August 29, 2026
First Date Success: What Actually Predicts It, Compared Across Approaches
First date success isn't random — it's shaped by how you got there. A cost, time, and privacy comparison of swipe apps, matchmakers, and AI matchmaking.
Read →Field notes
On the end of swiping.
Notes on dating fatigue, the economics of the swipe, and what changes when an agent does the looking.
August 28, 2026
Nobody Fact-Checks "Verified" on a Dating App. Maybe They Should
The verified badge on a dating app profile feels like proof. Here's what verification actually checks, what it doesn't, and why the badge earns more trust than it should.
Read →August 27, 2026
Alternatives to Dating Apps: What the Term Actually Covers Now
Alternatives to dating apps now span human matchmakers, invite-only networks, and AI matchmaking. Here's what each actually is, mechanically, and who it suits.
Read →August 26, 2026
Switching to an AI Dating Assistant: Your First 14 Days, Mapped Out
Ready to try an AI dating assistant instead of swiping? Here's a concrete 14-day plan — what to do, in what order, and how to know it's working.
Read →August 25, 2026
Dating App Success Rates: Six Claims, Checked Against the Real Numbers
The dating app success rate gets quoted with total confidence and almost no citation. We checked six popular claims about it against Pew, Stanford, and Match Group's own numbers.
Read →August 24, 2026
Iyengar's Jam Study Wasn't About Jam. Here's the Data on What It Was Really About
Slow dating advocates cite the jam study constantly. A deep dive into what Iyengar and Lepper actually measured, what the results really showed, and what it means for dating today.
Read →August 23, 2026
Exclusive Dating App vs. Everything Else: A Cost, Time, and Privacy Table
Considering an exclusive dating app? Here's a direct comparison of cost, time, and privacy against swipe apps and matchmaking — dimension by dimension.
Read →August 22, 2026
Why Dating App Fatigue Isn't a You Problem
Dating app fatigue feels personal, but the design is built to produce it. Here's the myth of "you're just doing it wrong," checked against the evidence.
Read →August 21, 2026
AI Matchmaking, Defined: What the Term Actually Means in 2026
AI matchmaking explained plainly: what it is, how it works, where it fails, and who it suits — the full definition, without the marketing gloss.
Read →August 20, 2026
Overtone's Waitlist Is Live: How to Spend the Wait Well
On the Overtone waitlist and wondering what to do meanwhile? A concrete, step-by-step way to use the wait so you're ready — and not stuck swiping.
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