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Offering iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Palm Pre mobile apps, Yelp is pushing hard to establish itself as the number one location based search tool for mobile users.

Keen to stamp all over the toes of Foursquare and introduce more compelling features, Yelp will shortly be adding the same ability to earn virtual badges after checking in to locations.

A right royal rip off

In exactly the same manner as their rival, Yelp will now reward the most regular visitors to a venue with “Royal” status.

Those with the most check-ins at a business will earn the title of  ‘Duke’ or ‘Duchess’, and if you’ve attained the most Dukedoms in a ‘hood, you become the ‘Baron’!

If you’re the saddest, most addicted most keen user in your city, then the honour of ‘King’ is conferred on you.

Some may remark that what Yelp are doing is totally ripping off Foursquare , but they like to spin it differently in their company blog:

While we know we’re not the first ones to offer check-ins, and we probably won’t be the last, we’ve found it compliments our existing mobile offerings and furthers Yelp’s mission of connecting people with and supporting great local businesses.

[Yelp UK]

Related posts:

1. Yelp updates iPhone app and goes for Foursquare with ‘check in’ features
2. Facebook introduces Places, partners with Gowalla and Foursquare
3. Foursquare notches up one million check-ins in a single day
4. Foursquare for BlackBerry gets push notifications
5. Dominos Pizza hooks up with Foursquare to offer foodie freebies