We’ve come a long way from the days of letting the local yenta (most often your mother) make your matches. Thanks to advances in technology, there now are infinite possibilities to find love at the convenience of your keyboard.

Online dating has evolved considerably from the time I first posted my own profile. I remember schlepping over to Kinko’s with a 3×5 print in tow, praying I wouldn’t have to ask for help scanning it. I feared the guys with those dorky blue aprons would be snickering behind me, judging that look on my face to be lonely desperation rather than the computer-induced confusion.

As the stigma around online dating dissipated, so did the technological barriers holding you back from making your move online. Each new development simplified the process, making finding a partner that much easier. Were we able to take a photo from our cell phones, but not upload them to our 100hookup mobile profiles – Dayenu. If we were able to upload them, but we did not have the ability to edit them in that cool instagram or pixlr-style – Dayenu. If we were able to edit the photos…you get the point. It’s a blessing to have moved forward so quickly and in such a helpful, less embarrassing way.

Online dating is just one of the many avenues to finding love in the modern world. Here are the other top 10 ways that technology has had a positive impact on our love lives:

1. Search Engines

20 years ago, if a random stranger asked you on a date, you either had to be in it for the long haul or you had to hire a private investigator to find out more about the person. Now a simple online search makes it much more effective for keeping the gems…and zapping the liars.

2. Meetups

Finding like-minded singles who enjoy the similar activities couldn’t be easier now. From fishing to squaredancing (and everything in between), there’s a Meetup group for everyone and everything. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always create one of your own.

3. Streaming Video/On Demand

As my husband and I can attest to, the days of circling the aisles at Blockbuster® are officially over. With just one click, you and your date have endless possibilities of viewing choices. Plus, no late fees and no rewinding. Extra bonus: No unnecessary fighting. Don’t like your first pick? Switch to something else.

4. Open Table

This is my absolute favorite way to make a reservation in any city. Looking to score a two-top at the swankiest new eatery in town? Simply choose the date and time you want to go, and you’re done! Plus, you’ll get loyalty points to boot!

5. Assigned Seating

For those of you in places (like my hometown of East Lansing, MI) where it’s still acceptable to roll in a mere seconds before show time and nab great seats, you’ll just have to take my word for it. Assigned seating has taken dating etiquette to a whole new level for us Angelenos and New Yorkers who know all too well the annoying popcorn-scented whisper of, “is this seat taken?”

6. Navigation Systems

Being late for a date is never attractive. Plus, why bother writing down directions, only to end up stopping at the nearest gas station to ask where the heck you are anyway? You can even use your GPS to detour your trip if you’re stuck in traffic.

7. Texting

Now, I don’t ever recommend asking someone out via text, but texting definitely does have its place in the dating world. You can let him know you’re parking and will just be a few minutes; tell her you’re thinking about her; or ask him for the address of the meeting spot. Better yet, you never have to wait to find out if she received your message on her answering machine. And considering that the average response time to a text is five minutes or less, if she doesn’t reply, sadly, she’s probably not interested.

8. MP3s

With a world of musical options at your disposal, creating a sexy mixtape can now be done in a fraction of the time.

9. foursquare

Now you can avoid awkward encounters (and still enjoy your favorite haunts) by making sure that your ex-girlfriend didn’t check-in to the location of your next date prior to you bringing your new lady to that same place!

10. Video Chat

As you read in my last article on video-chat dating, now you have a way to make sure that smoking-hot gal you’ve been emailing is not actually some hairy guy. It also enables you to give a long-distance romance a real shot.

As much as you might have a love/hate relationship with technology, when it’s used correctly it can help you find love/love at the push of a button.

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