SpeedDate Marches Past One Million Users Fast.

SpeedDate.com Surpasses One Million Online Speed Dates

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SpeedDate.com, the world’s first online speed dating site has hosted over one million “3-minute” online speed dates. Every day, thousands of new users join SpeedDate, which has become a premiere online dating destination for singles looking to meet new people quickly and easily.
“When we introduced traditional speed dating to cyberspace we knew it was a winning combination,“ says SpeedDate.com co-founder Dan Abelon. “Having hosted over one million dates so quickly demonstrates that singles recognize SpeedDate.com as a great new way to meet people online,” he added.
Launched this past October, SpeedDate’s free service offers singles the chance to log on and start dating immediately -- from the comforts of their own home, office or the neighborhood coffee shop. SpeedDate.com’s patented system allows singles to meet each other through 3-minute online speed dates using their webcams or instant messaging. Unlike other online dating options, SpeedDate.com allows singles to immediately determine if they have real chemistry before taking the time to meet in person.
“It’s amazing to be able to go on 30-40 online dates in an evening and then pick people you want to get to know better.” says Kelley, a SpeedDate member from California. “I’ve started a relationship that would not have been possible without SpeedDate.”
SpeedDate.com has registered users from all major cities within the United States as well as around the world. The site also features weekly events targeted to specific geographic areas.
SpeedDate.com (www.SpeedDate.com) also recently launched a Facebook application, introducing online speed dating to Facebook users all over the world. The company is backed by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Menlo Ventures.
tag: Dating, Social networking, SpeedDate, online dating, speed dates, Facebook,

eHarmony Wins Entretech Annual Entrepreneurship 2008 Award

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--eHarmony, (eharmony.com), the Internet’s #1 trusted relationship service, has been named the leading growth company at this year’s Annual Entretech Entrepreneurship Award Ceremony. The Awards Program honors leading-edge companies in three categories based on annual revenue. The categories include: startup – under $1 million; emerging – between $1 million and $8 million; and growth – over $8 million. Pasadena-based eHarmony launched in 2000 and is the only relationship Website that delivers compatible matches to its users based on scientific research that predicts happier and healthier relationships.

“The best measure of our accomplishment is the large number of eHarmony members enjoying happy marriages and our financial success is a by-product of our focus on the consumer,” commented Greg Waldorf, CEO of eHarmony. “We are honored to receive this award and I thank our members and the eHarmony team for all they have done to make us so successful.”

“eHarmony ultimately received the award for having clear evidence of product acceptance and the ability to define new marketplaces; vision and potential for future revenue growth and profitability; and dynamic leadership with a proven record of execution,” said Stephanie Yanchinski, Executive Director of Entretech.

As a trusted advisor to singles seeking successful, committed relationships, eHarmony has experienced significant subscription and revenue growth since launching 8 years ago. The company is now poised to deepen its customer relationships with expansive new products and services and to developing its international user base.

tag: eHarmony, Social networking, Dating,

Dating DNA, providing free dating Web Services for Social Networking sites

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 19, 2007 -- Kevin Carmony, recently-resigned CEO for desktop Linux vendor Linspire, today unveiled his new venture, Dating DNA, LLC (www.datingdna.com). Dating DNA provides free and open Web Services which bring 1-click compatibility scoring and other sophisticated dating features to Social Networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Craigslist, as well as to Internet devices such as Apple's iPhone and the Chumby web appliance (www.chumby.com).
"Online dating continues to move dramatically away from traditional dating sites such as Match.com and eHarmony," said Carmony. "Each day, more and more people are using Social Networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Craigslist, and others, as a means of meeting new people to date. Utilizing these sites is free and provides a far more natural way of meeting people than traditional dating sites of the past. Dating DNA is the first company to capitalize on this trend, by bringing the convenience of matching tools from traditional dating sites to these new Social Networking avenues, something which has been sorely missing."

Carmony believes that just like everyone's genetic DNA is different, so too is everyone's "dating DNA." A person's "dating DNA" is represented by a unique 9-digit number, exclusive to that individual and theirs for life. Users can get their free Dating DNA Number by visiting www.datingdna.com and answering a series of questions about themselves and their dating preferences, a process which takes around 15 to 30 minutes.

