TECH CRUNCH – July 13 – Flikdate, the free dating app, is now available in Apple’s App Store. Unlike most other video dating services, which focus on pre-recorded videos, Flikdate allows users to set up virtual mini-blind dates using video chats right on the phone. Every conversation is limited to 90 seconds. During a conversation, users can vote each other up or down and flick over to the next conversation if things get boring. Flikdate uses Facebook as its identity mechanism and bans users who just can’t keep their pants on.
Category: Outlets – Tech Crunch
Cofounderly Is A Couples App For Founders
TECH CRUNCH – July 4 – TheIceBreak previously launched an app where couples can answer icebreaker questions. When TheIceBreak co-founder Christina Brodbeck was looking at the app’s user data, she saw that there were co-founders actually using the app to communicate. So TheIceBreak team took the functionality of the couples app and created new content tailored for startup co-founders. Cofounderly is supposed to encourage real-world conversations, rather than replace them. Ultimately, she says the app should be “leading to more in-depth, in-person conversations.”
People Are 37% More Likely To Date Friends Of Friends
TECH CRUNCH – June 29 – We’re more likely to choose mates who have Facebook friends in common with us. This comes according to a new study by Coffee Meets Bagel, a startup that shows users a suggestion of someone to date each day and connects them if they both fancy each other. People with mutual friends are 37.2% more likely to both give each other the thumbs up. Women are much more influenced by the mutual friends effect. For guys, being linked by the social graph isn’t too big of a deal. It only makes dudes give the go-ahead 10% more often.
Grindr Hits 4M Users, 1M Daily Uniques
TECH CRUNCH – June 17 – Grindr has surpassed 4M users (with 500K new users in the last quarter alone), and 1M active daily uniques. Blendr, the gender-open counterpart to Grindr, has also picked up steam.
Flikdate: First Mobile Live Video Dating Service
TECH CRUNCH – May 31 – Flikdate for iOS is all about live video calls, making it feels more like a mix of Chatroulette and Match.com than the current crop of video dating services. Users sign up with Facebook login, tell the service if they want to chat with men or women, and after that, it just takes one click to get started. The service works over 3G and WiFi. By default, every conversation is limited to 90 seconds and costs one flik. If they want to talk for longer, they can go on a virtual “date” for 5 fliks.
MiniDates Schedules Real-Life Blind Dates
TECH CRUNCH – May 31 – MiniDates schedules dates for members based on their schedule and suitor preferences. There is no messaging and no browsing. The date is as blind as can be, with the exception of seeing a profile picture and an age. An email will be sent to a woman with a match, both in schedule and preferences, and it’s her prerogative whether or not she accepts. Subsequently, men are notified that this or that lady has accepted a date with them. Men can’t see anything about the women until the date has been accepted, and no one will be able to connect with anyone until they’re found in real life. After the date, they’re asked to rank your potential suitor.
Badoo Hits 150 Million Users, Boosted By Mobile
TECH CRUNCH – May 4 – Where Facebook concentrated on linking up with existing friends and friends of friends, Badoo was oriented towards you meeting new people all the time, and for others to push themselves out there. That gave it an obvious flirtatious feel. Currently on 150M users, Badoo is one of the top five social networks globally according to comScore, and its growth is being significantly powered by mobile (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and WAP worldwide). In the U.S. market it’s seeing more new registrations on mobile than on Web, with 68% of new users coming to the site via mobile over the past six months. Mobile usage has grown by 100% since November 2011, and Badoo says is it more than doubling mobile revenues. Badoo has seen over 60% growth YOY with 35M active users per month worldwide, adding 150K new users a day. Badoo is still in profit and has an annual run rate of $150M.
by Mike Butcher
See full article at Tech Crunch
This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.
Cheek’d Is Online Dating In Reverse
TECH CRUNCH – Apr 22 – At Cheek'd website users fill out a profile and order a deck of cards, which say things like “act natural, we can get awkward later”. The cards also have a short ID code on them, with a URL for the Cheek’d website. When a suitor receives the card, the idea is that they’re so filled with curiosity that they enter the code on Cheek’d and are taken to user's profile page. Members pay $9.95 for a monthly subscription to keep their profile live. They have to pay extra for the cards which come in various sizes with corresponding pricing.
Badoo Hires Google Exec Ben Ling As New COO
TECH CRUNCH – Apr 19 – Badoo has appointed long-time Google executive Benjamin Ling as COO to help push it out across mobile and Web platforms. Ling was product management director of Search Products and Local Business Products at Google. Ling will begin his new role at Badoo in May.
by Mike Butcher
See full article at Tech Crunch
This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.
Coffee Meets Bagel Online Dating
TECH CRUNCH – Apr 18 - Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) has just launched in NYC. After signing in through Facebook, CMB will match users with one person every day at noon. This person isn’t just some rando, but a friend of a friend. Users have two options: like or pass. If they pass, it’s over. If they click like they will be immediately connected through a text message sent from a private company phone line. Once they’re connected, CMB will hook them up with free gifts from dating spots in NYC for their first date. The company has plans to roll the service out in four other cities by the end of the year.