Jiepang
| Type of business | Private |
|---|---|
Type of site | Social networking service |
| Available in | Chinese (simplified, traditional) |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
| Founder(s) | David Liu |
| CEO | David Liu |
| URL | jiepang |
| Registration | Required |
| Launched | May 13, 2010 |
| Current status | Active |
The Jiepang Network (Chinese: 街旁网; pinyin: Jiēpáng wǎng) is a Chinese location-based social networking service for mobile devices, such as smartphones. Users "check in" at venues using an application or a mobile website by selecting from a list of venues the application locates nearby. Location is based on GPS hardware in the mobile device or network location provided by the application. Each check-in awards the user points and sometimes "badges".
Jiepang is highly similar to Foursquare (access to which is blocked in mainland China[1]), and is frequently called the Foursquare of China.[2][3]
The service was created in 2010 by David Liu (Liu Ying), and is available in both simplified and traditional Chinese characters.
Features
Jiepang provides an application for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Symbian and BlackBerry devices, as well as Java Platform, Micro Edition version, and a mobile website.
It allows registered users to post their location at a venue ("check-in") and connect with friends. Check-in requires active user selection and points are awarded at check-in. Users can choose to have their check-ins posted on their accounts on Sina Weibo, Kaixin001, Renren and Douban. Users can also earn badges by checking in at locations with certain tags, for check-in frequency, or for other patterns such as time of check-in.
Users can create a "To Do" list for their private use and add "Tips" to venues that other users can read, which serve as suggestions for great things to do, see or eat at the location.
In addition, users can see where they have checked in with a history page.
Landlords
If a user has checked-in to a venue on more days than anyone else in the past 60 days, and the check-ins are valid under foursquare's time and distance protocols, they will be crowned landlord (Chinese: 地主; pinyin: dìzhǔ), similar to Foursquare's "mayor." Someone else may earn the title by checking in more times than the previous landlord. It is harder to be crowned landlord in spaces that are swarming. Even after you've been crowned "Landlord," you must continuously check in to maintain your position as landlord.
Badges
Badges (Chinese: 徽章; pinyin: huīzhāng) are earned by checking into various venues. Once a badge is earned by a player, it will remain on that user's profile indefinitely.
Scoring
Each time the user checks into a place, he or she receives points.
Brands
Jiepang Brands allows companies to create pages of tips and allows users to “follow” the company and receive special, expert tips from them when they check-in at certain locations.
Local surprises
"Local surprises" (simplified Chinese: 本地惊喜; traditional Chinese: 本地驚喜; pinyin: běndì jīngxǐ), similar to Foursquare's "specials", are an incentive for Jiepang users to go "check-in" at a new spot or revisit their favorite hangout.
Partnerships
A Jiepang application is preloaded on all HTC and Sony phones sold in China.[4]
Jiepang uses Baidu Maps for the platform.
See also
References
- ^ Beaumont, Claudine (June 4, 2010). "Foursquare blocked in China". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- ^ Del Rey, Jason (November 7, 2011). "Starbucks Taps China's Foursquare for Huge Holiday Check-in Campaign". Advertising Age. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- ^ Yue, Cathy; Olney, Roman (September 22, 2010). "Jiepang – the Chinese Answer to Foursquare". Edelman Digital. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- ^ "联络街旁 / Contact Us". Jiepang. Retrieved August 5, 2012.