Google Places taps into Google Maps

We’re just a couple weeks into 2011 and it’s already shaping up for a big year for travel apps. With the announcement of the iPhone coming to Verizon, it’s likely that the surge of mobile apps is only going to continue to grow. While Apple may continue to pass Google in the hardware department, Google is still getting in on the app marketplace. Google’s latest development is the release of a new iPhone travel app called Google Places.

This certainly isn’t a surprise to many, as it was to be expected that Google would release an iPhone app like this, especially after the recent launch of Google Latitude. Droid users have had Google Places for a couple months, but now iPhone users can download it from the app store. The app is certainly nothing too innovative, as it follows in line behind many similar apps, such as Yelp, FourSquare, and others.

The app depends on Hotpot, which is a local recommendation and social media tool. The power of the tool comes from the recommendations and personalizations of other friends. The more it knows about your friends, the better recommendations it can give you. While it uses your own personalizations, it also assumes that your interests are somewhat similar to that of your friends, recommending places that many of your friends have given high marks.

One thing that I immediately like about Google Places is that it does a better job than many apps of allowing you review a place from within the app. This is something that many other location-based apps have failed at. If you’ve just finished a meal at a restaurant and received bad service, you can leave a review/rating right then from your iPhone, without having to wait until you’re on a computer. If you have friends visiting the restaurant later in the week, they can see your review and make an informed decision.

I like what Google is up to with Google Places. While they are certainly onto something by providing recommendations that are based on your friend’s experiences, it’ll still require some work. While Facebook has been successful at collecting, analyzing, and delivering data based on your network’s interest, Google isn’t quite there. Nonetheless, Google Places is worth it, just because you can review a place straight from your iPhone. Plus, the app is free.

Photo from Chrysaora on Flickr.