In the past we’ve written articles on Datepad about taking a good picture. At the end of the day standing out on a dating site with millions of members isn’t easy and having a lousy picture only makes things worse. In these articles we’ve made mention of the fact that many of us have decided to take a picture of ourselves rather than having a friend do so. Why? Maybe embarrassed to say where the picture is going to be posted or maybe it’s all about convenience.

Well today there is a camera that could be designed specifically for this crowd.

The Samsung ST500 has a screen not only on the back of the camera which is traditional, they have also placed one on the front of the camera so you can see what you are shooting (which is most likely you!).

For more info Techcrunch has done a nice little writeup about this new product.

Disclaimer: Most of us have at least one friend that annoyingly takes photos everywhere you go.  While annoying, this same person is probably quite good at taking a great photo of you.  Save the money on the camera and get them to do the hard work. Maybe they even know how to work Photoshop?

At Datepad we believe by posting regular updates about features on the site, progress in our membership size and of course posting reviews of other dating sites is something we not only love doing we believe it is value added. In continuing those efforts we have recently built our Facebook “pages” which is a great way for us to communicate with our members that use Facebook  and more importantly our Facebook Application.

On our “pages” we will post our daily dating articles, blog posts and continue an open dialogue with our members and fans. We encourage all users to become a fan of our pages and as always feel free to leave a comment or suggestion.

We have some new features in the development pipe that we look forward to telling you about in the very near future. Thank you as always for your continued support!

When you run a popular internet dating site like Datepad.com from time to time we receive some rather unusual support requests and comments. Below is one we felt inclined to share with the world.

Here are a couple of things to note while reading this comment, while this gal believes so highly in the sanctity of marriage our ads only appear on other dating sites??

Our ads have never contained nor will they ever contain nudity, in fact Google whom we exclusively use doesn’t allow anything of this nature!
I hope you enjoy the read as much as our team did!

(Please keep in mind this is a true cut and paste, we didn’t change a thing!)

Abuse Type: A profile (content)
Screen Name: all sexual vugarity to me! my family!!!! other people in the world!!!!!!!!!

Webpage: all my websites! it’s like no matter! where I go your ad’s are there! or some connection! it’s sicking!!! match.com yahoo personals,date match! that’s fine! for single people! but what about ones that aren’t???

Everything! pictures comments!!! it’s all sicking!!! and it’s ruining!!! My marriage! My life! My husbands!!!!

We have our 24th Wedding,Anniverary! comming up in May! And,all wev’e been doing, is fighting!!!! Over your stupied! ad’s!!!!

And Emails that you keep sending us! in our Emails!!!! “Meet Sexy… Singles” in Your!!!! Area! Come! People!!!! I am sick of it!
And it’s Never! Men!!!! It’s always!!!! “Women” Little chovistic isn’t it? And the way, you Expolit! Women!!! is humliating!!!!! to me! Me as a Woman!!!! Do I not have any right’s??? I don’t CARE! IF, it is! what, the public! Want’s?…. “The world???…. What about! morrals?

And, God???? I have a fourteen year old boy! at home!!! that, I can’t hardly let use!!! are own computer! “Now, that’s not right!

I keep trying, to block your trash! but, can’t! Feel, sorry! for Me???? No! Because, you people make to much! Money!!!! Off, of what! you do! By slutting… other people! It’s a disgrace! to our! country! and, Nation! And People, wonder! Why? their’s so much, Anger? fighting.. killing!!!! Because, of website’s like these! your breaking and taring down the family wall’s and, unit’s

How can people share love? When their hidding, secerts in their in boxes??? or mails??? hmh? You tell me?
ALL your doing is killing good people! By telling them “It’s Okay!”…. TO LOOK! NO IT’S NOT! OKAY! TO LOOK!!!! THAT’S LIKE GIVING A SMALL CHILD,A REAL GUN!!!! “AND, SAYING… NOW, DON’T POINT THAT AT ANYONE! ‘joey!” DO YOU! GET IT?

YOUR CORRUPTING THE WORL WITH THIS BEHAVIOR!!!
WHEN YOU MARRY! SOMEONE! YOUR COMMITTING! TO THAT PERSON! NOT ANOTHER DUMB BLONDE! OR BRUENETTE! WITH HER LEGS SPREAD! SO FAR OPEN! SHE LOOK’S LIKE A PEACH! OR HER ASS! WIDE OPEN!

