Month: February 2017

VR Technology Used In Online Dating

Posted on February 15, 2017

Virtual dateCNET – Feb 14 – Virtual reality will change the way we use computers, and possibly the way we date. In 2012, Oculus took the industry by storm and two year later Facebook snatched it up for $3B. Since then, companies from Google to Sony to Microsoft and Apple have gotten involved in VR tech in some way. Some developers are imagining how it can be used to go on dates. eHarmony predicts we'll regularly go on full-sensory (including smelling your partner's perfume) VR dates by 2040. And it might happen with apps like vTime, which works on devices ranging from the $599 Oculus Rift to the often-free Google Cardboard, which is powered by the smartphone. vTime it started off with a VR cooking simulator called Hypercook in 2013. Now it's looking into dating.

by Samantha Rhodes
See full article at CNet

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eHarmony: Trump Win Has More People Looking For Love

Posted on February 15, 2017

Eharmony picBBC.COM – Feb 14 – Use of online dating site eHarmony spiked by 35% in the US in the days that followed the Republican's victory. Grant Langston, CEO of eHarmony, said that the increase in activity on his site was reminiscent of those seen after the 9/11 attacks. "When times get unpredictable, people just want to be with someone," he said.

by Sean Farrington
See full article at BBC.com

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OkCupid Revamps To Be Less Like Tinder

Posted on February 14, 2017

Okcupid revampedTECH CRUNCH – Feb 14 – OkCupid is introducing a new version of its mobile app today, and plans to roll out its full redesign in March. The prior version featured a section called Quickmatch, which was OKC's own version of Tinder. In the new app out today, Quickmatch has been rebranded as DoubleTake where users can see multiple photos all on one page, as well as various details about the person in question, including their profile text. The idea, the company explains, is to give users a deeper look into someone's personality right from the start. DoubleTake was tested with select members ahead of today's public launch, and was found to have tripled the mutual matches, OkCupid claims.

by Sarah Perez
See full article at Tech Crunch

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Q&A With CoffeeMeetsBagel Co-Founder Dawoon Kang

Posted on February 14, 2017

CoffeeMeetsBagel-Kang-sistersFORBES – Feb 14 – Dawoon Kang and her two sisters grew up in an entrepreneurial family.

Q: What was the inspiration for starting Coffee Meets Bagel?
A: We noticed that dating was a big pain point for a lot of our friends, especially women. We started paying attention to the dating industry and realized there were no dating services that understood women.

Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced in your startup journey?
A: This is a job where challenges never end. First was starting a tech company with no tech background. Second was getting someone to join an all-sister, first-time entrepreneur team.

Q: What's it like working with 3 sisters who are all cofounders?
A: I feel so lucky to have partners I can fully trust, respect, and share anything with.

Q: You have raised $11.2M in venture funding. What advice can you offer female founders on raising capital?
A: Be smart and selective about who you pitch to. Be persistent. Don't be disappointed or take it personally just because they don't agree with your thesis – move on and find someone who does. Take their advice with grain of salt and use it as a way to hone your next pitch.

Q: What are the next steps for your business?
A: Serving international markets.

See full article at Forbes

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Why Using Tinder Is So Satisfying

Posted on February 14, 2017

Tinder app on screenWASHINGTON POST – Feb 14 – According to app analytics website AppAnnie, Tinder has been the most downloaded lifestyle app in America for two years. Tinder's approach to romance is straightforward, yet brutally effective. Matches are made using sparse criteria: Looks, availability and location. Tinder's interface is perfectly constructed to encourage rapid swiping. Since users don't know which swipe will bring the "reward" of a match, Tinder uses a variable ratio reward schedule, which means that potential matches will be randomly dispersed. It's the same reward system used in slot machines. In a study on the brains of drug addicts, researchers found that the expectation of the drug caused more release of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine than the actual drug itself. Similarly, for those who may be expecting the next swipe on Tinder to lead to reward, serial swiping can start to look and feel a lot like addiction. So in 2015 Tinder began to limit the amount of daily right swipes to 100 for users who don't buy into their premium service.

by Jeanette Purvis
See full article at Washington Post

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Subway Matchmaking Ads Reveal Marital Trends In China

Posted on February 14, 2017

Marry you add chinaCHINA.ORG.CN – Feb 14 – The "MarryU" ad in the subways is set on a black background, its logo featuring a golden-colored diamond, aptly symbolizing riches and prosperity. The ads are for a new dating app in China. Chinese families are still involved in matchmaking discussions, especially for young people nearing the age of 30. Each potential partner is heavily critiqued and assessed by families and tight communities. There's the discussion about whether a person is "marrying up" or "marrying down." It is considered unthinkable for a woman to marry down. Men may be permitted to marry down, only slightly. And if men find themselves marrying up, it can't "too up."

by Ember Swift
See full article at China.org.cn

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POF Data About Dating Profiles

Posted on February 14, 2017

Pof logo smallBUSINESS INSIDER – Feb 14 – Data from POF reveals that users spend ~10 minutes creating their profile, on average – but those who spend ~20 minutes are twice as likely to leave the site in a relationship. Users who indicate that they speak a second language receive significantly more messages. One likely reason, said POF data scientist Michael McDermott, is that these people seem more thoughtful and open.

by Shana Lebowitz
See full article at Business Insider

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Facts About Dating App Bumble

Posted on February 14, 2017

Bumble logoFORBES – Feb 14 – Bumble app was founded by Whitney Wolfe, a member of FORBES' 30 Under 30 2017 and a cofounder of Tinder. Women have to make the first move by sending the first message after two users swipe right on each other. The app claims 12.5M registered users. They tend to be young and well-educated. The average user spends 100 minutes a day on the app. Bumble's facilitated 750M matches after two years in operation, and is responsible for 5k weddings and engagements.

by Katie Sola
See full article at Forbes

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Daters With Learning Disabilities Slam OkCupid For A Controversial Personality Profiling Question

Posted on February 14, 2017

Okcupid question iqMIRROR.CO.UK – Feb 13 – OkCupid asks its users – "Would the world be a better place if people with low IQs were not allowed to reproduce?" – as part of its personality profiling scheme. Mencap, a UK charity for people with a learning disability, asked the dating site to remove the offending question in May 2016 but says OkCupid has so far refused to respond to its complaints. Mencap figures show 74% of the public believe the question should be removed. Mencap has now launched a petition, directed at OkCupid CEO Elie Seidman, arguing that "discrimination is #NotOKCupid."

by Natalie Evans
See full article at Mirror.co.uk

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Is India Ready For Speed Dating?

Posted on February 14, 2017

Speed dating general picINDIAN EXPRESS – Feb 14 – Speed dating is a concept where men and women meet for 5-8 mins, just enough to decide if they'd like to meet again. Speed dating saw it origins in 1998 when Rabbi Yaacov Deyo of Aish HaTorah first organised an event in the US as a way for Jewish singles to meet and marry. India has been flirting with the idea over the past decade. "Traditionally, India hasn't been a very open society when it comes to love. People often find it difficult to express feelings of love", says Taru Kapoor, country head of Tinder India. "Dating apps accelerate the process of finding someone in their own private space, instead of being guided by the family," explains Sumesh Menon, CEO and co-founder Woo. This is what makes the time ripe for speed dating to pick up pace here. DateTix is working towards setting up a formal speed dating culture in India. They began in January with Delhi, and intend to expand to other cities soon. Woo's Menon also believes there is a possibility that the concept will soon spread to Tier-II cities.

by Shruti Chakraborty
See full article at Indian Express

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Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team