Ville Magazine l Insider Access for City Lifestyle Jan/Feb 2016 / Premiere Issue | Page 11

TECH SPECS

Virtual Love
Written by: Diane Stephani

Did you know statisically, January is when most breakups occur? In fact, breakups continue at a high rate until May as summer lovin’ begins. Reasons
behind the breakups are unclear, but some speculate it’s the “new year, new you” goal. But with the popularity rising in finding love via mobile app, the
“new you” doesn’t have to spend the cold winter and spring months alone. So which one do you use to find your heart’s desire? The list of options is long,
but I took six popular apps and tried them out to let you know which is best... right in time for Valentine’s Day.
TINDER ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️

ZOOSK ♥️ ♥️ ♥ ♥ ♥

Like any dating app, you can modify your preferences based on location, gender, and
age group, then choose to like or pass on other users in your feed. Subscribing to Tinder
Plus ($20/month) allows you unlimited use of “Super Like” (a way to let other users see
that you’ve already liked them), the ability to revisit the last user you passed in case you
hit the wrong button, and change your location to search for users anywhere in the
world. It’s user-friendly with an organized layout, a large variety of other users due to
the app’s growing popularity, and still provides an enjoyable experience without paying
for a subscription to Tinder Plus. The app is mostly based off looks, but users can only
message you if you are match and if they end up being a creeper you can block or remove
them from your message list.

Zoosk was the first app that didn’t require a Facebook account to use, giving the option to
sign in via email. As a security measure, users are required to verify their profile pictures
by submitting a video of themselves following a prompt, which is perfect for avoiding
“catfish.” I was required to look directly into the camera and then turn my head left and
right as the app stated. Once my video was submitted and my profile was verified, I was
able to start using. Then I was prompted to answer a series of questions about myself,
including height, ethnicity, body type, but some were awkward, such as income, religion
and preferences regarding children. Users have the option to browse other users that
want to chat, find random users on the carousel, and smart picks are chosen each day
based on users who match with you most. The downfall is that Zoosk requires users to
pay for a subscription just to view messages and connections. Without the subscription
(ranges $15-$30/month), it’s useless.

COFFEE MEETS BAGEL ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥
Coffee Meets Bagel allows you to meet users based on mutual Facebook friends. Your
matches are referred to as “bagels.” “Beans” are the official currency that unlocks more
features. You earn beans by inviting friends to the app, following CMB on social media,
and logging in on consecutive days. CMB prompts you to answer questions about
yourself in addition to writing your own introduction so others can get an idea of you
before they talk to you. Names are private until a connection is made. There’s also a
limited amount per day of a “give and take” feature that operates like Tinder; simply
swipe or tap to like or pass. The app seems to value personal comfort by keeping certain
information private. But it reminds you daily to log in and beans are needed to see which
friends you have in common.

OKCUPID ♥️ ♥️ ♥ ♥ ♥
While the concept of OkCupid is great, this was by far the worst user experience I had. In
addition to filling out a profile, users are asked a series of questions and told to choose
their response, then choose the response that they’d want their ideal partner to pick. The
questions can be about absolutely anything, i.e., “Should the burning of your country’s
flag be illegal?” Based on your responses, the app will display users in your feed and
show a percentage of compatibility. The questions are great for matching up with other
who have similar personalities to you. My main issue with OkCupid was that anyone was
allowed to message me. My inbox completely blew up within 30 minutes of creating
a profile. Most of the messages were extremely creepy and instant turnoffs. and the
amount of attention received is just overwhelming. It killed the experience for me.

BUMBLE ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥
What makes Bumble so unique is that it’s entirely up to the woman to make the first
move. That’s right, ladies, this one’s all on you. Bumble starts out with the option to like
or