Month: July 2010

Speed Dating Gets A Revival Among 20-somethings

Posted on July 19, 2010

Speeddatingconnections logo AP – July 17 - Speed dating, a party where groups of people have micro-dates over the course of an evening in a sort of amorous musical chairs is being rebranded as a younger, hipper alternative to online dating. An event called "The Internet Killed Your Social Skills" is drawing crowds every first Thursday of the month. A slew of other dating agencies are offering specialized speed dating services to clients. Speed Dating Connections has hosted 10,000 daters over the past two years. Speed Dating Connections primarily focuses on ethnicity-based dating; the majority of their events are for Asian and Indian clients. According to some experts, speed dating is not a fast track to finding love. "What can you possibly tell in that short amount of time?" asked April Beyer, founder and president of Beyer and Company, a relationship consultant group. According to Beyer, men especially don't benefit from speed dating because they invariably make bad choices when presented with a feast of appealing women.

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

Social Networking Takes Flight

Posted on July 19, 2010

Sn while fliying NYTIMES – July 16 - Airlines are beefing up their presence on networking
channels, and travelers’ groups like FlyerTalk.com have created new
apps that allow members to find one another while on the road. Business
travelers can use these services to share cabs to the airport, swap
advice or locate colleagues in the same city. A survey of 84 of the
world’s largest airports by the Airports Council International earlier
this year found that 96% offered Wi-Fi connections, and 73% had
connections throughout their terminals. About 45 % offer the service
free; the rest charge an average of about $8 an hour. More than 10
airlines in North America, including American, Delta and Southwest, are
wiring their planes for Internet access, and major foreign airlines
like Lufthansa are introducing new technology that will let customers
connect on transoceanic flights. For those who want to connect, few
airlines can match Virgin America for mingling opportunities. In
addition to its Internet service, it offers seat-to-seat messaging via
its seatback video screens. It has also teamed up with match.com to create a party atmosphere on specific flights (reportedly at least one couple who met this way became engaged). FULL ARTICLE @ NY TIMES

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This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.

FriendFinder Networks Offers $210 Million For Playboy Enterprises

Posted on July 15, 2010

Ffn logo WSJ – July 15 - FriendFinder Networks has made a proposal to acquire Playboy Enterprises, Inc. for $210 million. FriendFinder Networks owns over 30 000 web sites with over 350M registrants in 180 countries, offering a wide variety of online services. With ~200,000 affiliates in its network, FriendFinder Networks maintains one of the world's largest internet affiliate programs, providing the Playboy brand the ability to help extend its global reach.

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

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EasyDate To Play Cupid Across The Globe

Posted on July 15, 2010

Bill dobbie EDINGBURGH NEWS – July 14 – Bill Dobbie, founder of EasyDate, is a St Andrews pure maths graduate who got a job with Burroughs in Cumbernauld in the 1970s making "business machines" – today they're known as computers. Then he build up Teledata, a telephone information services company that he sold to Scottish Telecom, and Iomart, an internet web hosting firm he helped create with his brother-in-law Angus MacSween. He left six years ago, but maintains interests there, and launched web-based DVD rental firm, dvds365.com. When that was sold to LoveFilm.com, it was time to seek out a new venture. Named last year as one of Deloitte Technology's Fast 50 – a list of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in the UK – EasyDate attracts about 200,000 new fee-paying members a month. "We wouldn't be maximising the company's capability if we didn't take it worldwide," said Bill Dobbie, the founder. "And we've had an international outlook from the beginning." Boosted by the stock market cash injection, EasyDate is now preparing to do just that. First up is the acquisition of an American firm that will increase the firm's presence there. Australia, where EasyDate already draws ~£200,000 a month,  is targeted for expansion, as is Brazil, China and almost everywhere else you might care to mention.  FULL ARTICLE @ EDINBURGH NEWS

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Flirting With Mobile Phones

Posted on July 15, 2010

Flirtomatic logo bigger WSJ – July 14 - According to Handmade Mobile Entertainment, the operator of online flirting network Flirtomatic, more and more people want to use the computer and mobile phone for quick, romantic fun, rather than to merge their soul with another.Handmade Mobile raised a $9M Series C round. Juniper Research has estimated the market will grow to ~$1.4 billion in revenue by 2013. Other services include MeetMoi, which is tied more to a user’s mobile location, and BigCafe, which rewards members the more they play with points and “coins” used to send virtual gifts. Flirtomatic’s goal is to make it as easy as possible to meet others through a mobile device. A user can sign up and begin flirting with the 2.7M registered members in less than a minute. FULL ARTICLE @ WSJ

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ScentOfLove Launched

Posted on July 14, 2010

Scentoflove logo PRESS RELEASE – July 14 - Basisnote has just launched ScentOfLove
(formerly known as Chemistry-Check). ScentOfLove translates the complex
biology of physical attraction into a searchable tool that is easily integrated into any existing dating
site. Biological compatibility is the key to a higher success rate at
first dates and in long term relationships according to Basisnote, a
company that has developed a test to measure biological compatibility
based on a person’s unique scent. FULL ARTICLE @ SCENTOFLOVE

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Salad Match: Online Dating Now On The Menu At Just Salad

Posted on July 14, 2010

Saladmatch logo PR NEWSWIRE – July 14 - Just Salad announces the launch of SaladMatch.com, a new online dating platform designed to play cupid amongst the nutrition-minded customer base who frequent Just Salad's New York City and Hong Kong locations. Once users log on and create their free profile, SaladMatch searches its database for compatibility based on gender preference, favorite Just Salad location, top five salad toppings, dressing  and a special section for users to fill in criteria for their ideal "salad soulmate." Users are presented with a list of possible matches and a place to keep track of their dating schedule. Naturally, users are encouraged to have their first date at their preferred Just Salad location. Just Salad opened its first location on 51st Street and Park Avenue in May 2006 and has since expanded to four additional locations in Manhattan and two locations in Hong Kong, China. The restaurants focus on providing healthy quick lunch and dinner options.

The full article was originally published at VPO Press Release, but is no longer available.

Outsourced Online Dating

Posted on July 14, 2010

MSNBC – July 14 – Creating profiles, searching for potential dates, sending emails, finding love online can feel like a part time job but now people can hire help. ProfileHelper.com writes profiles and other sites can the full service dating assistant.
Scott Valdez’s company Virtual Dating Assistants is one of them.

Scott: We start off with a 2 hour interview to get to know the clients so we can create their profile on a number of dating sites. We browse the sites for candidates and put them in a short list. Then we have the openers and they send the initial messages. Their job is to get an agreement to meet, either to talk on the phone or meet offline. It’s up to them to make an impression on the date.

And here with more of the pros and cons of outsourcing your dating life is Michelle Callahan, psychologist and contributor to Women’s Health magazine.

Michelle: I think a lot of people would be peeved if they found out about it. I think this service is being targeted to people who are really, really busy professional people who just don’t want to be bothered. Then I question their ability to present themselves well when it comes to a first date.


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iovation Announces ReputationManager 360

Posted on July 14, 2010

Iovationlogo BUSINESS WIRE – July 14 - iovation, the device reputation authority protecting online businesses from fraud and abuse, today unveiled ReputationManager 360. ReputationManager 360 combines customizable business rules, risk profiles, and the shared experiences of more than 2,000 fraud analysts worldwide. ReputationManager 360 helps online businesses stop cyber criminals before they have a chance to cause damage to both businesses and customers.

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

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