After quite a long time staring at iPhone application code and fighting about things like whether we should capitalize the word “Spot” (we totally should), my co-creator Eric and I are excited to get this party started next week.

Literally.

To introduce Wingman to the community, we’ve planned a little event in Belltown, and it’s shaping up to be one helluva party. We’re lucky to have teamed up with some great partners, including PintXO and Del Rey. We’ll even be giving away some door prizes, with proceeds benefitting a fantastic local charity, Seattle Works. The guest list is shaping up, and we’re excited to meet all the great people who plan on attending!

And to think that’s just the beginning. The very next day (and the day after, and the day after) we’ll be…well, bar-hopping. We’ll take off our party hats, put on our founder hats, and talk with people out and about to show them this great product we’ve made. Yes, it’s true…never a moment’s rest. Life in in the business of social networking can be downright demanding!

Online dating, flirting, romance doesn’t need to be sketchy, creepy, stalkery.  People shouldn’t need to subject themselves to unwarranted attention, rudeness, naughtiness or grossness.

People are people, of course, but we’re hoping that Wingman brings out the best in people.  Sort of like Burning Man, or having a nice conversation with the woman at the Post Office, or sitting next to a cool guy on a flight—these experiences remind us that it’s fun, rewarding and stimulating to have random interactions with humanity.

Wingman makes it easier to kick start these interactions, by allowing you to express your interest anonymously, and by giving you some icebreakers to use when chatting.

Here are some ways that we’re hoping folks will use Wingman:

• send a Wingman to that guy in your office that you’ve been smiling at in the elevator.  Is he interested (and single, and straight)?
• send a Wingman to the girl at the other side of the restaurant, who is enjoying Happy Hour with her work friends.  Why does she keep bashfully looking over?
• send a Wingman to the guy who’s always walking his cute dog in the park in the morning.  You sometimes cross paths, but you haven’t even asked his name.
• send a Wingman to the girl who was dancing with you at the concert last night.  Her smiling photo at the venue’s spot screen reminds you of how much fun you had together.
• send a Wingman to the boy who sits 2 rows in front of you in history class and sometimes asks you how your day is going.
• send a Wingman to the girl who cheerfully makes your morning latte, and who always compliments you on your hair.  Is it innocent flirting or something more?

Wingman isn’t just for the shy, or for the meek.  Wingman is for anyone who is looking to have more fun, meet more people, and live a richer life by expanding their social circle—that’s what technology’s all about, right?

It probably comes as little surprise that Jim and I are avid Foursquare users. We’ve also enjoyed using Gowalla, Loopt, Hot Potato and a few other interesting location-focused mobile social networking apps. Some are shiny, some are interesting for a day or two, but only Foursquare provides real utility to me.

Friends and friends

I use Foursquare as a way to quickly share my whereabouts with my big-F Friends (e.g. real life people who I enjoy hanging out with) and my little-f friends (e.g. acquaintances and Twitter followers/fans). In a few short taps, I can broadcast my location, either to entice friends to join me (Happen to be near Vlada? Come join me!), to share an interesting experience (First rooftop BBQ of the summer!) or sometimes just to bookmark a place to help me remember it later (Great Thai restaurant in Chelsea!).

The core value of Foursquare is the same as Twitter and email and Facebook—to share life experiences with your Friends and friends.

Wingman helps you meet new people, in a safe, fun, anonymous and lighthearted way.  There’s no need to link to your social network, there’s no need to broadcast your flirting activity to the world, it’s smiling people tapping on smiling photos to smile some more.

Rewards

I find it interesting how Foursquare attempts to add value to checking-in, by bribing users with gimmicky status (“I’m the Mayor of Dunkin’ Donuts!” or “I just unlocked the Crunked Badge!”)

What I love about Wingman is that we don’t need to bribe or reward users to check in—you check in on Wingman to meet other people. The more you check in on Wingman, the more photos you leave of yourself around town, and the more likely you are to meet real people in real life.

Maybe I should capitalize that: Wingman helps you meet Real People in Real Life.