Report: 'Where I've Been' Facebook app acquired for $3 million
Update 9:37 a.m. PDT: It turns out TripAdvisor apparently did not purchase the Facebook Platform application Where I've Been for $3 million. Here's our follow-up story.
Who knew that Facebook Platform applications might one day be million-dollar acquisition targets?
Inside Facebook is reporting that Where I've Been, a third-party application developed with the Facebook Platform APIs, has been acquired by online travel company TripAdvisor for somewhere in the ballpark of $3 million. Inside Facebook blogger Justin Smith did not cite any sources; we have sent requests to both Smith and TripAdvisor for comment.
Where I've Been was created by Craig Ulliott, a Philadelphia-based developer, and counts 2.3 million users. Through a clickable map interface, users can color-code countries and U.S. states that they've visited, lived in, or want to visit, and display the whole chart on their profiles.
This isn't the first Facebook app acquisition, as photo widget creator Slide purchased the 'Favorite Peeps' application a few months ago for $60,000 and travel site SideStep bought the 'Extended Info' app as well, but the TripAdvisor buy (if it is indeed true) is likely the first multimillion-dollar one.
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
