GOWALLA SOLD TO FACEBOOK

Facebook has acquired location sharing service Gowalla for an undisclosed sum, according to a source close to Gowalla. Facebook declined to comment on the deal. "We don't comment on rumor and speculation," a company spokesman said.

Launched in 2009, Austin-based Gowalla went head-to-head with direct rival Foursquare -- and lost. Badly trailing Foursquare in user adoption, Gowalla recently shifted directions, recasting itself as a travel guide.

GOWALLA INTEGRATES RIVALS FOURSQUARE AND FACEBOOK

Gowalla with its newly updated iOS application hopes to keep users immersed by removing the need to switch apps if they choose to check-in with multiple services. Gowalla 3.0 allows users to irritate their friends like never before by allowing them to check into Gowalla, Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr simultaneously. Other additions in version 3 include better Retina Display support, a tweaked UI and bookmark support for visited places. Gowalla might not be the biggest LBS in the bunch, but by unifying the check-in process it hopes to become a one-stop shop that will simplify check-ins for active users. [BGR]