Through a patent-pending system devised by Carmony, Dating DNA encapsulates over 300 pieces of information down into a single 9-digit number, including all the particulars about a person and the type of people they prefer to date. For example, encoded in the number is a person's hair color, height, line of employment, religion, if they have children, political leanings, and hundreds of other pieces of information. Encoded in the number are also the person's dating preferences, such as do they prefer to date a non-smoker, someone who likes pets, someone who wants children, someone who owns their own home, and so on, as well as the weight a person places upon each of the different criteria.

Once someone has their Dating DNA Number, they can exchange their number with those they meet, either online or off. By visiting the

Dating DNA website, users can compare their Dating DNA Number with someone else's number, and within seconds, generate a one-decimal compatibility score, ranging from 1.0 to 10.0, as well as view a compatibility summary and detailed reports. (See examples at www.datingdna.com/screenshots.)

Unlike traditional dating sites where literally anyone can view a user's profile and photos, and then contact them, Dating DNA keeps all information and photos private, except from those who meet or exceed a "Compatibility Threshold," set by each user. Users can also browse other Dating DNA users, but will only be shown those who meet or exceed their Compatibility Threshold.

Central to Dating DNA's strategy, is providing open APIs to their Web Services which allow developers to bring Dating DNA's 1-click compatibility scoring engine to other sites and devices. For example, there are Dating DNA-powered applications for Facebook and MySpace. Widgets will soon be released for Craigslist, iGoogle, Apple's iPhone, and the Chumby web appliance, as well as many other sites and devices. Dating DNA's Web Services allow developers to quickly and easily incorporate sophisticated dating compatibility tools to hundreds of Social Networking sites and web devices. Developers can learn more at http://www.datingdna.com/?a=developer

The Dating DNA service provides the following benefits over traditional dating sites:

* Dating DNA was designed from the beginning to be used with Social Networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Craigslist, and others.
* Free open APIs and Web Services provide developer integration, allowing users to utilize their Dating DNA Number across hundreds of websites and Internet devices.
* The Dating DNA site and Web Services are 100% free to use, as opposed to most other dating sites which charge monthly or yearly fees.
* Dating DNA utilizes Web 2.0 technology to create an integrated experience that is extremely easy, fun and enjoyable for the user.
* Users photos, anonymity and privacy are completely protected, unlike other sites where anyone surfing the web can see users' photos, view their personal profile, and contact users.
* The unique Dating DNA system makes it very difficult for spammers, assuring all the people on the site are "real" people, not someone "trolling" for email addresses.
* Dating DNA Numbers can also be used with people met offline, not just online, at church, work, clubs, school, and so on.
* People tend to be more honest with their responses when getting their Dating DNA Number, because they aren't coloring or customizing their answers for one particular person.
* Live chat with a support representative is provided for those who may have questions, suggestions or problems that need immediate attention.

"Because of its unique approach of working in a very natural way with Social Networking, Dating DNA doesn't come with a stigma of desperation, which you sometimes find with legacy dating sites," said Carmony. "People who would never use a traditional dating site will find they use their Dating DNA Number on a regular basis. For example, if someone wants to find out how compatible they are with me, my Dating DNA Number is 133-532-887. It's that easy!"
Tags: Dating, DatingDNA

eHarmony come only to some people,

According to a series of articles published on tech.blorge.com eHarmony is not playing nice. It seems that there are plenty of complaints about it's policies. "Not being tall", "legal seperation" and "being gay" may prohibit from landing a harmonious relationship or finding a compatible partner. On last Friday, a lawsuit charged that eHarmony’s “heterosexuals only” policy was illegal discrimination.
Tech.blorge's David has done a better job of putting all the information together with some videos as well. Follow the link/s below for the articles and perhaps have a good laugh. (Psst.. you may also find links to other more open dating sites!) :O

"The lawsuit revives a controversy that’s plagued eHarmony for years. More than two years ago, USA Today alluded to the company’s conspicuous caveat in a fascinating profile of the site’s founder — 72-year-old Neil Clark Warren. (”He’s like the grandpa who wants to set you up,” an analyst tells the newspaper.) But the article also quoted a gay New York psychiatrist who believed that “From a corporate perspective, eHarmony does discriminate. There’s clearly a deliberate desire to exclude gay people from the site.”"

David's article one on tech.Blorge

David's article two on tech.Blorge

Tags: Dating, eharmony