A weekly roundup of L.A. tech company and product launches.
Spark Networks: Santa Monica dating app company Spark Networks has launched Spark, a dating app with a striking resemblance to Tinder. The app connects users who “like” each other, but the twist is users are choosing between two potential matches at once, instead of choosing one-by-one.
Tinder: West Hollywood dating app Tinder has upped the online dating game with a new “Super Like” feature. Beyond swiping right on dating profiles to show interest, now Tinder users indicate they are really interested in a potential match by Super Liking them. Users are limited to using the Super Like feature once per day.
Factual: Century City location data company Factual has deepened its partnership with Apple and entered into a partnership with Facebook. Facebook plans to use Factual’s location data for its business pages, places search, check-ins and place tips. Apple will use Factual’s data to enhance its Apple Maps mobile app.
Snapchat: Comedy Central is exclusively launching several shows on Venice disappearing content app Snapchat. The shows will appear within Snapchat’s Discover publishing portal and include “Swag-A-Saurus,” a video series explaining the latest slang words.
Innovate Pasadena: Tech community organization Innovate Pasadena has launched an “Epic Failures Competition.” The competition will showcase lessons learned from entrepreneurs that struggled with initial failure before going on to succeed.
Fullscreen: Playa Vista video creator and YouTube multichannel network Fullscreen has launched a $4.99 a month subscription video app. The app will supply video content from Fullscreen subsidiary Rooster Teeth, a gaming-oriented content company.
Walt Disney Co.: Disney expanded its Disney Movies Anywhere, a cloud-based digital locker that consumers can use to store Disney movies they have purchased and then import that content to a variety of devices and platforms. Now users can view content on video streaming platforms Amazon Prime and Microsoft’s Movies and TV service.
Technology reporter Garrett Reim can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @garrettreim for the latest in L.A. tech news.
