TongLe community helps users find and build friendships

Much of the recent news about social media hasn't been very good. Online platforms have been tagged as breeding grounds for political extremism and contributors to depression and loneliness, especially among younger users.

But some digital communities are taking a spin in a more positive direction. TongLe, for example, is a free online service that's building a community based on positive interactions in a stress-free and comfortable environment. 

Here's how TongLe summarizes it's goals: 

Our mission is to inspire hope, end stress and loneliness faced by our members. We achieve this by 24/7 peer support, compassionate listening, promoting healthy lifestyle and bringing healthcare closer to our members. Our approach is through science-based solutions to enhance their well-being so that we can help people live healthier, happier lives with our technology and our people.

Based in Southeast Asia, TongLe's target audience is adults between ages 18 to 45 living in regions that include Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

TongLe's website offers discussion groups on topics such as Mental Wellness, Fitness and Coaching, Coping with Stress and Anxiety and becoming a better version of one's self.  

Many of the TongLe activities and events take place offline in the real world organized by their own users. For example, there's a weekly beach tennis event where members are invited to drop in to play or get a lesson. Other events include group hikes, yoga sessions, cycling and board games as well as lunch and dinner gatherings in order to increase human interaction. 

There is no charge for members to join TongLe. The service generates income from connecting members to professional services, singing instruction courses and a unique Listener Service that is available at any time of the day or night. An evaluation by Equidam says TongLe has almost 18,000 members and is valued at $7 million (SGD).

For a closer look at TongLe's services and activities, visit the TongLe website. TongLe also has a mobile app available for download at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 8/23/2021

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Seam's safety platform records and shares your surroundings

In an era in which danger and violence can appear almost any time or anywhere, we are often anxious to know where our loved ones are and what they are doing.

Phone-tracking apps and car-tracking devices can help provide some peace of mind and now there's a new people-tracker that takes personal monitoring a step further into a connected future.

It's called Seam and it's a personal safety platform that uses a mobile app and a small wearable device. Working together, they let people share their location and environment with selected friends, family member or caregivers.

The app is available now and the wearable device, called Lotus, will be available in June. Lotus is a  remote control that lets the app record a person's GPS location along with the sound and images in their current environment. The images, audio and data are streamed in real-time to up to five chosen contacts who also have the app.

I would have welcomed something like Seam years ago when our teenage daughter told us she was going to a football game, but sometimes slipped away to a party. When our son travelled in South America, we could have joined him online to see the places he visited and the people he met. And Seam would have helped family members keep a closer eye on my mother when she was in the early staged of dementia.

But I expect most users will value Seam for the increased sense of safety and protection they will feel when they are out on their own. The "panic button" feature, for example, will make emergency phone calls to a designated contact or to a local emergency service. Seam says its app is the only personal safety app that integrates with Google Assistant voice control.

The data and images captured by someone wearing a Lotus is stored securely in the cloud for up to 24 hours. An upgrade version of the system, called SeamPlus, allows storage for up to three months and downloading for offline viewing.

The Seam apps are available for free in the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store. More details are available on the Seam Technic website and @Seam_technic on Twitter. And you can see the platform in action in the video below.

By: Ric Manning On 5/23/2018

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FastTik connects you to nearby friends

You're probably familiar with the Facebook feature that lets you and your friends note if they plan to attend an event in your area. That's a useful feature, but it doesn't go far enough. Not all of your friends will use it and it doesn't tell you if they are actually there when you are.

An app called FastTik fills in those gaps. It shows you all of your FastTik-using friends who are at a concert, ball game or festival when you are there along with others who might be nearby. You can set the feature to connect you with anyone on your Contacts list, with all FastTik users or be invisible.

Once you connect with another app user, you can exchange text messages, make a voice call or even a video call. The messaging and call features a free and they work anywhere in the world using your WiFi or mobile phone networks.

