definitely do not want to get into any kind of <insert smartphone (probably the new Android-running-HTC-of-the-week) here> vs. the iPhone or Android vs. iOS argument. When really, we should just band together and agree that the Kin sucks. It’s been over two weeks for me and my new buddy, the iPhone 4, as well as its operating system, iOS4.

Like many others who were eligible for upgrade, I moved up from the iPhone 3G. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of installing iOS4 on the device, which many are vehemently reporting, performs terribly. I stand with this statement. All things aside though, iOS4 performs beautifully on the device it was made for… the iPhone 4. Besides the remarkable reduction in form factor, the hopefully-scratch-resistant glass back, the brilliantly crisp high-res retina display, it’s when pairing the new hardware and the updated operating system does one find a lot to love:

The speed. In consideration of the hardware, it’s simply amazing. Granted, I never had extensive time with the 3GS, so the change might be nominal. It even looks as though under similar conditions, the browsing speed for the iPhone 4 is a step up over the 3GS. “It’s great to use Google Maps without wanting to throw my phone.” – @radiocolin

The camera. As a photography enthusiast, I’m very happy. Especially when coupled with the ever-popular Hipstamatic (just updated to take advantage of all that is iPhone 4 + iOS4.) Also worth checking out: Camera+, which I honestly believe is the ultimate replacement for Apple’s default Camera app. It includes all of the default camera controls, a whole slew of Photo Booth reminiscent effects and color corrections, as well as the ability to publish straight to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. In terms of video, and with the advent of iMovie – looking up going rates for my Flip cameras at South Street’s CeX is on my to-do list.

Can the iPhone 4 do video as well as a Canon 7D? Well, in my opinion, no. However, for what it is, it’s fantastic. Throw in the easy-to-use and convenient iMovie app, you’re good for video to go. Let’s also not forget about FaceTime. It’s a lot of fun and very cool, but for practical use, not entirely sure how much real-world use it will actually get. At least they’ve confirmed FaceTime calls will not use airtime minutes. It’s rumored that Apple might even open-source this technology, which we know they don’t ever do. What will happen then? Probably the Chatroulette app we’re all dying to have. In the meantime, at least we have Apple’s very own FaceTime Hotline: 1-888-FACETIME.

Little nuances such as a portrait lock mode and the character count in text messages were obvious missing features that I’m so happy are finally included. It’s great to finally tinker around with Voice Control, and Compass which opens up for a whole world of Augmented Reality apps. These made appearances on the 3GS and for the many of us that skipped over that model, we almost forgot about them.

So, what’s not to love? Well, the antenna issue appears to be very real. For us, it hasn’t been the easiest thing to replicate, and it’s a complicated game that depends on where you are and how the phone is being held. But, it happens with varying results.

Think your screen might be too sensitive or your face too pointy? Are you accidentally hitting buttons with your face while on a call? It’s not your fault. It’s a proximity sensor issue, and it’s ruining my life. Ars Technica has some details on how to possibly resolve this, however we’re looking for a true fix from Apple.

In the meantime, haters can hate, all but one iPhone 4 owner that I’ve talked to seems to be absolutely thrilled.

We don’t necessarily cover corporate acquisitions here, but we’re big fans of Woot! I’m entirely hoping that I’m not alone when I can safely say I’ve spent multiple nights staying up until 1am EST to catch the latest Woot deal. In fact, the neglected PC tower sitting next to me, that seemed like a great idea at the time, even originated from Woot. I’ve amassed a plethora of trinkets and gadgets at bargain rates over the years. Unfortunately, I’m still waiting for the day where I can attain a “Random Bag of Crap”. How many of you have nice collections of t-shirts from Shirt.Woot? Heck, considering SmartPost is literally the slowest and cheapest way to ship something between two points on this continent, I’m still waiting for one.

A at the same time, we’re also big fans of Amazon. Incidentally, I know many folks that would habitually check Woot and then also check Amazon’s Gold Box (Daily Deal) (an idea that essentially morphed into an existence pretty similar to that of Woot). Considering the kind of awesome company that Zappos is, post-acquisition. We’re entirely confident that Woot will retain their culture of being big geeks and weirdos. If their initial letter from their CEO didn’t indicate that more clearly, I don’t know what would.

