Are you a senior at Facebook, but maybe a freshman at Twitter? Well, now there are two new social networking sites you’re going to want to log into:  Foursquare and Gowalla. It may sound like the games you used to play on the playground in elementary school, and…an energy bar or drink? But no, they are the two newest and trendiest websites to keep in touch with friends, tell your plans of your day, and keep track of others’ whereabouts.

Both sites were created in late 2008, but didn’t make it under the popular eye until 2009.  By March 2009, Foursquare stole the show, drowning out any fanfare that the then-buggy Gowalla tried to muster. But now the challenge has risen; nine months later and millions of dollars poured into getting Gowalla up into space, CEO and found Josh Willams, explains that there are well over 20,000 people logging into the site each day in over 1,000 different locations around the world.

So what’s really the difference between the two sites? Both have iPhone applications available, but have thousands of users logged in and many more joining the site, as well as millions of dollars behind them for funding to succeed.  But it depends on who you talk to, one will favor the other. Many claim the combo of Twitter, Yelp, Google Latitude, with a mix of social gaming and some privacy procedures gives you Foursquare; ecstatically declared, “next year’s Twitter.”  On the other hand, Gowalla is quickly creeping into the spot light and socially around the world. The widely expressed criticism with Gowalla is that it focuses on you more then what your friends are doing/interested in.  Part of joining Gowalla is to name your exact whereabouts and tell all your friends as soon as you login; surrendering your privacy.  The reason Gowalla demands this from you is because the information is crowd-sourced, which allows the app to quickly track in certain locations around the globe; giving the website more recognition for more users to join.

Many would say Gowalla trumps Foursquare in the lay-out of the website and accessibility, but Foursquare wins the race in terms of check-in location accuracy, tech support, supervising friends without stocking, and many other desirable and user friendly features. Regardless of which way you look at them, both are making strong efforts to get onto your smartphone for 2010. We are living in a world where you can get out of work and log into a site to find out where your friends are. Is this how socializing is going to be in the future? Edging out phone calls and texting only to keep technology booming and let personal connections plummet?  And in the competition between Gowalla and Foursquare, who gets your vote?