LoSo, a location-based social media app that launched on May 20 at the 2011 National Restaurant Association show, enables diners to view daily specials, live entertainment and even invite friends to join them, to getting free drinks, food or other rewards just for going out.

 

The new mobile app combines the best features of Foursquare, Yelp, OpenTable and Citysearch to deliver the ultimate real-time going out guide. LoSo features live Facebook and Twitter feeds from over 200,000 bars and restaurants, showing users what's happening near them that night, and ranking places for popularity based on the number of people who check in there. People can navigate an interactive map of local venues, check in to their favorite spots, leave posts letting friends know where they are and what the place is like right now, and get Rewards Points when they check in.

 

LoSo's Restaurant Rewards Points are good for free drinks, eats, prizes and other stuff from local businesses. Each check-in on LoSo also counts as a check in on Foursquare and Facebook Places, so all check ins can be done from one app, and users can not only become Mayor, but can also earn LoSo Loyalty Rewards for frequenting the same place often.

 

The LoSo "What's Up" function lets users post not only location-based messages and photos but also video clips. This is just another way for users to see what is going on and share what is up with everyone on LoSo as well as Twitter and Facebook. The Events tab lists over 200,000 events each month from concerts to conventions to local happy hours.

 

Full versions of LoSo for both Droid and Apple operating systems were introduced at the 2011 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show. LoSo has been extremely well received by restaurants and users in LoSo's first test market, Philadelphia, and the company plans to expand to Baltimore/D.C. and Dallas in the spring, followed by ten new cities next fall.