Here is a video round-up on Facebook Places, so you can understand it without reading required.

The Official Facebook Story: Promo video for Facebook Places. My summary: Capture your memories, share with your friends, Be Happy! Check Facebook when you cross bridges. Hand me the tissue!

CBS Video: Interview with Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowleys. My summary: Places is not the same. Foursquare had its best day on Facebook announcement. Facebook is training folks on how to check-in. Like the positive thinking. Facebook as training wheels for FourSquare = Nice positioning!

Couldn’t get embed to work so you need to click for this one! http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6791475n

Mashable Video: More how FourSquare feels about Facebook Places: All good, it validates the space. It’s what you build on top of it. No Plan B if everyone bails to Facebook Places. Pretty close to the press conference spiel he gave. I like the fearless attitude and accent of Holger Luedorf, Foursquare Vice President of Mobile and Partnerships.

On my reading list in case you actual do want to read about Facebook Places:

The witty and informative look by Tim Bradshaw at Financial Times. Best Quote:

“My Foursquare friends are limited to people who ‘get’ privacy. Not all my Facebook Friends do, so I won’t be using Places.” Glyn Britton, of London ad agency Albion on Twitter.

Lisa Barone at Small Biz Trends has a great take on what it means to small busineses. Best Quote::

“As a small business owner you need to be aware of Facebook Pages, and you need to be aware of it even if you have no intention of ever using it. Because some of Facebook’s 500 million users are your customers and, regardless of your feelings, they’ll be using it.”

I enjoyed Lance Ulanoff at PC Magazine‘s sarcastic look at the Facebook press event. Extra points for the almost crying references:

“Oddly, while Foursquare, Yelp, and Gowalla weren’t crying on stage, Facebook’s own VP of Products, Chris Cox almost did as he spoke wistfully of the power of Places and how to this would unlock bookshelves full of dusty memories.”

Tony Bradley at PC World on Reuters had a great analysis of whats missing from Facebook. Best Quote:

“The achievements and competitive nature of competing services like Foursquare are key elements that Facebook needs to incorporate into Places to make it more compelling (or addictive). Sharing a location may be enough for casual updates among friends, but the point system, badges, and Mayor designation on Foursquare are the kinds of features that drive participation and make location-based check-in a more powerful tool for businesses.“

So many questions …So is Facebook Places great training wheels for FourSquare or a Foursquare killer? Is it fun enough without the badges? Is checking-in going mass market?

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