MeetMoi location based mobile dating

Back in 2001 I was working for some folks experimenting with WAP user generated content.  At the time we were running WAPdrive.com — a service that allowed users to create their own web pages for cell phones.  During a meeting one of the managers presented this idea of being able to set your cell phone to find a date.  The user would create a profile of themselves and what kind of match they would be interested in.  The service then would use the cell network to find the user a match in a given radius.  Very cool but way ahead of it’s time — I’m happy to see that this much needed service is now available.  Check out MeetMoi.com.

Here are some links to lists of other cell social applications:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/10_mobile_social_networks_redux.php

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/11/the-holy-grail-for-mobile-social-networks/

Thoughts:

• Social Networks are very hot right now.  Application publishers, media buyers, and big brands are all looking to find ways to tap into the audience.  Problem is the Social Networks aren’t profitable and the users aren’t receptive to ads.  Check out this post predicting trouble for Facebook by Tameka Kee. (link). Expect the mobile social network space to have the same difficulties.
• That said,  there is something fundamentally different between a PC based social network and a mobile one.  Specifically the fact that you are mobile — and now that the devices are aware of location there is a lot of cool this to be had.
• If you’re looking for the next big thing keep an eye on Mobile Social Networks.
• When a colleague has a wacky idea that seems 5 years too early — make a note of it and set a reminder to ping you in 5 years.

From my experience we can separate folks into three categories:

1)  40+ year olds that went to college with slide rulers.

2) 30 – 40 year olds who grew up with the PC.  Playing the Atari 2600, using Windows 3.1, and connecting to the college mainframe.

3)  0 – 30 year olds that grew up connected electronically to everything.

In my opinion that 3rd group is a new being that business leaders truely have a difficult time grasping.  I’d go as far to say that they are wired differently from the first two groups.

Take a look at this Presentation PEW gave at this years CES to get a feel for how that 3rd group grew up. (link)

Thoughts:

• This thought has been around for some time — kids today have grown up with a revolutionary technology.  That fact is well established — what’s interesting is the first group inability to adapt.
• I’ve read dozens of articles on how business today needs to embrace the online social landscape and be apart of the conversation.  The reality is that businesses do not get it, don’t act on it, and don’t profit from it because the business leaders simple cannot embrace the mind set of a consumer that is wired in a post 1995 mindset.
• Traditional brands need to be concerned — without leaders embracing the way today’s consumers engage brands, each other, and purchase decisions there are big opening for new savvy competition to fill the holes.
• Web 2.0 is not profitable – YET.  Five years into Web 1.0 no one was profitable either.  Web 2.0 will be profitable and will change the landscape — if today’s business leaders don’t get a handle on this now they will be left behind.  Web 3.0 is only 5 short years away (check out HTML 5 to see the future).