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Sparks – A Social iOS App To Discover New People [Review]
There isn’t any dearth of social networking or chatting apps. Even if you don’t want to talk to anyone, chances are someone, somewhere will ping you on some platform thus taking away from you your right to privacy and social isolation.
The latest entrant in this world of look-alike and me-to social apps is ‘Sparks’ for iOS created by UK based Paragon Proximates Ltd. This app mixes the awkwardness of chat rooms with the ease of twitter and Instagram.
To elaborate further, Sparks is a ‘local social’ app, meaning that is detects your location and suggests people in the same location with whom you can interact. The purpose behind the location based networking, according to Paul Shetler, CEO of Paragon Proximates Ltd. is, we wanted to use something more personal and more connected with our lives and neighbourhoods than the increasingly noisy and impersonal global social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
When you log in to the app using your Facebook account (there is no option to create a separate account for Sparks) you will see your screen divided in two halves. There is a divider placed in the centre with the help of which you can enlarge or shorten either of the halves.
The top half will show people in your locality. When you click on a particular person’s photo you will be directed to their profile. Here, you will get the basic details about them and if they interest you, you can follow them (like twitter). There is also a ‘heart’ icon on the top right hand corner of each profile page thus giving you the chance to freely display your love for that person around the corner, literally. When you change areas, the people that appear in the discovery menu will change. You can also private chat with people you wish (just like in chat rooms).
The + sign in the bottom half is a pop-side menu. When you click on it, four specific options will open up. Using these you can see who is using Sparks in your area, you can see the status updates of people around you and post an update yourself, seek help or chat with someone. When it comes to posting updates, the app takes after Twitter as it poses a 140 character limit. You can also post pictures (Instagram, Facebook) and share the same with your Facebook friends.
Verdict
The app comes across as a dating/chat room app. Dating, because right at the onset you have to mention what you are interested in – men, women or both – and there is no way to leave that option unselected. Also, before logging-in, a warning pops up saying that this app contains adult material and you are requested to enter only if you are 17 years and above. Chat room because you can chat with random strangers rather effortlessly. The design of the app is different from all other apps, but not exactly wonderful. The split-screen concept is good but makes the main-page look cluttered.
All in all, I don’t see this app breaking any new barriers or carving a niche for itself. If I were you, I wouldn’t bother downloading it.
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2012-11-26 05:11:39
Source: http://www.watblog.com/2012/11/26/sparks-a-social-ios-app-to-discover-new-people-review/
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