StreetSpark is an iPhone app that has taken the UK by storm, and now it is coming to South Africa. The developer of the application popped a comment on my blog with the press release quoted below. Since he says it better than I do, read his press release, and watch the YouTube videos linked to, the technology looks really awesome!

“South African success story brings iPhone app back home -

A UK-based South African who launched an iPhone app that is changing the face of British social networking brought his invention back home and is launching it this week.

StreetSpark – a social networking and dating app – identifies potential matches and sparks users when they’re nearby. If the spark is ignited the two can chat and flirt over the network, then arrange a place to meet up.

In the UK it’s got thousands of users and creator Michael Small said over 100,000 Sparks have flown across London alone. It was called one of the ‘key trends in dating’ for 2010 by the Evening Standard.

Michael said he’s delighted to launch the successful app back on home soil.

‘I’m really excited to bring StreetSpark to South Africa. South African’s are really enthusaistic when it comes to new technologies and I think they’ll really get into it.’

Inspired by movies like Serendipity, StreetSpark goes where you go, finding matches for you and ‘sparking’ you when they’re nearby.

It works like this. You fill out your profile on the free app, tell StreetSpark the type of person you want to meet and go out. When you walk past a match you both get sparked. It all happens in real-time.

The network searches for matches ranging from ‘ember’ to ‘inferno’ and lets you decide if you want to find an ‘instant spark’, ‘eternal flame’ or just someone you share common interests with.

If both people ‘ignite’ they can see each other’s profile and instant message on the network. But if they don’t like the look of their match, they can ‘extinguish’ the spark, without sharing anything. If you don’t feel like chatting right away, the app stores the spark so you can connect later.

For safety, the network doesn’t use exact locations. It just shows the approximate distance, letting you decide if you want to meet. It also doesn’t reveal address, emails or phone numbers.

Here’s the main video on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCXxVz0HiGg

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOfzCzCIaLY“

And there you have it. Here is a screenshot provided by Michael. Apparently they are in process of building similar apps for the Blackberry and other phones.

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