A recent addition to FastTik's communication menu is instant video messaging. Instead of text, you can exchange short video messages using facial expressions. An instant video message is deleted a few seconds after they are viewed and deleted permanently after 24 hours if the receiving party doesn't check it.

Users can also record and send instant voice messages, which are also deleted after they are heard.

FastTik is available as a free download for iOS devices in the Apple iTunes App Store and for Android devices in the Google Play Store. For more details, check the FastTik website, @FastTik_App on Twitter or the FastTik pages on Facebook or Instagram.

By: Ric Manning On 4/29/2018

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SecureTribe adds more privacy protection

Now that we know how careless Facebook can be with our personal data, I expect more people will be exploring alternative sharing services that offer a higher level of security.

The recent news prompted me to take another look at SecureTribe, a private sharing app that I reviewed when it was launched last year.

The iOS app lets users create photo albums for different groups called tribes and it uses encryption technology to keep photos and videos secure. Only members of the designated tribe have the decryption key required to view that group’s album.

Tribes can be public or private. You might create a private tribe to share images from that weekend in Las Vegas and public tribe to share photos of your band or sports team. Check out my video below to see how I set up and used SecureTribe.

This month the app's developers released several new improvements that make the app more secure and useful. For example, users can now include more details in their personal profiles and a tribe owner can see which of their friends 'liked' post. 

A new security feature will detect an attempt to make a screen capture. Images in a private group are for member eyes only and anyone who tries to screen capture will be ejected from the group. Other improvements include easier navigation, faster response times and support for iPhone X.

For more details, check out the SecureTribe website and @SecureTribe on Twitter. The app is available as a free download in the iTunes App Store.

By: Ric Manning On 4/19/2018

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App tracks #deletefacebook movement

Millions of Facebook users were stunned to learn recently that their personal profiles were given to a British company that used the information to support Donald Trump's campaign for President in 2016. According to The New York Times, Facebook gave the data to a Cambridge University researcher who shared it with a company called Cambridge Analytica, which has ties to conservative financier Robert Mercer, former Trump aide Steve Bannon and to a number of Russian businesses.

The news caused an immediate backlash among Facebook users, many of whom deleted their Facebook accounts. The Times reported that the hashtag gained momentum through the week:

The hashtag #DeleteFacebook appeared more than 10,000 times on Twitter within a two-hour period on Wednesday, according to the analytics service ExportTweet. On Tuesday, it was mentioned 40,398 times, according to the analytics service Digimind.

And now there's an app to help people follow the Delete Facebook movement. Called #DeleteFacebook Poll, News & Tweets, the Android app invites users to declare their status - are they in or out with Facebook? - and share the reasons behind their choice.

The app also offers a collection of trending news about the Facebook data issue and the latest Twitter posts that use the #deletefacebook hashtag.

The app is available as a free download for Android devices in the Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 3/24/2018

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Augmented reality sparks this social chat platform

One of the features that helped Pokémon Go blast off last year was the augmented reality that that the app delivered when it displayed game characters in live environments.

Augmented reality is also likely to give a big boost to Chameleon Street Chat, a social network platform that lets users interact in real world locations.

While Pokémon Go uses a mobile phone’s camera, Chameleon Street Chat integrates with Google Street View, so encounters can happen almost anywhere in the world.

The Chameleon Street Chat system includes an avatar builder so users can recreate their face, body type and hair style for the virtual world - or adopt a whole new look.

To start a chat, they select a location and pin it. The spot is communicated to their friends and soon other avatars will appear. Users can select familiar locations, like a hometown park, or some place exotic and new, like a mountain road in Hawaii.

The platform includes mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.

For more details about Chameleon Street Chat and how it is being used, visit the Chameleon Social website.

By: Ric Manning On 1/26/2018

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New wearable device shares your location and environment

Now that our daughter is old enough to have her own family, she’s delighted to tell us about all the tricks she played on us when she was a teenager.

