Category: Uncategorized

YAHOO — Dec 9 — 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 them.  Kelly Felix, founder of GuessWhatiHeard.com, says he created the site after seeing and hearing from many people that most so-called "social networking" websites such as Friendster and MySpace are just plain boring, and that finding out what other people think of you and others is not only fun, but very useful.

Mark Brooks: Interesting idea.  Alas, missed the boat.  Yet another way to skin the social networking cat.

SEARCH ENGINE JOURNAL — Dec 9 — Friendster Search, powered by Eurekster, shows results ranked based on preferences of Friendster members and their friends. Friendster’s 13 million users can now access personalized Internet search results based on their interests and preferences and those of their friends. This new functionality uniquely informs Friendster users of “What’s Hot” among their network of friends, alerting them to new Web destinations and topics of interest. It continuously learns from the search behavior of Friendster users and their social networks. The technology links search algorithms to social networks and “remembers” the sites that users and their network of contacts have searched for and found useful, surfacing them to the top for future searches. SEARCHENGINEJOURNAL

Mark Brooks: I checked it out. Blindingly fast search results. I looked up 'ace club' and it pulled up my club ACE-CLUB and American Council on Exercise. Relevant, and what my network might well have searched for. Right column shows recent and popular searches from my network. Seems Scott Sassa is pulling things together nicely for Friendster, at last. What's next Scott? How about some cool deals with some major brands? Starbucks, Disney, Miramax? How about Friendster mixers/parties? What happened to the events calendar?

PRWEB — Dec 7 — Getinlove.com just launched their Certified Member Program which includes a background investigation that’s so extensive it would make the CIA jealous! According to Simmi Chandi, GetInLove.com’s President, “Too many unscrupulous people take advantage of the anonymity of the Internet when they want to hide the fact that they are married, have a criminal history, or worse. PRWEB

Mark Brooks: There are a few flavors of user verification. LookBetterOnline allows users to add a date to their professional photos.  FriendFinder uses ConfirmID to verify ID via a drivers license. True.com uses RapSheets to verify marital status and criminal record. VerifiedPerson provides similar services.

CONTRA COSTA TIMES — Two years ago, there was Friendster. At the beginning of the year came Catster for cats and Dogster for dogs. Now there's Elfster — to link elves with elves? Sort of. Computer programmer Peter Imburg of Oakland created the Web site to organize high-tech Secret Santa gift exchanges.

The full article was originally published at Contra Costa Times, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: It's amazing the breadth of spin-offs and copycats Friendster has inspired. Tired of Friendster? Try http://www.fiendster.com.  fyi… http://www.everyonesconnected.com was one of the few precursors to Friendster and part of Jonathan's (Founder) inspiration set.

INFOTECH — 11/21 — Friendster will soon launch its first mobile service in the Philippines to test the concept of merging the biggest online social networking service with mobile phone technology. The mobile service will soon be rolled out in other countries. Founded in August 2002 by Jonathan Abrams, Friendster has had an unprecedented growth in the number of its registered users. To date, it has 13 million users worldwide.

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

Mark Brooks: But how will Friendster make money? How about some additional services for US users? MySpace is stealing ground from you Friendster.

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE — Membership at the largest online dating site in Europe for expats, Expatica Date has doubled in the last year to about 5,000 posted profiles with 350 paid memberships. The number of singles has risen more than 8% in the last 10 years, according to the 2003-04 GMAC Global Relocation Trends survey. The number of Internet users worldwide is expected to top one billion by 2005.

Mark Brooks: Less marriages, more divorce, less kids, older first time marriages, more singles…the institution of marriage isn’t looking so strong all of a sudden. No wonder online dating is doing so well?! Next step, expats, Europe, the world! Hey, Match just launched in Japan!

MAC WEEKLY — Created by five Harvard undergrads and launched in early February 2004, thefacebook is an online directory and social networking site through which registered users can get in touch with high school friends and find fellow students. The web site was originally intended only for Harvard students, but in less than a year its membership has swelled to 824,505 users at colleges and universities. 

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

Mark Brooks: ConnectU is a sore competitor. ConnectU and thefacebook Face-off

ASSOCIATED PRESS — A federal jury awarded as much as $434,000 to a Ukrainian woman who sued the matchmaking service that set her up with the man who allegedly abused her after they wed. Nataliya Fox accused Encounters International of fraud and negligence, saying it should have screened its male clients and told her about a law that helps foreign nationals escape abusive relationships without fear of automatic deportation. Instead, Fox testified, agency owner Natasha Spivack told her to endure the alleged abuse or return to Ukraine.

Mark Brooks: AP, this is not an ‘online dating’ service. It’s a matchmaking service. At $1,850 membership a higher level of service is expected along with a higher level of responsibility.  This can’t compare with $25 a month ‘online dating.’ 

DELAWAREONLINE — Nov 16th — The Dortmund store launched its first singles shopping event in the fall last year, at the suggestion of two workers who thought it might help an unmarried bakery worker at the store. Now, every Friday night is singles night at the store, and the event plays out regularly at many of the 91 other German Wal-Marts. Wal-Mart officials in Germany say they know of about 30 couples who found each other at a singles shopping night. In fact, the events have become such hits in Germany, increasing Friday night sales 25%, that Wal-Mart has trademarked the name "Singles Shopping" to deter copycats.

REDNOVA NEWS — Hanging precariously off a cliff might not be the first place you'd think of looking for a perfect mate. Believe it or not, I'm on an adventure dating weekend called "I'm A Singleton…Get Me Out Of Here!" And I'm here to find my Mr Right. The concept was dreamt up by four adrenaline-junkies who wanted to get singles out of smoky city bars and into the mucky country. Leon Wren, co-founder of P7UK, explained: "There's no better way of getting to know someone than seeing them outside their comfort zone!"

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