Online dating goes mobile with Dating DNA, now for iPhone
Mobile computing is destined to transform online dating and it’s obvious that the iPhone and iPod touch will be leading the charge. You would think that the online dating giants like Match.com and eHarmony would be all over this like the papparazi on Paris Hilton, but we suspect the little players in this space will be the ones to revolutionize it. Imagine how iPhone 2.0 features will be coupled with native apps to bring online dating into the mobile age. Real-time video conferencing and location-based services will help singles hook up faster than Lindsy Lohan at a frat party. And forget about STDs, the real danger will be iPhone viruses getting passed around town like canker sores. We smell an opportunity for iPhone condoms in the form of security apps to protect our mobile devices. But we digress. Dating DNA is looking to give the big online dating services a run for their money by betting on iPhone and iPod touch. Read on to find out how Dating DNA’s free service has already changed mobile dating with social networking, and get a glimpse into what they have in store for iPhones in the near future.
Dating DNA made an obvious discovery that the big dating sites completely overlooked. More and more people are gravitating to free social networks to find potential dates instead of paying monthly service fees at Match.com or eHarmony. How many hook ups do you think happen on MySpace or Facebook? The number is astronomical and Dating DNA is already helping those users find compatible matches on these social networks, including Craigslist and even LinkedIn (can you say “mixing business with pleasure?”).
Here’s how Dating DNA works. You sign up to get a 9 digit code number that is generated after you answer questions about your dating preferences. You can share this number on your social networking pages so other people with Dating DNA codes can made their code with yours. This matching is done by signing into your Dating DNA account, then plugging in the other person’s code. Dating DNA will then match the two codes and give you a compatibility rating on a scale of 1 to 10. If you find someone with a high number you know you have a match. You can also use the browse feature on the Dating DNA site to see photos of people that are highly compatible with you. When you find one, you click to add that person to your “DNA Strand” which is just a fancy name for your favorites list.
This browse feature is one of the handy tools currently available on the iPhone version of Dating DNA, which is a web app. Getting your Dating DNA code requires you to use a Flash widget which means you will need to get your code from your desktop web browser, then use your iPhone or iPod touch to browse thousands of compatible people when you’re on the go. The iPhone web app really boils down to browsing, selecting a person, zooming in on their profile and photo, then adding that person to your DNA Strand.
Dating DNA has a native iPhone app in the works and word on the street is that it is very slick. However, the current web app has a few additional features that make it valuable in our eyes. Aside from being absolutely free (no credit card required), Dating DNA has spam blockers so you know all the people in the system are real. Your profile and photos also stay private from the general public, and you have full control over the criteria of people you want to meet.
Dating DNA (main web site)
www.datingdna.com
Dating DNA for iPhone and iPod touch
www.datingdna.com/iphone
Add a comment (2 so far)
I’m impressed! This web app exceeded my expectations. You do have to invest 20 to 30 minutes in answering their profile questions before you can use this, but it is time well spent. I’ve tried other “free” online dating sites, but because there is no barrier for membership, half the members are fakes, frauds, scammers, and spammers. Dating DNA has figured out how to be both free AND only attract real, quality people.
You basically answer the survey questions (about yourself, what you’re looking for, and so on), and then you can login via your iPhone and browse photos of people you “score” high enough with. I also like the fact that my photo and profile are only shown to those who score high enough to meet the threshold I set.
I’d pay for this. It’s that good.
Sharon
Mobile computing would be a great help to make use of online dating successful. Because more people will be found online thus, more opportunity to search for the right match. Hope this would be a trend soon!