PRESS RELEASE - Spotted by Locals now part of the new Google Field Trip app

Amsterdam, Netherlands - March 4, 2013 - Today, Niantic Labs at Google added Spotted by Locals to its Field Trip app, an app that helps smartphone users discover cool, unique and hidden things around them. Spotted by Locals provides Field Trip users with always up-to-date tips by locals in 46 cities around the world.  

Field Trip runs in the background of a user's smartphone, and notifies the user when there's something interesting around. The app is highly customizable, and learns from the user's choices.  During travel, the app helps a user explore a city like a local.

Spotted by Locals was created in 2008 by Sanne and Bart van Poll, a married couple from Amsterdam. As two travel addicts frequently frustrated  by the obvious, touristy, impersonal, and out-of-date tips they found in their travel guides and online, they launched their own blog network, based on expertise from locals. There are now 245 locals ("Spotters") in 46 cities in Europe and North America writing about their favorite spots always keeping their tips up-to-date. 

Bart van Poll: "It feels Field trip was made to include our locals' quirky and off the beaten path tips. We are proud to be the only travel guide on Field Trip to provide insider tips on over 45 cities across Europe and North America."

Niantic Labs’ John Hanke: "Spotted by Locals is a fantastic addition to Field Trip, because it offers unique, local perspectives on what's worth doing, finding & exploring." 

About Spotted by Locals
Spotted by Locals is a series of blogs, PDF city guides, and mobile (iPhone, Android) apps with up-to-date tips by 245 handpicked local writers in 46 cities in Europe and North America. Since its launch in 2008, the company won various awards for its guides, including a Lonely Planet travel blog award and a Guardian & Observer Best Travel Website award. 

About Field Trip
Field Trip is an an app developed by Google's Niantic Labs that runs in the background of users' mobile phones, and acts as a guide to the cool, hidden, and unique things in the world around users. 

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For more information, please contact:

Bart van Poll | Spotted by Locals | Bart[at]SpottedbyLocals.com
T: +31 20 893 2899 | A: Sluisstraat 15h, Amsterdam, Netherlands 

Image material, videos & links:
http://www.spottedbylocals.com/press-kit/

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