Life in the Single Lane




 

 

App happy

After I wrote my last column, about ways to identify who’s single and who is not, I thought surely there must be more items in the marketplace besides ID bracelets and name tags—without resorting to forehead tattoos or scarlet letter “S” vests.

So, because we live in an age of advanced technology, I decided to go on the hunt for other viable and engaging ways for singles to connect and identify one another.

However, as much of my research is done online, I got sidetracked numerous times by sites with seemingly “interesting” solutions. For example, I don’t know what I thought I’d expect to find at www.AskMen.com, but I have to admit that my curiosity got the best of me when an article popped up titled “How to Spot a Single Woman.”

The writer offered this a- “luring” lead to snag readers’ attention: “You’ll still have to brush up on your pickup techniques, charm and smooth moves, but in the large pool of fish that is the female world, I’ll help you determine if she’s ready for the taking—or swimming with some bigger sharks. It’s then up to you to throw her the line and reel her in.”

Although I couldn’t relate to all the seaworthy jargon for tackle-toters, the writer also suggested that establishing direct eye contact and assessing body language might be good determinants of availability status.

Surfing the web further, I felt like I’d hit the mother lode of new and exciting information when I came across this statement: “A growing number of smartphone apps use internal GPS to help singles locate potential mates nearby.”

Bingo! As I am woefully techchallenged, I was totally unaware of the world of apps for singles, so I’m happy to report some of the GPS-related dating ones, as well as some online comments about them.

(And readers, please forgive me if I am unable to decipher the app lingo here for you because I have a hard enough time trying to use a cellphone—let alone understanding the difference between androids, steroids and hemorrhoids.)

According to one site, “Assisted Serendipity is a simple little application that uses Foursquare check-in data to alert you when the “scales of love tip in your favor,” i.e., when another single is close by at a designated bar, restaurant or venue.”

Badoo was reviewed as being an app that “will help you find new friends in your area, but it is designed to be a dating and rating service.”

With the How About We app, users can post messages such as, “How about we . . . hook up tonight” or “. . . go out to lunch” or “ . . . meet for a drink.”

The founder of LikeBright, Nick Soman, said he started his app to help people connect with a little help from their friends. Its logo states: “Friends don’t let friends date strangers.”

MeetMoi calls itself the “mobile matchmaker.” In a sentence, here’s how they say it works: “We search tirelessly for interesting people near you. When we find them, we send an alert to your phone.”

SinglesAroundMe, an app created by Chris Klotz after he met the woman who is now his wife while skiing in the Alps, says his app “is a leading social discovery mobile dating app that allows you to discover, meet and date (other singles).”

Skout claims its app “is one of the largest global, mobile network(s) for meeting new people. . . . With your mobile device as your guide, you can discover new friends at the local neighborhood bar, at a concert at Madison Square Garden or on a bus tour in Barcelona. Our community spans more than 100 countries and taps our app to meet new people nearby or continents away.”

Tingle members can use the app’s radar and check in to nearby locations to find other members in the area and connect by “winking” at them.

As it turns out, there are a ton of apps for available men and women, ranging from Grindr and Blendr for gay singles to Jazzed, the photography lover’s app. Also, most online dating sites such as eHarmony, Match.com, OKCupid and Plenty of Fish offer free apps.

More information on all of the above-mentioned apps and how to download them can be found on the Internet by Googling them.

And I’d love to hear from anyone who has had experience with any singles apps—or who dares to give them a try. Happy apping!

Ela Lindsay is a single freelance writer in Ventura County. To catch up on her bimonthly columns, visit www.theacornonline.com and type in “Life in the Single Lane.” For comments, email her at Lindsay.Ela@gmail.com.


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