What will they think of next?
Gone are the onerous days of online dating, where you and a perfect stranger message each other until you finally agree to meet. This requires plumbing through your schedules until you coordinate the big date. And if that date blows, which unfortunately is more likely than not, it can often feel like a colossal waste of time.
No longer, my friends.
Welcome to dating based on geolocation. The catch? You need a smartphone such as the Droid or Iphone. You also must be relatively comfortable with a bunch of strangers knowing your general area. The OKCupid app (the one I use) showcases the matches in your area that are at a 70% and higher compatibility, and enables you to independently select "Let's Meet." If your match also hits "Let's Meet," then the app links you both up to message one another and plan the details. The locals feature allows you to "Set Your Broadcast," to "Let's meet for ... drinks/coffee/dinner" and then broadcasts the general area (Dupont) and your availability.
The idea is clever in that it banks on the fact that if you're already going out, there's a good chance you'd like to run into someone fun. And...to be honest...wouldn't we all? Don't we want to feel like we are organically meeting guys/girls in their natural environment?
Now, at first I was wary. This app seems sketchy and even stalkerish. The traditional messaging system at least allowed you to vet the person before you met him/her. But then I discovered that the locals system actually brings dating back around to a more traditional form of dating! You're out with friends, you see someone cute, you chat/flirt, and then within twenty or so minutes you figure whether you'd like to never see them again, see them for a night, or see them for days to come. And with the locals app, you have a powerful tool at your hands: you can meet in groups, which ups the numbers and potential matches at your disposal. We're talking both convenience and efficiency, wrapped into one.
It looks like dating on crack as arrived. And it's just a free app away.
No comments:
Post a Comment