Moving to a new city can be a daunting task, especially if you've had to leave all your friends behind. Fortunately, Google have been beavering away at secret facility Area 120 trying to create a social network that can help you meet others who live nearby.
Google hope that their new network 'Shoelace' can rival Facebook and is already being tested by users in New York City. According to the official site, Shoelace will 'Supercharge your social life' by hand-picking things to do with others who share your interests.
Like Tinder, you'll be matched with people via profiles, unlike Tinder you'll be aiming to make a friend instead of sexy time.
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Once you've told the app what you like, be it dogs, tennis or wine, it'll offer you suggestions of things to do. Perhaps you could spin vinyl on vintage decks with Ben at The Foxgrove or play ping pong with Polly at SPIN. The possibilities are endless.
With just a few taps, you can 'find stuff to do and make plans with others.' It will be interesting to see longer term if they are able to integrate some of their other technologies like Google Maps into Shoelace.
One user on the Google Android forum on Reddit was hopeful that the service would succeed: "Kids always want something new and they kind of help drive these platforms.
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"So, if the cool factor is there or the new factor then it might catch fire. It's worth a shot in today's ever-changing tech world.
Another user was less hopefully and reminded us of the now dead Google+ by saying: "Google launches a doomed service the same day it kills another! Must be a day that ends in y"
Google has blamed 'low usage' and update challenges as the mains reasons for the permanent shutdown of the service.
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Obviously with any matchmaking type app, you're going to get some wrong'uns getting involved and using it for creepier purposes.
One user said: "Given my experience with these kinds of hyper local apps, I think this is just going to devolve into a lot of really creepy messages from people."
According to the FAQ, Shoelace got its name because: "The whole premise of Shoelace is to tie people together based on their interests -- like two laces on a shoe. We do so through activities -- which are fittingly called 'Loops.'" Sounds like corporate nonsense to me.
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As a thirty-something year old Brit I spend a lot of my time actively trying to avoid making plans with anyone, but it remains to be seen whether Shoelace will be successful or not. We're currently waiting to hear if Google has plans to bring the network over to the UK.
Featured Image Credit: shoelace.nycTopics: Viral, Google, Phones and Gadgets, World News, Dating, Sex and Relationships, Interesting, Social Media, Facebook, Tinder, Technology