We would drop her off at the local shopping mall where she said she would spend the evening with her friends. But in fact, they slipped out the back door where boys were waiting to take them to some unknown house party.

I’m betting that her daughters will all have the Lotus by Seam as one of their required fashion accessories.

Developed by Seam Technic, the Lotus is a small wearable device that lets parents and friends keep track of loved ones by recording and transmitting a variety of environmental information including GPS location , photos and audio.

At home, her mother could use a mobile app to see what she sees and hear what she hears. And if any difficulties would arise, she could make a hands-free phone call while sharing her location.

The Seam system lets users record audio and still images captured from two button-style recorders, one facing to the front, the other with a rear view.

Users can share the data and images privately with up to five friends our guardians. Or, they can have the system trigger a call to an emergency phone number while still capturing GPS location data. The data logs are stored in the cloud for up to three months while the service is in its launch stage.

As a parent, I was especially attracted by the safety element of the Seam system. But Seam founder and CEO Drew Henson said he created the system primarily to help his family members feel more connected to him while he was away from home traveling the world. “It’s a seamless way to feel connected, social and safe,” he said.

The Lotus by Seam is scheduled to launch a funding campaign on Kickstarter on Nov. 1. The Lotus recording devices are expected to see for $119 but early supporters will be able to reserve them on Kickstarter for up to 40% less.

The Seam apps are available now for free in the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store. More details are available on the Seam Technic website and @Seam_technic on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 11/01/2017

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Autogrammer puts social media posts on autopilot

Gizmo Editor Review

I thought I was doing pretty well using social media channels to promote my “brand” but it turns out I was missing a significant opportunity. While I was paying attention to Twitter, Facebook and a couple of lesser channels, it seems that a boatload of people were focusing on Instagram.

According to a site called DMR, Instagram has more than 400 million active users and more than 75 million use the service every day. And an article posted on Patrice Press outlines some of the ways companies and individuals are using the vast reach of Instagram to promote their products and services.

Clearly, I needed to get in that game and to do it right, I needed to do more than post an occasional image or item. I needed a way to schedule and even bulk upload my posts.

That’s what led me to Autogrammer, a new platform that lets users schedule Instagram posts along with content for other social media channels. In addition to Instagram, Autogrammer also supports Pages, Groups and Profiles on Facebook as well as the ubiquitous Twitter.

Users can set up a new account with a username and password or log in using their current Twitter, Facebook or Google+ account. Once inside, they’re presented with a dashboard to manage their posts on multiple platforms.

With just a couple of clicks, I added my Instagram account and my Facebook account along with Facebook Pages and Groups. Instagram required that I verify my account, but that was a simple process that didn’t slow me down. More details and a set of helpful walk-through instructions from Autogrammer arrived in an email.

Now I was ready to post some photos to Instagram. I clicked the link to my account from my media account list in the dashboard’s left panel, then clicked a “Add post” in the main screen to bring up Autogrammer’s posting window.

The window let me select which channels I want to post to, a date and time for the post to appear, the image I wanted to upload and any text that would appear with it, including a web link. An Edit button brought up a full palette of photo editing tools, including frames, contrast adjustment and tools to crop, resize or change orientation. Some of the photos I’ve seen on Instagram of parties, kids and pets would have benefitted greatly had their owners made use of Autogrammer's redeye removal tool.

Once a posting is saved, it appears on the dashboard with a calendar icon to show that it is scheduled for a future time or a checkmark to denote that it has been sent to Instagram. You can open a scheduled post to make revisions such as changing the time or text, but you can’t go back in time and change one that’s already been posted.

One of the most useful features of Autogrammer is the bulk upload option. I was able to upload several photos at once, then edit each one in the dashboard and set a publication date and time. That sure beat slogging through them one at a time in Instagram.

A trial account on Autogrammer is free. Upgrade packages that support multiple social media accounts start at $19 a month.  

