Month: April 2006

Apr 13 — Here’s a really bad Myspace mockumentary video. 

Apr 13 — I'm starting a little list of dating software and dating service providers for those who are considering starting their own dating site or switching services.

Dating Software – Aewebworks, Asp.net Dating, Built2go, DateApp, Datetopia, Dating.lt, Datingsoft, Datingsoftwares, Datingpro, DatingSoftware.biz, E-classifieds, Emeeting, G-Dating, Mojopersonals, Osdate, Scorpio Dating, Silver, Skadate, Vldpersonals, Webscribble

Dating Services – Dating Site Builder, Spring Street Networks (owned by Friendfinder), Vintacom / Relationship Exchange

Social Network Software – Alstrasoft, Sparta

This list will appear under 'Handy Little Lists' on the left bar, for future reference. Please add your comments if you have had experience with any of these.  – Mark Brooks

PRIME ZONE — Apr 11 — The web-based Personal Emergency Notification System (PENS) provides time-released emergency messages via email, IM or SMS text messages to a pre-designated list of loved ones in case an emergency should occur while on a date.

The full article was originally published at Prime Zone, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Nice idea, but I can't see PENS being used consistently.  My three rules for online dating safety are 1. don't give out personally identifying info  2. don't have them meet you at your home/work  3. have someone call you 2 hours into the date to check-in

BUSINESS WIRE — Apr 11 — Friendster, with more than 27.5 million users, implements Akamai's content delivery and managed storage services to improve site performance, page download times and avoid the need to buy additional costly infrastructure. 

Mark Brooks: Recently I still heard complaints about Friendster's page loading speed.  Hopefully Akamai/Internap can help solve this longstanding problem.

NEW YORK TIMES — Apr 10 — About 11 million of Orkut's more than 15 million users are registered as living in Brazil – a remarkable figure, given that ~12 million Brazilians use the Internet from home.  Schools, workplaces, even residential streets have "communities" joined by people who have studied, worked or lived there. No one quite knows why Orkut caught on among Brazilians and not Americans. It exploded once it gained a foothold in Brazil.

The full article was originally published at IHT, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Rate.ee is Estonia's social network.  Bebo 'owns' Ireland. Friendster is huge in the Phillipines.  Please email me at mark@onlinepersonalswatch.com or comment if you know of any other regionally focused social networks.

Apr 11 — Online Personals Watch is, #1, for online dating executives.  I recognised the need for OPW whilst at Friendfinder, then started it while at Cupid.  Colleagues would forward articles around which were often laden with good ‘intel’ on the market, product developments and trends.  There was never enough time to route through all the articles.  OPW is ‘CNN’ for online personals industry execs, marketers and product managers.  I personally review all articles to cut through to the core intelligence that online personals [internet dating, social networks, business networks] industry decision makers need.  #2, OPW is for the press to get a quick read on the industry and contact execs.  #3, it acts as a watchdog, of sorts.  – Mark

MARKETING VOX — Apr — All Webshots users with an “.edu” registered email address will be connected to CollegeLive – which has separate communities for each academic institution.  CollegeLive will generate revenue from text ads.

The full article was originally published at Marketing Vox, but is no longer available.