It seems like everyone has hopped on the Facebook bandwagon to stay connected with people while on the road, and the social-networking applications keep on coming.

FourSquare is one of the newest trends, and is compatible with the iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, and mobile Web browsers.

The way it works is that when you arrive in a restaurant, bar, park, or other public site, you have to “check in” using your smartphone.

That alerts other people to your location, and you can see where your friends are as well.

The point? To discover and share hidden gems and favorite haunts, and to leave tidbits of advice.

Gowalla is a similar application that works on a variety of phones.

It allows you to share your current location with friends, and create your own categories like the best bars for a pub crawl.

Friends Around Me is an iPhone application that creates a personal page, which can be integrated with Facebook and Twitter. It’s not for everyone.

But if you’re exploring a new city or discovering off-the-beaten path spots, it can help to connect with people who share similar interests.

For more, check out Great Games & Travel Apps for Your iPhone.

For more helpful technology, visit our Travel Gadgets & Gear section.

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