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Skout, an iPhone app for geolocational dating, hit a million users and became profitable, according to a statement from the company.

According to founder Christian Wiklund, 200,000 of that million have downloaded the location-sensitive dating app in the last month. Skout uses a game-type financial model, with a free download but fees charged for "virtual gifts, premium memberships, or sending 'wink bombs' which reach up to 500 potential sweethearts in your area at once."

Less than a decade ago, online dating was by no way considered mainstream. Not only were you judged for putting your profile up on a dating site, but your choice of site between Lavalife, Match and Nerve Singles told others whether you were there to date, get married or make friends with benefits. Today, location-based dating sites are quickly gaining ground. With the increasing mainstream acceptance of services like Foursquare and Gowalla, new opportunities within the dating space have emerged. Forget badges and points, geo-locational apps already have the power to promise you love.

Loopt, makers of a popular mobile social networking application of the same name, is introducing a new iPhone application today called Loopt Mix. Where their original app focuses on connecting you with your friends while you're out and about, Loopt Mix is more about introducing you to "the people you wish you knew." In other words, "people" like that attractive person giving you eye from the other end of the bar.

Dating sites haven't changed much over the years. Oh sure, there are new matchmaking algorithms that claim to have a better shot at connecting you to that "special someone," but a few basic concepts remain. You still have to upload a photo, fill out a profile, list your likes and dislikes, and so on. Doesn't everyone enjoy "long walks on the beach" and "playing with their dog?" How does that help you really get to know who someone is? Gelato thinks they have a better way. Using concepts happily copied from FriendFeed, the social site that seems to be the inspiration for all, Gelato brings the lifestreaming concept into the world of online dating. By connecting you with your social networks, site users can get to know each other in much more natural ways.

Would you pay $25 per month to belong to a social network for "sex positive" Burning Man types, with extensive privacy controls and real-world events planning? Former enterprise collaboration software marketing exec Sam Lawrence has co-founded a new company that launches tonight and has raised $1 million in funding in the belief that enough people are looking for exactly that.

Blackbox Republic argues that the transaction-focused dating site market is unfulfilling for millions of people around the world.

Webstock, a conference for Web professionals, is happening in Wellington New Zealand this week. As usual it's a classy lineup of speakers and a number of international webheads will be jetting in for the event. They include science fiction author Bruce Sterling, Flickr's Heather Champ, Social Web designer Joshua Porter, Dopplr's Matt Biddulph, Institute for the Future's Jane McGonigal, Six Apart's David Recordon, The Guardian's Meg Pickard, NZ Foo Camp's Nat Torkington, Yahoo's Tom Coates, online performance artist Ze Frank, and many more.

If you think regular online dating is still too slow and inconvenient, SpeedDate.com might just be the thing for you. The San Mateo based online dating service just raised $6 million in a Series B round from Menlo Ventures after raising a Series A round for the same amount in January 2007. SpeedDate.com sets itself apart from its competitors by allowing its users to quickly set up short webcam conversations.