The dating arena can be a dangerous place. It’s a battleground out there, and you need every tool at your disposal. It’s not cheating — it’s just using the resources available to you.
Here we’ve hand-picked 10 iPhone apps that will help you navigate the dating minefield and avoid potential disasters. From asking that special someone out, to knowing what fork to use, to how to make a hasty escape if things don’t quite go according to plan, these apps should be part of every dater’s arsenal.
To get to the dating stage you’ve got to meet someone first. Imagine you’ve just seen the human of your dreams across the room but your mind’s gone utterly blank. There are tons of apps offering pickup lines on the App Store, with some even specializing in pirate, ninja, vampire or robot-themed conversation starters. But we like the “Awesome” offering as it serves up hundreds of tried and tested lines added by users — you know, real people like you.
Price: Free
You’ve aced the ask, but now need an amazing date idea to really make that crucial first impression. Based on your location or the input of a zip code, Date Smart will generate tons of ideas for what you could do on your outing. Categories include cultural, outdoors, adventurous, romantic and novel, with “first date” options offering suggestions for the yet-to-be-properly-acquainted.
Price: $1.99
He/she has just taken you up on your casual suggestion, “Why not just have dinner at my place?” Now, assuming your noodle sandwich special is not going to impress, this app will provide you with particularly romantic dinner recipes, advice on creating a great atmosphere, as well as some random dating tips thrown in, which we’re less sure about, such as: “Women will ask questions about your prospects. Even if they pretend it isn’t important, it is”.
Price: $2.99
You may have been dragged up rather than brought up, but your date doesn’t have to know this. Remember the scene in Pretty Woman with the silverware confusion? That will never happen to you with this handy app, as it will guide you through the pitfalls and perils of fine dining. There’s advice on how to order your meal, and that all-important section on “napkin usage.” Good manners are free, you know. Well, technically they’re 99 cents if you get them from this app.
Price: $0.99
When the small talk runs out and you’re a little tongue-tied from sitting across from such a stunning specimen, you may need a bit of assistance to keep the conversation moving forward. This app promises provoking, intriguing and challenging conversation starters that you can use to spice up the dialogue. Having topics readily at hand will also stop you from blurting out what should really be a third date revelation (”Did I mention I collect airline sick bags?”) just to avoid an awkward silence.
Price: $0.99
Everything’s going well, the conversation is flowing, but in your eagerness to match tastes, you’ve just found yourself agreeing that Bob Dylan is God’s gift to music. It’s not technically a lie, as you did own a Bob CD way back when, but the finer points of his huge catalog are lost on you. This sticky situation calls for AnswerWiki. Just excuse yourself for some digital brush up. In minutes you’ll be explaining why you’ve always loved Nashville Skyline, and who knows? In years to come you could both be laughing about it together.
Price: $0.99
“Oh really, Robert/Roberta, I had no idea there were so many ways to preserve insects in formaldehyde. Oh, there’s five more methods? Oh, hang on, my phone, sorry… Hello, what’s that? Trapped in a well, you say? I’ll be there right away.”
Fake call apps are a dime a dozen, but this one lets you set a timer, displays the “slide to answer” screen and even offers an indistinguishable male or female voice. It’s ideal for those times when you absolutely, positively have to leave.
Price: $1.99
After a date’s gone well (or if it hasn’t, see #7 above) you want to make as smooth an exit as possible in order to maintain the positive impression. Avoid any awkward hanging around on street corners and get you and/or your date safely in a cab faster than you can say “back to my place for a drink?” Taxi Magic lets you book a cab with the tap of the iPhone’s screen, and offers live updates on where the cab is on a map.
Price: Free
You know how when you first meet someone you pretend you generate no gaseous bodily emissions? This app will help you keep up that polite pretense. Not to put too fine a point on it, a press of the screen and the app will generate socially acceptable bathroom noises (flushing toilet, running water, hand dryer) to mask any more unpleasant audio.
Price: Free
To use a cliche, breaking up can indeed be hard to do. If you really can’t think of the words, then this app offers you the proverbial 50 to get you out of an unwanted romantic entanglement. With audio clips (so you can hear how bad it sounds aloud, perhaps?) there’s letting-them-down-gently lines as well as harsher options, presumably for those that have done you wrong. If you’re still indecisive, then the “random” feature will present you with one option out of blue. That, or just slip out the back, Jack.
Price: $3.99
More iPhone resources from Mashable:
- iPhone TV: Top iPhone Apps for Live Streaming Television
- Top 10 iPhone Apps as Judged by Mashable Readers
- 7 iPhone Apps That Can Save Lives
- 5 Must-Have iPhone Apps for Wine Lovers
- 20 Creative Apps For Your iPhone
Reviews:
App Store
Tags: dating, iphone apps, List, Lists
Read the rest!!
February 10th, 2010 
NIT 
Tags: 
Now that the 
Virtue’s Social Media Index (SMI) assigns brands and products a score based on overall buzz from status updates, videos, photos and blog posts. The company has tallied its results for 2009 and released its top 100 social brands based on index scoring, with last year’s winner — the 
Speech-to-text translation isn’t a new idea, but Dragon Dictation for the 
As we approach the end of 2009, industry analysts and pundits are all racing to share their thoughts and predictions for what’s going to be big news in 2010 (don’t worry, Mashable will be making our predictions in the coming weeks). Yesterday, IDC announced their 
For the last few months, there has been speculation and excitement surrounding the newest project of Twitter’s Inventor and Co-Founder Jack Dorsey. Since stepping down as Twitter’s CEO (and assuming the less time consuming role of Chairman), he’s been hard at work on 
Muppets + Digg + YouTube Commenters = FIRE! [VIDEO]
First they stormed YouTube with the Muppet rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody in 1080p. Then they followed that up with an iPhone app and more videos, most of which have become viral sensations.
Now the Muppets, specifically Beaker, Statler, and Waldorf, are taking on YouTube commenters and Diggers with their latest clip, “Beaker’s Ballad,” which is well on its way to becoming a top YouTube video.
The clip pays homage to Internet speak, harsh and angry YouTube commenters, and Digg bait, all while Beaker sings out his ballad. Oh, and a house gets lit on fire.
Enjoy:
Tags: digg, fire, Muppet, muppets, viral video, youtube
Read the rest!!