約會APP：隨時隨地尋找真愛

智慧手機引進了無數的應用程式，其功能更是讓人眼花撩亂。其中成長速度極快的約會應用程式提供忙碌現代人更多機會認識新朋友，也讓約會的進度變得更迅速。但在追求簡易及速度的同時，如何避免速食愛情考驗約會應用程式使用者的戀愛EQ。

進入本文前，請先想想以下單字：

(A) 自動
(B) 保證
(C) 相符

Despite horror stories about online dating still lurking in the background, more and more people turn to the (1)cyber world in search for their life-long partners. With everything going mobile, online (2)dating sites have developed apps to adapt to people’s demands. In contrast to the popular belief that sexual predators or sociopaths flood online dating sites, many people turn to online social sites due to their busy working schedules. Rapid dating app growth demonstrates that technology may evolve to make the dating process easier and faster, but humans' fundamental need to find the perfect match to love and feel loved will never change.

即便網路戀愛的恐怖傳聞不斷，還是有越來越多的人轉至虛擬世界尋找人生伴侶。隨著世界機動化，約會社群網站開發應用程式以適應大眾需求。雖然多數民眾仍認為約會社群網站裡充斥著色狼及變態，許多人卻因為忙碌而加入這些網站。約會應用程式的急速增長證明了科技日新月異的確讓約會變得簡單迅速，但人們希望能愛跟被愛的基本需求卻永遠不變。

The growing popularity of dating apps reflects people’s high frequency of app usage as well as their busy life-styles. Nonetheless, mobile dating is not a new concept; people have been mobile dating since the creation of mobile phones. All dating app users agree that they prefer meeting someone the old-fashioned way—technology free, but they do not have the luxury to do so. For many, dating apps provide a mingling place for singles who seek to meet new people and start casual dating. Most dating apps are free and quite easy to setup, some even use geolocation that displays the general location of individual users to encourage them to arrange (3)spur-of-the-moment local gatherings. Furthermore, apps will (A)spontaneously select candidates for users by profile matching shared interests and tastes.

約會應用程式只增無減的人氣反映其高使用率及現代人的忙綠生活方式，但利用手機約會其實自手機被發明以來就從未間斷過。雖然大部分的約會應用程式使用者皆認為不用科技、略為傳統的相遇模式較佳，但所需的時間及精力對大多數的使用者來說都是奢侈品。約會應用程式提供這些想多認識新朋友並嘗試約會的單身貴族一個可互相交流的場所。約會應用程式多數免費、建立簡介也相當容易，有些甚至提供能顯示使用者地理位置的定位系統以促進鄰近的使用者可以心血來潮隨時舉辦小型聚會。

Unfortunately, meeting new people does not (B)guarantee an immediate date. Upon meeting new people, it takes time and effort from both parties to develop a stable relationship. Surveys conducted by match-maker apps reveal that 37% users of such apps are inclined to date a person if they have mutual Facebook friends, and the percentage increased to 90% if they had four or more mutual friends. Since it is impossible to know their (C)compatibility prior to dating, getting to know their friends might be a good approximation.

遺憾的是認識新朋友並不能保證兩人能順利交往，在認識新朋友之後，雙方都得花時間和精力讓這段關係成長茁壯。網路戀愛仲介調查指出百分之三十七的使用者願意和臉書上有共同朋友的人交往，若兩人之間有四位以上的共同朋友，交往的機率則升至百分之九十。因為在正式交往前無法了解雙方的相容性，最接近的方式便是了解對方的朋友群。

People are continuously inventing innovative and efficient tools to complete the old love-quest; apps and social networks provide the ultimate platform for people with busy schedules. Unlike developing apps, there is no secret formula for establishing and maintaining a relationship. After meeting new people, getting to know their friends, dating app users may only then begin to confront the real challenge in finding true love.

人們不斷的研發高效率的新工具以追求真愛，而應用程式及社交網站提供了極完美的平台，但建立一段感情並維持這段關係卻不像開發應用程式，它沒有祕訣。在認識了新對象，了解對方的朋友之後，這些使用者才真正開始他們尋找真愛的挑戰。

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