Depending on how you look at it though, that brilliant writing from Matt Rutledge (CEO – Woot.com) may have been blown away by the video of this rapping monkey. See below.

Press Don Glasses to Watch Ben Franklin’s Introduction, in 3D!

It’s hard to believe that in such a short time, Cameron’s 3D masterpiece is already starting to lose its luster. What’s also hard to grasp is that our Founding Fathers are starting to look better than any blue-skinned alien ever could. Later this Summer, Historic Philadelphia will be unveiling Liberty 360.

Liberty 360, is the absolute first 360-degree, 3D panoramic experience ever developed. We had the chance to preview the technology first-hand at Niles Creative Group in NYC a few weeks ago. Although, we viewed just a few short demos on a flat surface, we were absolutely stunned. Niles Creative is the same hand that brought us the The Comcast Experience in the Comcast Center, which touts a resolution greater than IMAX and stands as the largest 4mm LED screen in the world.

3D Glasses & Exhibit Prototype

They’ve once again combined highly-advanced technology and captivating creative direction to bring us an incredible, historic, storytelling experience. This 3D technology is so advanced, that we were able to don the 3D glasses and literally walk around objects and actors that seemingly came out from the wall.

The real implementation of Liberty 360 will actually take guests into a cylinder-shaped room where they’ll be able to see and be surrounded by the 12-minute masterpiece.

A Peak Inside the Model Exhibit

The screen is a full 360-degree floating cylinder, 50 feet in diameter, and 8 feet in height. It boasts an impressive 16 million pixels (6 million more than The Comcast Experience).

Liberty 360 will be housed at the remodeled Historic Philadelphia Center at 6th and Chestnut, directly across from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Historic Philadelphia Center will be open daily, 360 days a year, 9am-7pm, with extended hours until 9pm on certain days. Tickets for Liberty 360 and all other Historic Philadelphia attractions will be available.

This is an exhibit that clearly needs to be experienced first hand. After-all, it’s in 3D and immerse. You can’t exactly photograph that. Go check it out when it gets here.

The web is a social place. Many of us fondly remember the days where we sprung up from the primordial oozes of Usenet, later to set foot on solid ground, treating email more like a real-time communication tool instead of free postal mail. A portion of us connected and produced content for AOL Hometown pages, Geocities (RIP) and a multitude of old-school blog rings.

In recent years, we’ve worked through the dark ages of unmentioned emo kid sites and MySpace, and now have Facebook and Twitter as our lifestreams. In recognition of social media and in celebration of community, Mashable, the Social Media Blog has rallied meetups in every major city worldwide.

Just in case you hadn’t heard, Philly happens to be one of those top cities. Jed Singer is organizing tonight’s Social Media Day in Philly. You might be able to catch a few of us from the local blogosphere make an appearance tonight at Field House in Center City.

The amount of sponsors and different groups representing themselves at this particular event is off the hook. The banner on Social Media Day Philly’s site is looking like a Nascar stock car at this point. We’ll be joining our friends at Visit Philly and the Mann Center who have awesome giveaways and prizes for the raffle and a Twitter-themed quizzo.

How do you feel about some tote bags containing With Love, Philadelphia XOXO swag or perhaps some tickets to see MGMT or Keane? They’ll be providing those, respectively. And once again our lovely friend Britt Miller will have some of her art raffled away.

So come on out, join us, look for me as I’m likely to be asking @YelpPhilly if she’d be interested in starting a support group for those hopelessly addicted to writing reviews and shooting photos.

When:
Tonight, Wednesday, June 30, 2010 @ 7:00 PM

Where:
Field House, 1150 Filbert St., 19107

RSVP here: http://www.meetup.com/Mashable/7535/

And in case you’re feeling antisocial this evening, Mashable will be livestreaming not only the Philly event, but a good sampling of all the big parties. Of course, Philly is one of them.