Category: Outlets – Tech Crunch

Social Gaming, Dating Account For The Biggest Growth In Carrier Billing

Posted on September 3, 2012

Mobile app screenshotTECH CRUNCH – Sep 3 – According to new data from U.S./German carrier billing company mopay, mobile gaming is currently the biggest generator of carrier billing revenues, accounting for over half of all transactions and growing at a rate of ~30% YOY. Traditional mobile games currently bringing in $4.50 per month, and have grown by only 10%. Social gaming is seeing a much stronger rise: its average revenues per user are up by 40% to $5 per month. Social media apps accounted for 5% of all carrier billing transactions. Online Dating has grown by 25% and is currently bringing in $6.50 per month in revenues among individuals using these services. But some countries seem more taken by carrier billing than others: Italy has a lot of single users who return only 25% of the time. Brazil’s carrier billing users, meanwhile, return 70% of the time, with two-thirds of that group making more than five carrier-billing based purchases.

by Ingrid Lunden
See full article at Tech Crunch

This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.

OkCupid Asks Ad-Blocker Users To Go Ad-Free For $5

Posted on August 24, 2012

Okcupid logo aktualniTECH CRUNCH – Aug 24 – "You donate $5 to us once, & we remove all ads from the site forever.” That’s the text from a sidebar banner appearing on dating site OkCupid to users with ad-blocking software installed. This is not about offering a premium option with extra features and services. It’s about directly courting those with ad-blockers to pay for what they consume and uphold their end of the value exchange. OkCupid is simply asking ad-blocking users to support the site on their own terms.

by Josh Constine
See full article at Tech Crunch

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Tagged Raises $15M

Posted on August 22, 2012

Tagged logo newTECH CRUNCH – Aug 22 – Tagged, a social network for meeting new people, has raised $15M in growth capital financing from Lighthouse Capital Partners and Comerica Bank. The company previously raised $9M in funding. Tagged was on an acquisition tear in 2011, buying hi5, Digsby, TopicMarks and WeGame. Tagged's revenue grew by 35% to~ $43M in 2011.

by Leena Rao
See full article at Tech Crunch

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This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.

Another Top Googler Jumps To Badoo

Posted on August 16, 2012

Badoo logoTECH CRUNCH – Aug 16 – After losing long-time Googler Benjamin Ling to social network Badoo, Google is seeing another exec head to the UK site. This time, Jeff Hardy, who was Head of Global Partnerships for Google+ Local, is leaving the company to join Badoo as VP of Partnerships and M&A.

by Leena Rao
See full article at Tech Crunch

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This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.

Users Claim Twoo Is Spamming Their Friends

Posted on August 13, 2012

Twoo logoTECH CRUNCH – Aug 3 – Users are complaining that Twoo, a social networking service, is sending unwanted messages to their contacts. Co-founder and CEO Lorenz Bogaert counters that this is a misunderstanding and the company is working to fix it. The app auto-selects all of the user’s friends with no unselect all button, meaning the user must manually unselect every friend. While the “connect” button fairly obviously pings all of the user’s contacts, the “next” button will also send messages to all of the user’s friends. At the very best, the site is unnecessarily confusing. At the worst, it is purposefully complex in order to message unsuspecting users’ contacts to increase its membership.

by Billy Gallagher
See full article at Tech Crunch

Mark Brooks: Twoo have stiff competition with Badoo, also out of the UK. Badoo has been accused of being spammy in the past as well. These People Discovery services have both pushed the fringe of what's allowable and tolerable, and good practice.  (Full Disclosure: Courtland Brooks has advised Twoo in the past)

See all posts on Twoo.com

Flikdate’s Live Video Dating Service Launches On iOS

Posted on July 13, 2012

Flikdate logoTECH 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.

by Frederic Lardinois
See full article at Tech Crunch

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Cofounderly Is A Couples App For Founders

Posted on July 4, 2012

Cofounderly logoTECH 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.”

by Anthony Ha
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People Are 37% More Likely To Date Friends Of Friends

Posted on July 2, 2012

Coffee meets bagel logoTECH 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.

by Josh Constine
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Grindr Hits 4M Users, 1M Daily Uniques

Posted on June 18, 2012

Grindr blendr logosTECH 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.

by Jordan Crook
See full article at Tech Crunch

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Flikdate: First Mobile Live Video Dating Service

Posted on June 6, 2012

Flikdate screenshotTECH 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.

by Frederic Lardinois
See full article at Tech Crunch