Loopt, a social-mapping and communication service, today announced its new “Loopt Mix” feature is in the 1.1 version of Loopt now available via the Apple App Store. This new opt-in feature uses location-based services to enable iPhone users to find and meet new people nearby. The Loopt Mix feature also makes it easy for online communities to facilitate real-world interaction among their members. Loopt’s featured community partners include TechCrunch, imeem, Rock the Vote and NRDC’s It’sYourNature.

“We hear from our users all the time that they want to use Loopt to meet new people in addition to keeping up with their current circle of friends,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of Loopt. “With the introduction of Loopt Mix, iPhone users can quickly search for interesting people around them and then easily contact them to meet up in person. Currently, it’s very easy to connect with people and groups with similar interests and hobbies online, but now Loopt is leveraging the power of location to bring that experience mobile and into the real world.”

Loopt helps users connect with other people and places in the real world, but until now it’s been limited to people that a user already knows. Loopt Mix is for users who want to meet new people near them — at a conference, in a club, or in their neighborhood. With Loopt Mix, users can create a customized public profile, browse nearby profiles, and even search by shared interest and community membership. Messages are sent via email and do not reveal the user’s full name, exact location, email address or phone number. The user is always in control and can easily turn off the feature, report abuse or block other users at any time.

Loopt Mix is also a powerful way for online communities and organizations to help their users connect in the real world. Some of Loopt’s community launch partners include TechCrunch (www.techcrunch.com), imeem (www.imeem.com), Rock the Vote (www.rockthevote.com) and NRDC’s It’sYourNature.org (www.itsyournature.org). Users can easily add these brand badges to their profiles to find and connect with other like-minded community members. With Loopt Mix, TechCrunch readers can meet up at conferences, coffee shops or Silicon Valley parties; imeem users can connect at local concerts and music festivals; Rock the Vote members can more easily coordinate voter registration activities; and NRDC’s It’sYourNature.org members can meet up to participate in local environmental events. Loopt Mix users can also use the “tags” section of their profile to indicate other interests, hobbies and organizations from sports clubs to alma maters to favorite bands and presidential candidate preferences. For example, it’s easy to search for all nearby users that have entered the tag “Obama/Biden” or “McCain/Palin” to help organize campaigning activities.

Loopt is available free for use in the United States from Apple’s App Store on iPhone or at www.itunes.com/appstore/. For more information about Loopt Mix, please visit www.loopt.com/mix

About Loopt

Loopt, based in Silicon-Valley and backed by leading venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates, has created a truly interoperable and accessible social-mapping service that is available across multiple carrier networks and supported on over 100 mobile devices. Leveraging the latest location technology, Loopt changes the way people connect, share and explore in the real world. Loopt was designed with privacy considerations at its core and offers a variety of effective and easy-to-use privacy controls for subscribers. Loopt works with leading mobile, social networking, and online privacy and security organizations such as The Family Online Safety Institute, Cyber Safe California, ConnectSafely.org, Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee, Progress & Freedom Foundation’s Center for Digital Media Freedom, and the Internet Safety Task Force. Loopt is also TRUSTe certified. For more information, please visit www.loopt.com.

Contact:

Amanda Sanyal
SutherlandGold Group for Loopt
650-520-5419
amanda@sutherlandgold.com