Two new dating apps launch on iTunes

iHookUp iPhone application
CheckMate Mobile, Inc.

The world of cyber-dating is getting more creative. We no longer have to rely on sorting through matches on our favorite online dating sites to meet other single strangers; we can grab our iPhones or iPod Touches and in an instant, have a date. Or at least, we can be informed of available daters within a 5-mile radius of where we are drinking our coffee. Now that’s technology.

Two new iPhone applications have launched this week, and they offer quite different services than an online dating site like eHarmony. “iHookUpNow” by Checkmate Mobile, Inc. provides a GPS-enabled application to help you find singles located in your immediate area. Their website advertises a more casual approach to dating. For instance, if you find yourself in Santa Monica and want to visit a local bar, you can send a message to all iHookUpNow users in the area, and see if you get any takers to join you. If you do, you will receive a message with a picture of a potential hook-up, as well as an age, email address, and an approximation of how far away he/she is from you. The main idea for this application is that sometimes, people aren’t looking for a soul mate and just want a quick hook-up, as the name implies. The app is available for free for a limited time, but be careful before signing up if you are looking for more than a casual get-together.

For those of you on the other end of the dating spectrum who are sick of the constant hook-ups, there is a new iPhone application for you, too! BadOnlineDates from BadOnlineDates.com provides a forum to share your dating horror stories. The site advertises that you can “find relationships with likeminded daters”, meaning those who are as weary as you are in terms of meeting new potential romantic partners. You can view blogs and videos and commiserate with others who’ve had bad dating experiences. And the best part? This app is also available free through iTunes. Now, doesn’t that sound like a good time?

I have to admit, although these apps are not geared towards finding or maintaining strong, healthy relationships, they do provide entertainment. Sometimes we take dating too seriously, and can ruin the fun of the experience. These apps are a reminder that in the end, dating is a game of sorts. That is, until we find the right person.

For more info: Kelly Seal is a writer and former speed dating host.  You can visit her blog, Notes from the Dating Trenches at www.kellyseal.com, or you can follow her tweets at www.twitter.com/kellyseal.