By: Ric Manning On 10/24/2017

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New app locks shared photos

Gizmo Editor Review

Almost every week we hear about some Hollywood starlet having her private photos hacked and distributed. But online privacy is not something only celebrities need to be concerned about. Do you want to explain those bachelorette party photos to your grandmother?

There are plenty of online services that let you share photos with groups of friends, family members or business associates. But they typically don’t provide a high level of security. That’s the niche that is targeted by a new iOS social media app called SecureTribe.

The app’s name is a pretty good summary of what it does. It lets users join and create photo albums for different groups or tribes. And it uses encryption technology to keep photos secure. Only members of the designated tribe have the decryption key required to view photos in their group’s album.

I created a personal account on SecureTribe using a pre-release version of the app provided by the developers. The security features start immediately with the setup process. Once I entered a username and password, the app generated a QR code that users will need if they forget their password.

Unlike most other services, you can’t simply click a “Forgot password” link to get a new one. The app prompts you to store the code in a safe place and it delivers this stern warning:

“Without this there is NO WAY anyone (including SecureTribe staff) can help you gain access to your account.”

For additional protection, SecureTribe requires your password every time you launch the app. It doesn’t store the password in a keychain or password vault.

Once my account was in place, I could begin creating my personal tribes, joining other tribes and sharing my photos. Pressing the + symbol on your My Tribes page lets you give a new tribe a name, choose an image for cover art, enter a description, and start adding images.

Photos and videos can be captured live using the device’s camera, or selected from the user’s camera roll or iCloud drive. Each tribe has its own option menu to enable mature content, allow members to upload or download files.

How do you add members to your tribe? That’s handled from the main menu in an option called Create Invite Graphics. I assume it’s labelled that way because the process generates an image containing a QR code. You can send the invitation through email or messaging. You can even post it on Twitter or Facebook, just be sure you’ve selected the correct tribe.

I created a tribe to share photos of my grandchildren and sent invitations to several family members. The app would be a good way for parents to share photos from youth activities such as a sports team or dance group while maintaining control of the images. And SecureTribe suggests using the app at an event. For example, a musician or artist could display the scannable QR code invitation to give attendees at a performance access to songs, images, stories or other special content.

The basic version of SecureTribe is available for free in the iTunes App Store. A Premium version includes support for additional features such as custom graphics for invitations, high-resolution images, and time or user limits on subscriptions to tribe content.

The app was launched today in the iTunes App Store. To see it in action, check out my video below and for more details, visit the SecureTribe website and follow the discussion @SecureTribe on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 9/18/2017

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Social media channels come together in Simplifi Me

Now that there are several babies in our extended family, everyone has stepped up their picture-posting game. Hardly a day goes by that someone doesn’t share a fresh photo of a cute toddler on their favorite social media channel.

And that’s the problem. Everyone seems to have their own preferred platform. Some are anchored on Facebook while others prefer Twitter or some other outlet. And that makes it difficult for grandparents, in-laws, aunts and uncles to keep up.

Simplifi Me could be the solution. The Android app lets users manage their social media by following their connections across multiple platforms. The app currently supports posting pictures and videos to Facebook and Twitter simultaneously and it and likes and comments on Facebook. Aggregr8tor, LLC, the app’s developer, says it plans to add more channels in the near future.

With Simplifi Me, users sort all of their social media content by contact. That makes it easy to see what a particular person has posted without having to across through days of tweets or updates. Users can also use the app to share photos or videos to a wider audience.

For a closer look at the app, check out Simplifi Me in the Google Play Store where it’s available to download for free.

By: Ric Manning On 7/19/2017

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Ebook tells how to text girls

When I was a growing up, learning to communicate with girls seemed like an insurmountable challenge. They were an alien species with their own special communication code that had to be cracked.

Little has changed except that now much of that communication takes place in text messages. There’s still a code to be solved and Zac Miller, who wrote The Art of the Text,  says he has the key.

