After a November preview of Stalqer, a location sharing application which connects you to your existing Facebook social graph, the application underwent a notoriously lengthy review cycle by the nice folks at the Apple iTunes Store. More than a month later, the program is now available for free download - joining the fray alongside more visible players Foursquare and Gowalla for geolocation.(Download Stalqer from this iTunes link)
My Location and Friends' Updates on Stalqer
As noted in November, Stalqer is less about owning a specific venue and showing the frequency of visits. Instead, it operates around real friend connections, through Facebook, highlighting others' current locations, and their updates over time. You can even get Push notifications for specific friends, if you want notes on where they are at all times.
You can configure Stalqer to update your location in the background, through its use of a dedicated e-mail account on the iPhone, and see a feed of updates from all your friends in chronological order. Alternatively, you can zoom in on a specific friend and get the story on their recent travels.
Stalqer Updates Friends' Feeds and Connects with Facebook Friends
Developer Mick Johnson's focus is less about gameplay and more about reconnecting or expanding social relationships, separating his app from some of the others - which for the most part, I have not used. Stalqer, however, occupies a central role on my iPhone. I assume as the product increases in circulation, I will be able to find even more friends nearby with whom I can connect in real life. That's not necessarily "Stalqing", but just staying connected. (Get Stalqer Here)