{"id":518,"date":"2013-07-14T07:19:02","date_gmt":"2013-07-14T14:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtaps.com\/?p=518"},"modified":"2013-07-14T04:36:43","modified_gmt":"2013-07-14T11:36:43","slug":"your-perfect-match-in-relationship-apps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/goodtaps.com\/?p=518","title":{"rendered":"Your perfect match in relationship apps"},"content":{"rendered":"

I like to think technology can help just about any area of life, even when it comes to finding that special someone to spend the rest of your life with.<\/p>\n

High-tech dating is nothing new, since the dawn of the Internet countless singles have met their partners and spouses for the first time online. What’s new these days is the variety of options and specialized online services available that can help in every stage of dating, from screening potential matches, to organizing date night, to sending gifts.<\/p>\n

Dating Apps<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a range of apps for matchmaking and meetups. Beyond basic flirting apps like Blendr<\/em> (iOS<\/a>, Android<\/a>), Zoosk<\/em>, the \u201cromantic social network\u201d (iOS<\/a>, Android<\/a>) and the popular Are you interested?<\/em> (iOS<\/a>, Android<\/a>) . There are apps that take it slow, such as Likemind<\/em> (iOS only at this time<\/a>), which helps you find people with common interests, or the superfast MeetMoi (Android<\/a>, iOS<\/a>) which puts a time limit on activities before meeting in person.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s cut to the chase. When it comes to successful long-term relationships, I\u2019ve personally known more people that have met their future spouses through two services, one of which is not a dating site at all.<\/p>\n

The first is Plenty of Fish<\/strong>, which is for matchmaking and dating, and the second, surprisingly, is Craigslist<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Plenty of Fish<\/em>, or POF, is popular dating site has been around for a while. The app connects you to its database of millions of singles. It has all the standard features you expect from a dating app, but it\u2019s the number of singles using POF that has made it successful over the years. The app is free on Google Play<\/a> and Apple App Store:<\/p>\n

\n
\"icon\"<\/span><\/div>\n
Plenty of Fish : Dating App<\/span>Plentyoffish Media Inc.<\/a><\/span>Social Networking<\/span>Free<\/span>Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I have a theory of why so many people meet on Craigslist. Since it\u2019s not a dating site, people who use it don\u2019t feel like they\u2019ve sunken to level of desperation in their love life that requires help from a dating service. It\u2019s without all the bells and whistles that come with dating apps, so Craigslist is a little old school, like striking up a conversation with someone in a bar. Whatever the reasons, the old classifieds site is a great place to meet local singles who scoff at dating services and social media and may be a little more down to earth.<\/p>\n

Craigslist Mobile provides access and interaction to online listings and messaging, free on\u00a0Apple App Store<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Google Play:<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span>Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Screening<\/h2>\n

Most of the bigger dating services have screening in place to prevent you from hooking up with anyone with a shady past. However, you may want to do your own research just to be on the safe side. Here are a few services that can help with screening and protecting yourself.<\/p>\n

Romance Scams<\/a> is not an app (at least not right now), but has a searchable database that focuses mainly on money scammers who target dating sites. Take each report with a grain of salt as some may not be fair to the other party. But if you see multiple reports on the same person, fair or not, that\u2019s certainly a red flag.\u00a0This is a good site to check when you meet someone that\u2019s too good to be true.<\/p>\n

LuLu is the newest app that ladies can use for screening. The app is intended for women to share their intimate knowledge of men they\u2019ve dated. Meant for just for fun, the app could provide insight into a potential partner\u2019s real personality. Free on the\u00a0Apple App Store<\/a>\u00a0and on\u00a0Google Play<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve done your due diligence if you\u2019re still hesitant to hand out your number, use Burner<\/em>. With Burner you can create a temporary phone number to use for texting and talking without handing over your real number until you\u2019re ready. Then when you\u2019re done with your temporary number (or you don\u2019t want to be contacted by a certain someone anymore) you delete, or burn it forever. The app is free on\u00a0Google Play<\/a>, and\u00a0Apple App Store (additional cost for each number):<\/p>\n

\n
\"icon\"<\/span><\/div>\n
Burner: Second Phone Number<\/span>Ad Hoc Labs, INC<\/a><\/span>Utilities<\/span>Free<\/span>Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Going Out<\/h2>\n

Once you\u2019ve met someone online and reached the stage where you\u2019re actually going out on a first date, you can rely on some apps to help you plan and execute the perfect outing.<\/p>\n

Impress your date with your knowledge of all the local hot spots for food and fun using Foursquare. There are plenty of other apps that can help find restaurants based on reviews, but Foursquare check-ins don\u2019t lie<\/a>. You can browse user uploaded pictures to get a sense of different venues and get real-time information on which places might be crowded. Don\u2019t forget Foursquare also has the deets on local clubs, parks, museums and sights.<\/p>\n

Once you find a restaurant you like, use OpenTable (iOS<\/a>, Android)<\/a> for booking to secure the reservation for date night.<\/p>\n

Wow your date with an on-demand personal limousine to transport you while dining out using Uber<\/em>. Use the app to summon a private driver in a matter of minutes. No fumbling with cash or credit cards, your ride is billed automatically and no tip necessary. Free (the app that is -not the limo!) on\u00a0Apple App Store<\/a> and\u00a0Google Play:<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>0<\/span>Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

And if you just want to go out and have a good time without going through the hassles of online dating there\u2019s How About We<\/strong>.\u00a0While a lot of dating sites and apps revolve around being online, the How About We<\/em>\u00a0app encourages users to get offline and go on actual dates. The concept is simple: Either post a date you\u2019d like to go on, like \u201cwine tasting in Napa\u201d and see who might be interested in making that happen, or browse date ideas in your area and see if you find anything interesting.\u00a0Free for Apple iOS <\/a>\u00a0and Android<\/a> devices.<\/p>\n

Gifts<\/h2>\n

In the beginning stages of a relationship, sending a gift can be an unexpected, romantic surprise or a nice \u2018thank you\u2019 after that perfect evening together arranged by your partner. As your relationship progresses you may need one of these apps to make up for a misunderstanding.<\/p>\n

Wrapp<\/em> lets you send gift cards to anyone, anytime. Select a friend, choose a gift card and send. Done. Google Play<\/a>,\u00a0Apple App Store<\/a><\/p>\n

Jifiti<\/em> is a very cool gifting app. It allows you to walk into a store, purchase a gift, and \u201csend\u201d it, directly to someone’s phone, while you\u2019re still in the store. Want to know how it works? Here are our reviews and download links: Jifiti for iOS<\/a>, Jifiti for Android<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And of course, you can quickly and easily send gifts using the Amazon Mobile<\/a> app.<\/p>\n

Marriage<\/h2>\n

If relationship apps have gotten you this far, then there\u2019s no surprise there are plenty of wedding planning apps. Here are a few:<\/p>\n