Here’s what Miller says about why guys need help with texting:

Texting has become an art that can make or break your chances with females. Think about it, what’s the first thing you do after you meet a girl and get her number… you text her! And you may have no problem meeting a girl or getting her number, but when you start texting, things always take a turn for the worst! 

The problem, he says, is “You’re doing it all wrong.”

Miller says his book explains what girls want when it comes to texting, how to get a girl’s number, the most common mistakes guys make when texting and his technique for keeping conversations going.

The ebook is available as an instant download for $19.95. For more details and to read the first chapter, contact Learn To Text Girls.

By: Ric Manning On 4/05/2017

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Chatbot has hotel deals for Messenger users

One reason that I am steadily increasing my use of Facebook’s Messenger app is its versatility. I can send short messages to people without knowing their phone number.

And now Messenger can provide users with access to discounted hotel rates and a forum for talking about travel.

Mermaids Jetsetter is a chatbot app aimed at people who love to travel. The service uses artificial intelligence technology to interact with users.

After I connected to Mermainds Jetsetter, I was offered hotel deals from Waylo, a service that sends notifications of hotel price reductions, and travel shopping deals, in this case a three-piece set of Samsonite luggage.

I also checked out a travel packing quiz that reminded me to take my passport, health insurance documents and chargers for my electronic gadgets.

To add the chatbot to your personal Messenger account, click to Mermaids Jetsetter in your browser or search “Mermaids Jetsetter” inside Messenger.

By: Ric Manning On 3/30/2017

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New social network is built on videos

How do you get to know someone? Sharing messages and photos are fine, but it’s hard to beat the impact of video.

Video delivers a person’s image along with their voice, facial expressions and movements. It’s the best medium we have until holograms arrive.

And video is the foundation of Kazzanova, a social discovery network where members introduce themselves by posting a 60-second video with their profile.

Members can view the most popular videos and search the collection to find other members with shared interests. The can build a circle of friends and exchange private messages with other users.

A member’s profile includes their score, which is based on their level of participation in the network and responses from other members. Your score increases when you post, share and invite others to join and when others give your content a “WOW.”

Kazzanova is a available as a free download for iPhones in the iTunes App Store and for Androids in the Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 2/23/2017

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Vibbi says it can deliver Instagram followers

Scientists and philosophers like to tease their students by posing this question:

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Here’s my version, tailored for the modern world of social media:

If you post a photo on Instagram and no one sees it, does the photo really exist?

The whole idea of starting images on the popular photo sharing platform is to get the image - and its creator - in front of other people.

Sharing on Instagram requires followers and, unless you’re a pop star or in the Kardashian clan, your follower count is likely under four digits.

Vibbi is a service that says it can fix that. Vibbi sells Instagram followers in packages that range from 100 followers for $2.97 to 10,000 followers for $69.99.

Vibbi’s website says its team of  “marketing specialists, top executives, and supply chain managers” can grow a client’s follower list without risking penalties imposed by Instagram. The service proclaims on its website that “at Vibbi, our process is 100% in line with Instagram's terms and conditions.”

For a closer look at what Vibbi offers, visit the Vibbi website.

By: Ric Manning On 2/01/2017

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Goree lets you pose questions to Instagram stars

Social media networks like Instagram allow anyone with a high public profile to collect thousands or even millions of followers. But along with that popularity and digital connection comes questions from their followers about their personal or business lives or requests for favors.

A new app called Goree creates a way for popular people to earn money by answering the questions or granting favors, like mentioning a new artist or product.

Goree is similar to Fenda, an app launched this year in China that connects people to celebrities through WeChat, the country’s popular messaging app.

Goree works like this: Say I’m a hotshot venture capitalist who just got written up in Forbes magazine. If I have accounts on Instagram and Goree, other users could find me and offer to pay me for my advice. Maybe they’re willing to pay $500 to hear what I think about the future of Uber or Twitter.

