Want to stalk a potential love interest on Facebook? There's an app for that.
A new app for the popular social networking site allows users to pick "friends" whose Facebook relationship status they'd like to monitor.
When that status changes, the stalker … er – user, is notified via email.
Beverly Hills-based software programmer Dan Loewenherz noted on a discussion board that he mostly created "Break-up Notifier" as a joke at the behest of his fiancée and her mother.
"I wasn't even sure if it was work at first," he told the News. "Yesterday I submitted it to a bunch of friends on Facebook and it just exploded."
Loewenherz crafted the app in about four hours after he overheard his fiancée and her mother seeking a suitable mate for his bride-to-be's sister. Their first choice was already in a relationship and Loewenherz asked (he claims jokingly) if they wanted a way to find out if he ever became single.
The next day, he made the app.
The free app attracted more than 100,000 users in less than 24 hours – from mostly the U.S., but as far as India and Belgium, Loewenherz said.
"I'm kind of shell-shocked," he added.
With the quick popularity, Loewenherz said he may begin to monetize his instant hit.
His early plan is to allow users to monitor two friend for free, then to charge $5 to keep tabs on up to seven people.
"I just really hope people use it for good, not evil," he said. "It's really a practical thing. If you're going to refresh someone's page 20 times a day, why not have an alert on it?"
When he's not creating Facebook stalking tools, Loewenherz said he quit his day job to work on another startup site – letscrate.com – which simplifies file sharing. Just recently he said, that site began to bring in revenue.
Other than that, he said, he's just a normal Yale grad living in Los Angeles.
"I think a lot of people out there think I'm some sort of weirdo Facebook stalker," he said. "But I made this mostly as a joke and like I said before I'm just blown away how many people are using it."
COMMENTARY: It never ceases to amaze me that a "Breakup Notifier" app would get so many downloads in a single day. I often advice entrepreneurs that their venture must fill a real need in the marketplace. Looks like Dan Loewenherz found that need. Congrats Dan. You can download the app for free HERE, but Dan warns this is could change in the future. That's the entrepreneurial spirit.
As crazy as it sounds, this app could be used to track all kinds of events that might occur:
- Get a head start on a new job - Someone announces on Facebook, "I just quit my software engineer job at Google"
- Get a head start on selling your Ferrari sports car - Someone announces on Facebook, "I think I am going to trade-in or sell my 2001 Ford Mustang, and get a new Ferrari"
- Get a head start on a bet - Someone announces, "I just bet $1,000 that the San Francisco Giants will win the World Series, does anybody want to take that bet?"
There is no limit to what despiration can do. When will this silliness end?
While we are on the subject of breakup's check out my blog post dated December 4, 2010 titled, "Just In Time For Valentine's Day: The Lover's Guide To When And Methods Used By Couples To Break-Up". Dan, in case you read this, this could be the makings of a great new app called "BreakUp Time". What do you think? I want some residuals.
Courtesy of an article dated February 21, 2011 appearing in the New York Daily News
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