Category: Uncategorized

ZDNET — Feb 16 — Jambo Networks users start by registering and building a profile via the company's Web site. Tell Jambo anything you might want other folks to know, such as your alma mater, occupation or musical tastes, then Jambo assigns you an ID number and provides software that works with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth wireless networking connection.  Jambo contracts with organizations such as universities, trade show organizers and Wi-Fi hot-spot providers to sponsor its service in a given area. The software alerts users when someone with similar interests is within wireless range and starts an instant messager. "We'd love to partner with someone like Match.com," Jim Young said. 

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

Mark Brooks: WiFi users will love this idea!  Proximity based matching will be huge fun, and huge business one day. 

PRNEWSWIRE — Feb 16 — Celebrities flocked the Viper Room for Star Magazine’s Pre-Grammy party. GuessWhatiHeard.com was a main attraction for celebrities as they fashioned the sites latest slogans and attire. GuessWhatiHeard.com allows people to talk about their ex-friends, flames, business associates, and classmates. In turn, this information can then be used by others when considering whether or not to date, befriend, or do business with these very people. Founder Kelly Felix created the site after hearing websites such as Friendster and MySpace were boring.

Mark Brooks: Friendster is getting it’s act together.  MySpace is anything but boring.

BUSINESS WIRE — Feb 13 — Jambo Networks announced a service that enables people with common interests and WiFi-enabled devices to meet each other when nearby.   "Jambo takes advantage of a little-known ‘ad hoc mode’ in WiFi cards, which allows people to use their devices to directly communicate with each other, whether they are in a WiFi-enabled area or not, so Jambo keeps searching for personal matches, whenever a laptop or other portable device is active — even on an airplane at 30,000 feet," said co-CEO Jim Young.  Travelers will be able to communicate with any other Jambo member throughout the La Guardia airport in a few weeks.

Mark Brooks: Proximity based wireless services hold great promise for the online personals services of the future.  (Check out the Mobile/Wireless internet dating conference) 

METRO SANTA CRUZ — Feb 11 — John claims to have dated more than 200 women from various dating websites over the past five years in his earnest search for a wife. “I will usually e-mail about 10 listings on a website. Of those, maybe three or four will reply. You’ve got to be careful with terminology, differentiating between a coffee date and a first date. About 50% of first dates have led to second or third dates.” FULL ARTICLE @ METROACTIVE

PRWEB — Feb 10 — OnlinePersonalsWatch.com officially launched today as the premier source for online personals news and industry information. "Finding the right partner is the most important decision a person can make. Online personals sites hold great promise in helping us improve the quality of these decisions. I hope to give greater visibility to the industry as a whole with OnlinePersonalsWatch," stated editor, Mark Brooks.

BANKRATE — Feb 10 — American men and women will spend an average $135 each on gifts for Valentine’s Day this year — dinners and romantic outings excluded. In the Christianization of cultures, ancient celebrations were often replaced by Christian holidays. Some claim that this is the case with Valentine’s Day, which falls around the time of the pagan Lupercalia festival. Lupercalia, like many great ancient rituals, included a good old-fashioned goat slaughter. The goat meat was cut into strips, dunked in sacrificial blood and then used to lightly slap women and crops, a ritual that was supposed to make them more fertile. According to legend, single women would then place their names in an urn. Bachelors of the city would draw a name out of the urn and the couple would be paired for the year.

BUSINESS WIRE — Feb 9 — "Online Dating: Serious Daters Offer Salve For Slowing Growth" is based on a survey of over 2,300 online adults, and also includes JupiterResearch’s forecast for the growth of the online personals market. The report finds that 33% fewer consumers are browsing online personals today than one year ago, causing the industry growth to slow considerably. "The industry grew by 73% in 2002 and 77% in 2003. But in 2004, as the number of users actually started to decline, the market grew by only 19%. In 2005, the industry will grow by just 9%, to $516 million." With fewer users browsing online personals, dating sites have focused on increasing conversions. "Serious daters present an attractive opportunity for personals sites. These users convert 20% more often, are twice as likely to purchase long-term subscriptions and pay up to twice as much per month as casual daters," stated Elliott. For additional information on the online personals report or visit www.jupiterresearch.com or contact Kieran Kelly at 1-800-481-1212.

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD — Feb 9 — After a dramatic takeoff, the online dating industry seems to have reached its cruising altitude. US consumers spent ~$228 million on online personals the first half of 2004, up 6% from 2003. Two years ago, spending on online dating had quadrupled in a year and then grown by about 49% the following year. The recent plateau forces online dating companies to do some soul-searching to keep attracting young singles. Nate Elliott, Jupiter Research predicts more modest growth – about 20% over a four-year period. Some seekers are joining singles groups, helping their memberships surge. Some are finding free ways to meet and greet online in places such as Craigslist. Even industry insiders acknowledge that they need to do a better job. "We've been slack," said Kristin Kelly, senior director of public affairs for Match.com.

The full article was originally published at Omaha World-Herald, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Barry, meet Kristin, Kristin meet Barry.

BUSINESS TIMES — Feb 8 — WaveMarket Inc. said Monday it has received $9.4 million in venture capital funding led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson; will use the money to fund its Crunkie service, which is an Internet social network like Friendster that also tells mobile phone users where other users are physically located. Allows users to be notified if their friends or important locations are nearby. FULL ARTICLE @ BIZ JOURNALS

Mark Brooks: Location based wireless dating services; one to watch. I wonder if anyone is talking about this technology at the Wireless/Mobile Dating Conference in July? Marc?