Goree lets users deliver their question or request and put up the cash they are willing to pay. If I answer the question, I get the money. If I don’t, the money is returned to the user who posed the question.

Payments can be made to a PayPal account or donated to a charity, making Goree an option for funding a celebrity's favority cause.

Goree can also also be used to generate income for the person who asking questions. When they get hot information from a celebrity - maybe a stock tip or Kanye West's next big idea - they can resell it to their Instagram followers. That way, Goree becomes a global information marketplace.

There are multiple ways that Goree users can deliver their answers, including text, a photo, a video or a voice recording. I can imagine actor James Earl Jones using Goree to sell recordings of Darth Vader telling caller to leave a message.

To check out Goree, visit the Goree website or download the free app in the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 12/23/2016

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Hitcher hopes to reshape social networking

Does the world need another social media platform? The surprising answer could be yes.

I don’t think I’m the only one who spends way too much time on Facebook wading through ads, unwanted links and worrying about whether I’m sharing the right information with the wrong crowd (or the wrong information with the right group).

A new platform called Hitcher that’s set to launch with the new year aims to give users more control over their personal network and their online privacy.

The people who built the network say “Hitcher looks and feels a bit like Instagram but it’s centered around exclusive threaded posts similar to a group chat.” In other words, Hitcher will allow users to build more targeted networks and spend less time deciding who sees what.

One example is a network created around a group vacation. “Create a Hitch and tag everyone going with you. Everybody posts photos, videos, and comments, and Hitcher captures and preserves the entire shared experience.”

If you’re a Millennial, you’re probably thinking that with Hitcher, your mom and the rest of your extended group of online friends won’t be presented with the photos you and your traveling friends took on that trip to Mexico.

Hitcher is currently accepting sign-up for pre-launch access to the app, which is expected to arrive first in the iTunes App Store. For a closer look at the Hitcher concept, check out the video below and visit the Hitcher website.

Hitcher - The real-world social platform. from Hitcher on Vimeo.

By: Ric Manning On 12/20/2016

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Why older adults should try Twitter

If you use a smart phone you’ve probably mastered text messaging and you might even have your own Facebook page. But you might not have ventured into the world of Twitter. A report issued last year by the Pew Research Center found that about half of adult Internet users age 65 or older were on Facebook compared to just 6% on Twitter.

That’s understandable. The Twitterverse can appear to be a network dominated by celebrities and politicians. And the Twitter lingo, with all those @ symbols and #hashtags, can be a little intimidating.

But you don’t have to be famous (or infamous) to find value in Twitter and the basics of tweeting are really no more daunting than text messaging. Once you catch on, you’ll find that Twitter can be entertaining, useful and often worth your time.

Here are my five reasons why adults should give Twitter a try:

Anyone can tweet

All you need to know are the basics to use Twitter. Sign up for an account at the Twitter website and choose a unique Twitter handle. It could be your name (for example, I’m @ricmanning) or something about you, like @sunflowerlover.

Twitter will suggest other users whom you might want to follow and see their tweets on your Twitter page. Use Twitter’s search box to find other Twitter accounts and topic discussions. Entering “photography” will bring up posts from National Geographic (@NatGeo) along with a slew of photographers. Enter the hashtag #sunflowers will display tweets about sunflowers. If any of the sources look interesting, click the author’s name and you’ll get their Twitter page with a button to follow them if you choose. Click it and that person’s tweets will be added to your feed.

Twitter has something for everyone

Twitter has more than 300 million active monthly users and only a tiny portion are celebrities. Whether your passion is climate change, healthy cooking, a favorite sports team, genealogy or Spanish language soap operas, there are people on Twitter talking about it and you’re welcome to join the conversation.

No “friends” required

Unlike Facebook, you don’t need to establish an online friendship to interact with other Twitter users. And Twitter is a home for online communities that are built around just about any topic.
During popular events like the Summer Olympics, an NFL football game or broadcasts of Dancing With The Stars, fans are tweeting before, during and long after the event. You can quietly follow the conversation by searching hashtags like #DWTS or #drewbrees or share your comment by adding the tag to your tweet.

