Thoughts so far on "Gowalla for Mobile Web" (on Android)

I actually tailored my errands today to how Gowalla-compatible they were because I was so anxious to use this on my HTC Hero (GSM/European version, unlocked and rooted). This is what I've noticed so far:

-Some have complained that it doesn't work because the Passport tab (default when you launch the site) "hangs" forever. I found that clicking on the other tabs shows Gowalla working, and the Passport tab refused to load anything until I'd checked in from my first location. I'm assuming this is because until that first check-in, there's really nothing for Passport *to* load (except pins). So since most people who are checking out Gowalla for Mobile Web are Android users and thus have not been able to check in anywhere up until now (unless they've used an iPhone earlier for their account), it wouldn't be surprising if a lot of people are thinking Gowalla isn't working, as the first thing these people are seeing is a forever-hanging Passport screen.

-The GPS receiver on my Hero is sloooooooow to find an initial satellite (it's not unbearably slow, but a marked difference from my Blackberry), so when I first launch GMW, it doesn't register my location unless my GPS has already connected. So I have to wait to connect, then refresh the page.

-Additionally (and this isn't a complaint, just an observation for other users to note), whenever I change location and want to refresh the "Spots" tab, I have to refresh the browser-- clicking on the tab again doesn't change anything.

-Also, if I leave the browser (with the Gowalla page loaded) running in the background, the GPS receiver stays on and connected, which can be a battery-draining bother. But it's either leave it running and risk killing the battery or be constantly shutting down the browser and reopening it and having to wait for GPS to connect again (see above: it takes a bit).

-In order to check in to a location, I have to be registered as under 1 km away. This is convenient, but a bit contrary to Gowalla's aim for precise check-ins and leaves open a LOT of room for faked check-ins.

-As noted in the official Gowalla blog entry about GMW, you can't create spots using this, which is kind of a bummer because as much as I love looking for new places other people have created, I see so many that are missing that I'd love everyone to check out. I know this is a feature to "be added in the days to come" and I'd assume it'll be in the native Android app Gowalla has in the works, so for now, I'm happy enough with this.

-Whereas on the website, you can see exactly who has checked in to a specific spot (and their actions/comments), on GMW, you can only see user/check-in numbers. If I'm using Gowalla to discover what's around me, it'd be cool to be able to see who's been checking in at these locations and what (if anything) they have to say about it.

I'm honestly just excited to finally be able to use Gowalla on my Hero, and this is a fantastic appetizer-sneak-preview to tide me over until the native app is released. Thanks, Gowalla team!