MeetMe

Editors' ReviewDownload.com staffApril 29, 2014With a user base of 90 million, MeetMe turns out to be one of the most exciting socializing apps for mobile devices available. But although its live feed is ingenious, once you start using it, you run into the usual problems apps like it suffer from, such as obtrusive ads, fake profiles, and inappropriate behavior.ProsIngenious feed: MeetMe features an engaging live feed with likes and comments that spark conversations and help you discover interesting people. The great thing about it is that it's divided into people nearby, friends, and everyone, so that you can choose whether to focus on discovering new people from your area, arranging quick meetings with people nearby, or keeping in touch with friends.Vibrant community: There are plenty of interesting people to engage with. Also, the Ask Me feature feels more playful than the usual Send Message and encourages interaction.Good design: Whether we're talking about the comprehensive search feature, the clean, intimate chat window, or the neat profile pages that put emphasis on images, MeetMe impresses with its accessibility and good looks. The interface succeeds in being both attractive and practical, an accomplishment for an app of this kind.ConsInfested with ads: The ads in the live feed are tolerable, but those that show up among the profile photos are lousy. Even worse, intrusive ads will pop up in the chat window while you're talking to someone you've just met.Constant crashes: On our KitKat-powered Nexus 7, this app crashed half a dozen times during our tests, especially during the account signup process and while retrieving search results. This issue may be contained to KitKat.Bottom LineMeetMe can help you find friends and especially dates, but don't expect the search to be as easy as the developer claims -- on your way you'll have to endure crashes, ads, fake profiles, and rude people, too. But these, rather than ruining the user experience, only make the search more interesting. This app isn't an alternative to Facebook, but can complement it.