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October 22, 2007 1:34 PM PDT

Is your date a player? Send a text and find out

by Leslie Katz
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You get asked out at a party, but you can't help but wonder if the guy is actually the stable, reliable charmer he appears to be. A new SMS and Web-based service called PlayerBlock lets you sneak off with your cell phone, send a text message and get the dirt faster than he can say, "How 'bout a movie?"

PlayerBook.com (Credit: PlayerBook.com)

Based on the highly optimistic starting assumption that "people cheat and lie while dating and in relationships," PlayerBlock claims to be the first ever text-based service that enables romance seekers to investigate the dating habits of others (the Web already hosts similar date- and fidelity-tracking sites).

PlayerBlock members (who pay $4.99 per month for up to 100 messages) are encouraged to report both positive and negative dating experiences, with their insights then linked to the phone number of the tattled-on party.

"Did your date go well? Did you get played? Did they call when they said they would? We want to know! Tell us your innermost thoughts--don't let your neighbors get fooled just as you did," urges Global SMS, a privately owned company based in South Florida that came out with PlayerBlock.

Beyond the "Report a Player" and "Check a Player" features, the PlayerBlock service allows members to "Watch a Player." With that feature, Global SMS hopes to increase the audience beyond the dating arena and into the relationship space.

Potential for abuse of such a service, of course, is immense, as heartbreak and personal grudges could lead people to slam the objects of their frustration as a matter of vengeance. Then there's the subjectivity factor. After all, one person's player could be another person's inamorato--or something like that. And any truly poorly behaving lothario or lotharia could easily swap cell phone numbers regularly to avoid being associated with a negative charge.

The PlayerBlock service is currently supported by wireless carriers including AT&T, Sprint, Nextel, Verizon Wireless, Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile. Others, including T-Mobile, will be coming soon.

Ah, whatever happened to the simple days of meeting at the sock hop?

Leslie Katz, senior editor of CNET's Crave, covers gadgets, games, and most other digital distractions. As a co-host of the CNET News Daily Podcast, she sometimes tries to channel Terry Gross. E-mail Leslie.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (4 Comments)
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If...
by volterwd October 22, 2007 5:48 PM PDT
they can get over the critical mass problem it still will suck... none of the information is reliable anyways... for every knight in shining armor is someone elses moster and vice versa... and lets face it stuff like this is simply an outlet for sad women to complain.

I'm wondering how this is any different from the likes of "Don't dake him Girl" and so on.
Reply to this comment
correction
by kry99_jee61 October 22, 2007 9:30 PM PDT
fyi, lothario
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Doomed to fail
by kieranmullen October 23, 2007 9:13 AM PDT
Who is going to pay 4.99 a month for unreliable information? Besides why $4.99? The company just provides the platform which is nothing special. Its the content that is paramount right? I see this as an ad based service not subscription material.

KieranMullen
http://360oregon.com
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If you need to use such a service
by bluemist9999 October 26, 2007 7:22 AM PDT
I think that indicates a negative mindset from the get-go. And, at that point, any relationship is done anyways.

When one is presumed guilty until proven innocent, there can never be enough proof. All it takes is one forgotten or missed call and the drama begins.
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