Beyond the Like

Every day, with the simple click of a button,  millions of Facebookers are out there telling their friends, "Hey, guess what, I like _(fill in the blank)_." From movies, to music, to food, even to Plug the Oil Spill with Sarah Palin, you can "like" just about anything.  More than that, our online friends are letting us know they've "checked in" at this coffee shop or that new Irish pub. And while for many observers the typical response is, "Great, I really needed to know you like Lady Gaga's Meat Dress," there is a bigger picture here. People are sharing tons and tons of information -- much of which could  be very relevant -- with greater ease than ever.

Well, several companies are now helping everyone reap real benefits from the opinions of you and your many friends. Here are two to check out.

GET GLUE -- Akin to Amazon's "If you like this, we suggest this," Get Glue is about helping you find your next new favorite thing.  With Get Clue's app, you check in to say "HBO's Hard Knocks," a reality show focusing on an NFL team's training camp, and Get Glue will inform you of other like-minded forms of entertainment. Plus, if your "checking in" frequency is high, you can earn rewards or praise for your loyalty. Get Glue also makes for a great platform for TV networks and movie studios to engage and build a better relationship with its followers.


















FOURSQUARE -- This app is all about discovering new places. It links you and your friends together, giving you access to everyone's reviews or comments on restaurants, bars, shops and so on throughout your city. So as you're perusing the menu at some new French Bistro, you could see that your good buddy Joel Robuchon highly recommends the Duck. Ah Merci Beaucoup, Foursquare.