Twitter can be a lifeline

People have learned to turn to Twitter in times of emergencies and disasters. When Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast in 2012, Twitter helped people find shelter, food and water and even request emergency assistance. Twitter also delivers news updates and advisories from media outlets, government agencies and utility companies. Twitter can be a valuable service, even if you never post a comment or send a tweet.

Twitter gives you a voice

With Twitter, you can send a message directly to any other Twitter user, whether you personally know them or not. Just use the @ and username and your message will appear in their Twitter account. You can tweet government officials to tell them how to spend your tax dollars or send a comment to an author, actor or reporter.

Twitter provides a free platform to share your opinions and it can turn you into a mini-blogger. If you start tweeting and using hashtags, people will see your comments and begin following you. Don’t assume that nobody cares about what you have to say. It’s a big world out there and you can communicate with it. Just keep your comments to 140 characters or less.

By: Ric Manning On 9/15/2016

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Spooned app finds restaurants near you

A few years ago, I was traveling with the family and passing through an unfamiliar city. It was dinner time and everyone was hungry, butyl of the obvious choices were the typical fast food joints. It was only by luck that we found a family-run Italian restaurant tucked away in a strip mall.

We could have used Spooned. It’s  a new Android app that helps you find nearby restaurants or places to eat in another location if you’re making plans for a future future trip or meal.

Each restaurant is presented in a card motif. Like the browsing system used by some dating apps, you can discover and explore new restaurants by "spooning" right or "knifing" left on the cards of each restaurant.

Tapping on a card reveals more information about each restaurant, including their location, hours, and contact information and ratings entered by patrons and Spooned users. You can also look see photos and read reviews, go back to previously spooned restaurants, view a map of all the spooned restaurants in an area and recommend a favorite on Facebook.

Spooned is available as a free download from the Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 9/06/2016

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Playligo's videos offer close-up views of travel spots

I thought I had done fairly well in planning our trip to Italy’s Mediterranean coast a few years ago. But none of the websites and photo collections that I viewed had really captured the beauty of Positano, the nightlife of Sorrento or the truly harrowing experience of driving the Amalfi Coast road and sharing it with tricks and tour buses.

Had it been available back then, Playligo would have been a welcome tool for planning our trip. Unlike the dry descriptions found in many travel guides, Playligo uses video to provide a closer and more entertaining view of a travel destination.

Once a user creates a Playligo account, the service will suggest destinations that might inspire you. If you already know where you want to go, Playligo lets you build a video playlist to match your itinerary. The playlist can be shared with friends or with others in your travel group.

Comments posted by contributors can help members choose among different options for attractions or side trips and discover new destinations they might not know about. Users can also create polls to get group input on a topic like which area has better Roman ruins - Pompeii or Herculaneum?

To get a closer look at Playligo, visit the Playligo website, where registration is free, and check out the public playlist.  

By: Ric Manning On 7/03/2016

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This dating site connects people with STDs

Social scientists say we tend to associate and fall in love with people from our own tribe. That’s why you may have heard about online dating services for Christians, farmers, African-Americans and other demographic groups. But you might not know that there’s a dating platform for people who have sexually transmitted diseases.

PositiveSingles says it’s the original STD / STI dating app for singles who are living with genital Herpes (hsv-2), Oral Herpes (hsv-1), Genital Warts, HPV and HIV / AIDS.

Those people likely include your friends and neighbors. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 110 million sexually transmitted infections among men and women in the United States.

The app lets users browse with a specific criteria and matches users anonymously. It has a private photo album that can be viewed only with the user’s authorization and it has a pattern lock screen to launch the app plus other features that protect the user’s privacy.

For more details, check the PositiveSingles website and the mobile app in the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 6/24/2016

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