Thứ Hai, 15 tháng 8, 2016
Dating app Bumble just added a new premium tier that lets users access three special features. Bumble's first paid offerings, the features allow users to reconnect with previous matches, extend the 24-hour time limit on matches, and get new matches without swiping. All of the new features will be available as part of Bumble Boost, the app's $10-a-month subscription service. Formally called BeeLine, Rematch and Busy Bee, Bumble's new features are in line with premium features from other dating apps like Tinder. BeeLine will automatically match you with people who have already liked your profile. Rematch allows you to reconnect with someone who you previously matched with. BusyBee gives you unlimited extensions on the 24-hour time limit for contacting a new match. Image: Bumble The new features also mark Bumble's first foray into in-app payments — a significant move for the startup, which had previously never charged users for features. (Tinder implemented its first paid features last year.) Prior to Boost, Bumble expanded the options available to its free users with Bumble BFF, a friend-finding feature, and tools to help you match with people based on their musical taste or political beliefs. The company also recently introduced BumbleBizz, an upcoming networking service to help Bumble users make professional connections.
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 5, 2016
In what seems to be the app idea that refuses to die, there is — yet another — app for rating and reviewing people. This one, however, is limited to people who use dating apps and websites. A new app called Stroovy aims to help users vet the people they meet on dating sites by reading and writing reviews based on their experience. SEE ALSO: Peeple is not the worst app idea ever The idea is similar to Lulu, the app that began as a way for women to rate and review men they dated. (Lulu transitioned to a more conventional dating app earlier this year.) But, unlike Lulu's reviews, Stroovy takes reviews from users of all genders. The app's reviews are also not anonymous, at least not completely. A user name and avatar appears alongside each review (the app also requires users sign up with their phone numbers to prevent people from making duplicate accounts.) Reviews are also not limited to people who have met or gone on dates with each other — friends, coworkers and family members are also able to leave reviews for people they know. Another interesting touch is that users are unable to browse the app's reviews until they leave a full review (including a photo) for someone they know. And the app uses facial recognition to prevent people from uploading photos that don't have faces in them. Still, the idea will no doubt be controversial to some — remember the huge outcry over Peeple, the "Yelp for people" app — but the creators of the app say they hope to make online dating a safer experience for people. "The mission of Stroovy is to provide an online community to assist daters in enjoying safer and better dating experiences," the company writes on its website. "There are about 74,000 registered sex offenders active on dating sites, so use Stroovy's online dating community to find out more about who you are meeting on online dating sites." It's not clear exactly how they plan to handle potential privacy concerns. or if there's a way for users to opt out, but one of the app's creators said in a thread on Product Hunt that "the majority of reviews are very positive" so far. Stroovy is iOS only for now but an Android app is in the works. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
