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Special AssignmentMobile DatingBy Courtny Gerrish
We've all heard of Internet dating, but now there's a new way to meet your match. You can flirt on the fly just by picking up your cell phone. So is this the future of romance, or just a fling?
Michael and Erika Zorn look over their wedding pictures as they get ready to head out on their honeymoon. The newlyweds found each other the new fashioned way…with mobile dating. It's meant for busy people on the go.
"You don't have time to go out and try and meet new people," Erika explains.
It's like Internet dating, using cell phones. With so many mobile services out there, analyst Mark Donovan says it's an idea that's been in the making for awhile.
"What we'll see with dating and just about every aspect of our life is that increasingly the mobile phone is going to play a part in it," Donovan says.
The services all work a little differently. Generally, you register, fill out a personal profile and your dating preferences. Andrew Weinrich works for the service 'Meetmoi'. The service lets you text your location when you're ready to date or flirt. Weinrich says, "We then put your picture on these people's phone, along with your profile, and they have the ability to text you back."
Users say it's a lot better than being tied to a computer, and it's fun when they head out to hit the town.
Match.com just launched a mobile service. There's also an on-the-go equivalent to speed dating...you can flirt via text with members for up to 10 minutes at a time.
Erika and Michael used Zogo…which sets up phone conversations without revealing phone numbers. "You don't want some weirdo calling you and bothering you all the time. It just sort of keeps your privacy," Erika says.
All the services we talked to say they make privacy and safety a top priority. Your exact location is kept secret, too. As for cost, some are free, others have monthly fees or charge per text. Erika and Michael's service didn't cost anything. It goes to show you can't put a price on finding your soulmate.
Mobile dating seems to be catching on. According to research company 'M:Metrics', 4 million cell phone users accessed mobile dating services in June alone.
With many of these services, you can register online or straight from your cell phone.
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