matchmaking

SAN FRANCISCO--At the TechCrunch50 conference (coverage), I'm a little surprised we haven't seen any dating sites yet. After all, the economy may be in shambles, but the Internet never ceases to come up with new ways to help people meet. Matchmaking is still in the air though--and this time there's money involved.

Local Bacon, Red Beacon, and Mota Motors, three newly announced start-ups have a very similar aim: doing something better than Craigslist, and making money off it. In Local Bacon's case, it's helping job seekers and employees find each other by simplifying data. For … Read more

From hairstyles to hypnosis, Patti Stanger, CEO of matchmaking service Millionaire Club 123, knows exactly what it takes to make a match.

I caught up with Stanger who also stars in the reality series "The Millionaire Matchmaker" while she was promoting her book "Become Your Own Matchmaker" for advice on the best cars for attracting girls.

Hands down, Stanger recommends a Bentley Continental GT. "It says, I have money and will shower you with gifts and attention," says Stanger. On top of it, it says classy.

Other top contenders include the Mercedes Maybach, which is even more expensive and impressive than the Bentley. "It says Gazillionaire," explains Stanger.

If you're going for the "hip, cool guy" look, consider the Aston Martin DB9 (watch this CNET TV video of the Aston Martin DB9 Volante). It's two steps above the Porsche, said to Stanger, which is typically driven by the 55-year old going through a midlife crisis.

However, she said she's not a fan of Ferraris of any sort--the typical go-to sports car--which screams "little dick" to Stanger.

"If you want to be off-the-beaten-path with a real sports car, you get a Viper," says Stanger.

However, the regular viewers of her show know that the same American muscle appeal doesn't work with yellow Corvettes, which Stanger says are "uglier than ugg." … Read more

The first dating service to use lab-based genetic profiling launched online last week. Scientific Match promises to pair up people who will be physically attracted to each other because their DNA is different.

Well-matched couples will like each others' natural scents, have more fun in bed, and bear healthier children than those who are genetically similar, the company claims.

The service, available only in the Boston area, charges $1,995 for a year-long subscription.

"I strongly believe this will dominate the future of dating services," said founder Eric Holzle, a mechanical engineer.

Members swab their cheeks and send … Read more

Put romance and Webcams in the same sentence and we're often talking about sites that are neither safe for work, nor a proper replacement for face-to-face human interaction. SpeedDate (formerly known as "SpeedEdate") would like you to think otherwise, with their online speed-dating solution that gives you three minutes a pop with a grouping of daters via Webcam. The site has already setup more than 15,000 virtual dates after making its debut in late October.

Similar to WooMe (which is still in private alpha) dates are short, (hopefully) sweet, and one-on-one. SpeedDate will match you up … Read more

It's a match made in Heaven.

Catholic Match announced Tuesday it acquired the assets of CatholicDaters.com. The parties, as expected, are gushing like newlyweds.

"It became clear, after some initial discussion, that an acquisition made sense," beamed Catholic Match co-founder Brian Barcaro. And CatholicDaters' founder, Andrew Weyrich, glowed: "Catholic Match embodies many of the values and concepts that were important to us at CatholicDaters."

But hey, this is America, where 50 percent of marriages end up in divorce. So Catholic Match has its work cut out for it in making the most of the … Read more