CBS Interactive launches the Foursquare of TV viewing, TV.com Relay

Thursday, CBS interactive launched a mobile Web app called TV.com Relay, which lets users "check in" to the TV shows they happen to be watching and earn badges for their activities just like popular location-based games Foursquare and Gowalla.

Unlike those location based services, though, you don't actually have to go anywhere to use Relay.

Users link their Facebook profile to Relay, and enter their Zip code and cable provider. Then, by clicking "Shows," the user is presented with a complete list of everything their cable provider is playing at that moment. Next to each show is a list of how many other users are currently checked into it. Clicking on each list item opens up an episode synopsis, a list of users watching the show, and a big "Check In" button. The show the user is currently watching is then posted as a Facebook update.

Since it is a Web app, it's available to most mobile devices with a browser, and CBS Interactive says it will be available on connected TVs later this year.

Relay is located at relay.tv.com.