IT’S DISGUSTING! WHAT! YOU PEOPLE! DO!!!! AND, BY GOD! IT’S TIME!!!!! YOU KNEW IT!!! AND i GUESS, I HAVE TO BE THE ONE! TO HAVE THE GUTT’S TO STAND UP!!!! AND SAY SO! ENOUGH! IS ENOUGH!!!! AND TO STAND UP! AND SAY! WHAT I THINK! RATHER,IT MATTERS OR NOT! YOU PEOPLE ARE LIKE CHILDERN! YET WORSE! BECAUSE, EVEN SMALL CHILDERN KNOW WHAT’S RIGHT! FROM WRONG!!! AT THE AGE… OF WHAT? IS ONE? TWO??? OR FIVE?

i JUST HAVE HAD ENOUGH! OF YOUR WEBSITE! IT SHOULD BE CLOSED!!!! DOWN!!!! ALONG WITH MANY OTHER’S! YOUR A DISGRACE TO THE HUMAN RACE!
DATING? THAT’S FINE! BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO SHOW NAKED OR HALF NAKED PEOPLE TO ADVERTISE! ALL THAT DOES, IS MAKE YOU LOOK THAT MUCH WORSE! AND WHY WOULD I WANT TO LOOK AT IT?

I AM MARRIED! AND SO IS MY HUSBAND!

I am guessing most of you are completely unaware that there is a new movie out called Internet Dating. This movie was a straight to DVD release and I am also guessing that you will have a hard time trying to find it. This film tries and fails miserably in its attempt to portray the internet dating world. The movie is based on the site “hitusup.com” which, sadly, is available for sale through godaddy.com. That in itself speaks volumes about the movie as the producers didn’t even bother to register the domain for any type of internet promotion.

I was expecting the movie to show more about what it would be like to either run a dating service or actually use one. This movie fails utterly in both departments.

Internet Dating stars Katt Williams, a fairly well known standup comedian, and Master P who, among many things, has built a rather large record empire. In fact Master P was once on Forbes Top Ten Celebrity annual income list with an income over 50 million dollars in one year. Master P also had a short career in the NBA before becoming a musical and entertainment entrepreneur. His career success and the generous amount of philanthropic projects he is in involved in makes you really wonder what he was thinking when he decided to be a part of this movie. He was the producer of this film and I really question whether or not he actually viewed one single screening. Had he done so my guess is he would have cancelled the project.

On top of what I already said about this film, it insults in many other areas. Women are referred to as “bitches” so right off the bat they lose most of the female market; really smart guys! Then there are the annoying cartoon captions that remind you of the 1960’s Batman shows with Adam West. I am also sure that there was no script and if there was it was written as though it was improv and very poorly at that. The guys from “Whose Line Is It Anyway” could have easily made a 60 minute movie about online dating that would have made more sense and of course have been much more amusing. Then there is the sub shop were the majority of the characters work. During this entire film, even though they are constantly making sandwiches, there isn’t even one single customer that comes through the door.

I don’t write screenplays for a living and normally, regardless of whether I like movie or not, I do have some respect for the talent and time it take to put a screenplay together. That being said I’m positive that in my spare time I could easily put together something much more interesting than this horrible film. Avoid this movie like the plague and save yourself the 70 minutes that the movie internet dating stole from me.

What a start to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and it’s only Day 6!

As Datepad continues it’s quest for Internet Dating Gold (Queue the bong) I thought it would be poignant to discuss the amazing story that is Michael Phelps. While most of the discussions surrounding the Olympics has been around China’s human rights record, the insane air pollution and of course China’s dominance a top the podium for me Phelps’ performance in the pool is the big story.

Let’s talk about the numbers first and let’s keep in mind these are going to change fast so before you comment please take a look at the post date and time.

He has already won 5 gold medals and while winning them broke 5 world records. He now has a total of 11 gold medals and 13 medals overall to date. He is on route to winning a record 8 gold medals at this Olympics alone breaking what has seemed like an unbreakable record of 7 gold’s set by Mark Spitz.

What truly amazes me Michael is only 23 he will compete in at least one more Olympiad. The all time record for medals at the Olympics is Larissa Latynina of the former Soviet Union she won 9 Gold and a total of 18 medals. Phelps will be at 16 when the Beijing Olympics are over he will, assuming setbacks happen, surpass her amazing record in London UK.

Michael Phelps could easily be the greatest athlete ever to compete in the Olympics.