Can online dating work offline?
Have you ever heard of Skout? The American online/mobile dating and social networking website has just introduced a whole new concept to the world of online dating – switching from online to offline dating. Interesting idea if you ask me, the only BUT here is how to get it really working…
Basically, the whole idea behind Skout Out is to bring the virtual world a little closer to the real world and make online dating more like good old-fashioned pub and club dating used to be around million years ago. Skout plans to install kiosks with interactive touch screens at 10,000 social venues (clubs, bars, etc.) all over the U.S.
with the idea that these could help singles connect with other singles around them.
If you’re subscribed to Skout, the device will know that you’re somewhere in the area and will project your photo and location to other Skout clients using the kiosk, thus enabling them to send you messages and/or texts, play you a song from the very same kiosk and maybe even encourage them to come over to your desk or at least send you a drink. The downside of the whole system is that you’ve got to have a mobile phone with the Skout application installed and GPS running, but what wouldn’t we do these days to get a date, right?
Still, if you think about it, can you really see Skout working out in the real world? Online dating and social networking websites are basically meant to replace the normal interaction between people. These sites are meant to be making it easier for us to meet people and bring romance into our lives even when we can’t/won’t go out… so when we DO, why should we still be attached to a machine?
‘Skout OUT solves the age-old problem of finding and approaching singles,’ said Skout’s CEO and founder Christian Wiklund in the company’s official press release. What?! How have people been meeting each other until now? Sheer luck, I suppose. A miracle.
Link – Skout – Mobile Location Based Dating
Skout OUT from Robin Wauters on Vimeo.
About the Author
Aet Suvari has been reviewing and writing about the world of online dating since 2008 and the launch of Online Dating Help. A stickler for promoting ethical practices within the UK dating industry she champions the sites that get it right while highlighting those holding it back. You can follow her on Google+
